Commercial Counsel Europe

## About The Role

Kerry is seeking an experienced and commercially minded lawyer to support Procurement and Supply Chain contracting across Europe. In addition, this role will support Kerry's Biotechnology business in Europe, involving intellectual property, commercial and regulatory work.

The Commercial Counsel, Europe  will work closely with the General Counsel (Europe) and other Senior Commercial Counsels on the Europe Legal Team and be a trusted day-to-day legal partner to relevant business and functional teams, managing an assigned portfolio from instruction through negotiation and execution.

The successful candidate will set objectives for their assigned portfolio, execute tactical legal plans, deliver operational results, resolve complex contracting issues where precedent may be limited, and contribute to process improvement. The role is expected to operate independently on matters within agreed parameters, while seeking manager support on material, novel, high-risk or strategically significant matters.

Please note Occasional travel within Europe may be required.

## Key Accountabilities

## Procurement and Supply Chain Contracts

- Draft, review, negotiate and advise on procurement, logistics and supply chain agreements, including for goods and services, technology, equipment purchase, outsourcing (including third-party manufacturing), warehousing, transport, energy, professional services, NDAs and other supplier arrangements.
- Take ownership of an assigned contract portfolio, progressing matters efficiently from initial instruction through negotiation, approval and execution.
- Provide practical, commercial and risk-based advice on key contractual issues such as liability, indemnities, warranties, security of supply, termination, compliance and intellectual property protection.
- Provide legal support on pre-litigation contractual disputes and advise on commercial resolutions.
- Partner with Procurement, Supply Chain, Operations, Finance, Quality, Regulatory, Digital and other stakeholders on appropriate risk allocation and workable commercial outcomes.

## Biotechnology Contractual and Regulatory Support

- Support biotechnology-related commercial arrangements and intellectual property arrangements, including supply, third-party manufacturing, development, collaboration, licensing, material or strain transfer, research services, quality, manufacturing and confidentiality agreements.
- Work with commercial, scientific, R&D, quality, regulatory and operational stakeholders to support the development, manufacture, supply and commercialisation of biotechnology products and technologies.
- Provide first-line support on contractual and regulatory questions within experience and delegated scope, coordinating with specialist colleagues or external counsel where required.
- Translate relevant regulatory requirements and developments into concise, practical guidance and contracting actions for the business.

## General Counsel (Europe) Support

- Work closely with the General Counsel (Europe) on strategic matters for the European business.
- Support Kerry's Speak Up initiative in Europe within an agreed Speak Up governance framework and under the direction of the General Counsel (Europe) and the Senior Employment Counsel (Europe).
- Support the General Counsel (Europe) on selected cross-functional, governance, regulatory and strategic legal matters, including preparation of briefings and coordination of follow-up actions.
- Support the development of Kerry templates, playbooks, approved positions and contract lifecycle management tools.
- Deliver targeted training and know-how to business stakeholders and share learning across the Europe Legal Team.
- Support effective matter management, reporting and use of data to improve legal service delivery.

## Qualifications & Experience

- Qualified lawyer in a European jurisdiction with 3-5 years PQE and entitled to practise or provide in-house legal services as required in the relevant location.
- Fluent written and spoken English. Fluency in a second European language is desirable.
- Relevant post-qualification experience in commercial contracting, typically gained in-house and/or in a large international law firm, sufficient to manage an appropriate portfolio with a meaningful degree of independence.
- Demonstrable experience in procurement, supply chain and commercial agreements.
- Experience supporting licensing, collaboration, development, technology or commercialisation agreements.
- Ability to manage complex negotiations and advise stakeholders independently within agreed parameters.
- In-house experience in a multinational organisation, particularly in food, ingredients, biotechnology, manufacturing or FMCG, is preferred.

## Skills & Attributes

- Strong drafting, negotiation and contract risk-assessment skills, with the ability to translate legal issues into clear and workable business solutions.
- Commercially pragmatic and able to balance growth, speed, value and legal risk.
- Able to organise and prioritise a varied workload, meet business timelines and maintain appropriate records, workload management and reporting discipline.
- Confident stakeholder manager who collaborates effectively across functions, cultures and jurisdictions.
- Sound judgement, integrity and discretion, with an appropriate understanding of when to decide, when to consult and when to escalate.
- Comfortable working in a matrixed international organisation and using contract lifecycle management and other legal technology tools.

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

Get in touch today!

In Kerry we benefit from the knowledge of our colleagues who bring a diverse range of cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles, and experiences. One team fostering an inclusive culture that, above all, inspires food and nourishes life. One culture where everyone brings their unique perspectives and experiences to help make us better, together. We are committed to nurturing an environment of positivity and inclusiveness, where everyone can be at their best, both personally and professionally.

Beware of scams online or from individuals claiming to represent us. A Kerry employee will not solicit candidates through a non-Kerry email address or phone number. In addition, Kerry does not currently utilise video chat rooms (e.g., Google Hangouts) to conduct interviews. Refuse any request that asks you to provide payment to participate in the hiring process (e.g., purchasing a “starter kit,” investing in training, or something similar). Kerry will not ask you to pay any money at any point in the hiring process with the exception of reimbursable travel expenses. In addition, any payments made by Kerry will be from official firm accounts bearing the Kerry name.

Please note We do not accept CVs or candidate profiles from recruitment agencies where Kerry terms of business have not been signed. Additionally, we will not consider or agree to payment of any recruiter fee under these circumstances. This also applies to CVs or candidate profiles sent directly to any Kerry Hiring Managers.