Legal Counsel - Central and East European Cluster

Description Overview

This is an exciting opportunity to apply your legal expertise to be a trusted legal business partner to our Consumer Self Care International (CSCI) teams in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the central and eastern European countries (the Central & East Cluster).  As Legal Counsel, you will play a crucial role in contract drafting and negotiation, managing commercial transactions, and serving as a key legal partner to the Central & East Cluster commercial teams (e.g. Sales, Marketing, and Commercial Strategy & Insights).  The ideal candidate will have a strong commercial legal background with experience in the Consumer Self Care and/or pharmaceutical industry.  In this pivotal role, you will have the opportunity to work closely with the business to assist the company in a variety of commercial transactions.

Scope of the Role

•  Contract Drafting and Negotiation: Support Perrigo’s broad Consumer Self Care store brand and branded product portfolio by managing the contracting process from initial negotiation through execution on a wide range of contracts, including retail customer agreements, supply contracts, distribution agreements, and marketing agreements; ensuring that the organization's interests are protected and that contracts comply with internal contract policies and applicable laws and regulations.
•  Commercial Transactions:  Support the CSCI Central & East Cluster business as a strategic thought partner on a variety of commercial transactions involving the sale and distribution of the CSCI business’ consumer self-care products.  
•  Legal Partner to Sales Team:  Serve as a key legal advisor to the commercial team, providing ongoing legal advice and counsel on relevant topics such as pricing, promotional programs, sales rep agreements, and contract interpretation.  Develop and implement training programs for the Sales team on legal and compliance matters.  Support the Sales team in resolving legal issues and concerns that may arise with customers or distributors.
•  Business Development:  Provide legal counsel and support for business development initiatives and special projects, including mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships.  Conduct due diligence, analyze risks, and negotiate agreements for complex transactions.  Advise senior management on the legal implications of potential transactions and recommend strategic approaches.
•  Advice:  Provide expert legal advice and counsel to the organization's management team, executives, and other stakeholders. This includes assisting with legal issues related to business operations, contracts, and risk management.
•  Collaboration:  Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including sales, marketing, finance, risk management, and other commercial teams, to understand their needs and ensure contracts support strategic goals.
•  Training and Education:  Provide training and educational sessions to employees on legal matters, compliance, EU competition laws and risk management, ensuring that employees are aware of their legal obligations and responsibilities.  Assist in the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure legal compliance and mitigate legal risks. Review and update existing policies to align with changes in laws and regulations.
•  Litigation:  Provide support with litigation matters involving the CSCI Central & East Cluster business, collaborating with internal Litigation Counsel and outside counsel, to manage the organization's legal strategy in litigation and other disputes.
•  Outside Counsel Management: Effectively collaborate with and manage external law firms as required, managing timelines and budgets to ensure maximum value for the business, building relationships with trusted external advisors across multiple territories, and coordinating external advice for a non-legal audience.
 

Experience Required

• Qualified solicitor with law degree (or equivalent).
• 5-8 years of legal experience, preferably with a combination of law firm and in-house experience in a publicly traded global organization.
• The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of success in drafting and negotiating complex commercial contracts within the Consumer Self Care and/or pharmaceutical industry. 
• Fluency in German and English is essential
• Demonstrated ability to manage senior executive relations and ability to collaborate and build relations with stakeholders across functional and organization lines, and enterprise-wide program development and management skills. 
• Strong understanding of relevant laws and regulations governing the industry.
• Strong strategic thinking and business acumen, with the ability to balance legal considerations with business objectives.
• Exceptional leadership and communication skills, including well-developed interpersonal skills and strong written communication skills.
• Strong legal research, analysis, and written/verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills.