Brand Protection Coordinator – IP Legal Powerhouse (Barcelona)

Company Overview:

Unilever is one of the world’s leading fast-moving consumer goods companies. Our products are sold in over 190 countries, and, on any given day, 3.4 billion consumers worldwide use them. We own some of the best known and best loved brands, including Axe, Cif, Comfort, Dermalogica, Dove, Hellmann’s, Horlicks, Lifebouy, Knorr, Paula’s Choice, Persil, TRESemmé and Vaseline.

In order to unlock our full potential and accelerate business performance, Unilever has set out a Growth Action Plan. It outlines the steps we are taking to deliver faster growth, drive productivity and simplicity, and dial up our performance culture.  Our 30 Power Brands are front and centre of our Growth Action Plan, as is unmissable brand superiority across the 6Ps, as well as science and technology.

Our focus in Legal is on high impact strategic business partnering, leveraging and strengthening our legal expertise whilst continuing to expand the powerhouses and focus on digital transformation.

Unilever's legal team has recently been awarded Most Innovative In-House Legal Team in Europe and In-House Legal Team.  We are at the forefront of innovation and digitalisation with GenAI tools, data and Powerhouses shaping the future of how we work. 

Job Purpose:

The role of Unilever’s Legal Function is to protect Unilever and help it to win by providing objective advice and creative legal solutions.  The Legal Function, a global operation consisting of approximately 500 lawyers and specialists, is structured with corporate expertise Leads and General Counsels who head up each of our five Business Groups.

Intellectual Property (IP) is a corporate expertise function under the leadership of Unilever’s Chief Intellectual Property Officer.  The Trade Mark & Brand Protection teams have global responsibility for the

The Legal Powerhouse is a team established in 2023 and currently consists of around 80 legal associates and paralegals located across Bangalore, Barcelona and Mexico City.  The Powerhouse team is part of the Legal Function and provides defined, structured services to our lawyers and to the broader business.

We are now building an IP expertise hub as part of our Legal Powerhouse in Barcelona and are seeking to recruit a Brand Protection Coordinator.

As the Brand Protection Coordinator, you will play an integral role in coordinating across our global Trade Mark & Brand Protection teams to drive operational effectiveness through greater collaboration, intelligence analysis and identifying emerging trends.

Moreover, you will support with the day-to-day coordination of brand protection activities across the digital world and in Europe, including customs and law enforcement detentions and seizures, proactive investigations and conducting stakeholder trainings.

Core Responsibilities:

You will be responsible for supporting with the following activities:

In partnership with the responsible Trade Mark Counsel, Business Unit Legal Counsel & our relevant Business Partners, you will help develop and agree strategies to protect and defend Unilever’s intellectual property rights against counterfeits and illicit products in Europe.You will support with the day-to-day coordination of Unilever’s “brick-and-mortar” brand protection program in Europe, including customs and law enforcement detentions and seizures, and the registration, maintenance and renewal of national and regional customs applications. You will create and maintain detailed and accurate records of brand protection matters in the Scout case management system.You will help with establishing effective and collaborative working relationships with police and other law enforcement, government agencies and intermediaries, by organizing and conducting trainings and seminars and preparing relevant presentations and training materials. You will support the Business Group Trade Mark Counsel with the day-to-day operations of the agreed digital disruption and enforcement program, including the monitoring of e-commerce platforms, social media and the internet for IP infringements and counterfeits.You will conduct proactive analysis of brand protection data to identify high value targets engaged in the manufacture, distribution and/or sale of counterfeit and illicit products worldwide, and to track global and regional counterfeit trends, shipping routes, export, transit and import hotshots, and target mapping – preparing intelligence and situation reports.You will support with the coordination of our global network of law firms, investigators and brand protection service providers to support Unilever’s brand protection program, including conducting regular training, providing insights into counterfeit trends and act as a key contact/You will be responsible for organizing regular internal meetings between the global brand protection practice group and members of the wider IP team across Trade Marks & Patents, to promote collaboration and facilitate knowledge sharing.

About You:

You are a passionate and knowledgeable brand protection professional with experience in anti-counterfeiting and/or illicit trade enforcement.You have experience with an in-house legal team and, preferably, within the FMCG sector.You have excellent verbal and written communication skills, with fluency in English.You have outstanding analytical skills and attention to detail.You have an ability to prioritize task in a fast-paced work environment and have experience working with different people located in different geographic locations/time zones.You are adaptable, proactive, keen to learn and are willing to take on an increasingly varied and challenging workload as your skills develop.You have exceptional computer skills especially with Microsoft Office & Copilot and standard IP technologies & tools, including case management software and trademark searching and watching platforms.You have a strong send of teamwork, with an ability to work independently and accomplish team priorities without day-to-day supervision.

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.