Reports to: Chief Legal Officer

Location: China

Terms & Conditions: Full time, right to work required

If you are in the Unilever Ice Cream business or consider choosing to work for the Unilever Ice Cream business, you will work for the Global, leading Ice Cream player with €7.9bn Turn Over in 2023. The Ice Cream business is operating in a highly attractive category, as we are part of the 1 trillion snacking and refreshment industry, growing consistently at high pace. We have strong brands equities: 5 of top 10 selling brands including Wall’s, Magnum, Ben &Jerry’s. We are investing to unlock the full growth potential of Ice Cream as a standalone entity, once we separate from Unilever, which is planned to happen by November 2025.

Ice Cream has distinct characteristics from Unilever’s other operating businesses and the growth potential of Ice Cream will be better delivered under a different ownership structure. As Ice Cream company we are committed to developing and nurturing talent within our Ice Cream company. You will have ample options for career growth and exploration, allowing you for you to explore roles and opportunities across the new organisation. Your career development will be a priority for us, and we are dedicated to supporting your growth journey within the new company. We hope that you will want to build the new chapter of our Ice Cream history together with us.

ABOUT ICE CREAM: Life Tastes Better With Ice Cream

Unilever Ice Cream is the largest global Ice Cream Company in the world, with over 100 years of experience delivering a diverse range of indulgent, yet responsible, craft food experiences and treats delighting consumers. Committed to innovation, quality, and sustainability we have 35 brands, including 3 one billion Euro brands (Magnum, Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s), a strong presence in over 60 countries, generating annual revenue of over $8 billion. All brands are driven to transform moments into memories through indulgent yet responsibly made and marketed products. We have a well-developed strategy to deliver growth and value creation which is clear on where to play and how to win.

We turn the ordinary into the extraordinary by designing unique and innovative Ice Cream experiences that make life taste better, creating joyful experiences. In our Ice Cream business, we’re crafting the future through innovation and imaginative minds, creating unique products. We spark moments of happiness for people and within the communities where we operate. However, it is not as simple as it may seem. As Ice Cream makers we are serious about happiness. With warm hearts, we create the coolest products.

JOB SUMMARY:

Are you a senior lawyer (+15 years’ experience) passionate about ice cream innovation, digital commerce, marketing and negotiations, in a constant evolving world, and would like to be part of a multi-cultural global and Asia legal team, for the leading ice cream business in the world? Then this role is tailored for you.

This role will be part of the Legal Establishment team that will drive the set-up, standalone design and implementation of all legal required structure and capabilities to enable Unilever’s Ice Cream business to become a fully functioning standalone company, separate from Unilever. The roles in the Legal Establishment team will sit with the Ice Cream business and will work closely with the Unilever Separation team. 

This role will support the legal lead the establishment team to design an end-to-end Legal function for this standalone company. This will require collaboration with business leaders, coordination across different functional and BU workstreams and overall set up of a future-fit Legal function for the standalone Ice Cream organisation.

The successful candidate will be one that has deep Legal functional expertise in his/her area with proven record of leading large-scale people transformation and has a passion for change management, simplification, communication, and a desire to make a meaningful impact.

This role will exist in its current form for ~12-15 months. We expect the separation process to have been concluded in this period with post-separation governance established.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This role will be part of the Legal Functional Lead and Chief Legal Officer teams that need to enable the success of a standalone Ice Cream company that is geared for future success as a market leader in its industry.

To do that in the specific area, this role will support the Legal Establishment team to:

Ensure design of end-to-end Legal function in her/his specific area for a standalone Ice Cream company.Aligned to the Ice Cream Design Principles, co-create specific Legal design principles that support the People and business strategy for the new Ice Cream company.Assess current processes and systems to identify inefficiencies and areas for optimization. Design and implement streamlined processes and automation solutions to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.Plan for the establishment process including defining objectives, timelines, and key milestones (critical path).Ensure business case is completed and delivery tracked for own area of focus.Manage project risks and develop scenarios to mitigate.Ensure transitional operating model is put in place for Day 1 Go-live, enabling internal and external separation of focus functions within the plan.

The key responsibilities of this role are:

•       Ensuring compliance of all operations in Asia (Competition Law, Business Integrity, Data Privacy, Anti-Bribery, Governance, Corporate Secretary)  through effective business partnering to the Asia Leadership Team and the wider Asia Ice Cream organisation (Marketing, Sales, Procurement, Supply Chain, R&D and Finance). Collaboration across the Asia Legal team as well as the Corporate Centre (for Tax, IP, Corporate, M&A, Business Integrity and Data Protection teams). 

•       Partnering the Asia Leadership team and support transformational projects arisen around the creation and development of the Ice Cream Company, manage the Legal Department budget.

•       The compliance and roll out of global legal corporate policies for the Ice Cream Business

•       Advising on key legal risks for the Ice Cream Business and provide a strategy and plan including resourcing as to how this would be mitigated and managed;

•       Advising on sales and route to market topics and projects / alternative business models, including Business2Business/Customer Development models /ecommerce;

•       Advising on all legal aspects, including contracts assessments with suppliers, distributors, Ecommerce, Logistics, Factory maintenance and contractors;

•       Advising on new product development projects, including the legality of and support for claims, product positioning, input into preparation of communication materials.

•       Any Ice Cream related litigation;

•       External legal issues impacting the Ice Cream business such as Competition/ Commercial, Corporate, Marketing, regulatory, and Advertising Environmental/sustainability, related and where relevant.

•       Managing legal risks & reputation for operations in Asia by supervising any major crisis and/or litigations in relationship with Authorities (Competition, Consumer, Environmental, Data Protection Authorities amongst others) and Competitors, and implementing policies and compliance program in Asia.

•       Supporting the Sales Department in managing supplier/distributor relations by negotiating, analyzing, and drafting the various contractual agreements (single agreement, GTC/GTS, international agreements) whether for In-Home Retail Clients, Asia Alliances, Wholesalers & chains (Foodservices & OOH), Direct to Consumer & E-commerce.

•       Providing legal support for the Customer Service, Logistics, Finance teams on all contracts and operations related to their activities in the cluster (Payment terms, electronic invoicing, invoicing, issue related to the transport of goods, negotiation of General Terms and Conditions of Purchase and penalties).

•       Will be responsible for driving the legal agenda in Asia, having the Asia country GCs reporting to him/her.

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED:

SKILLS:

Legal Expertise, Advanced Risk Management, Business Partnering, Stakeholder Management, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Business Acumen, Project Management, Collaboration, Influential Leadership, Negotiation Skills, Digital Curiosity, Versatility, Advocacy, Emotion Intelligent, Prioritisation Skills, Multitasking, External Network, External Communications, External Network, Budget and Management Controls.

EXPERIENCES & QUALIFICATIONS:

senior lawyer (+15 years’ experience), experienced in corporate law, commercial & sales contracts, legal marketing activities, competition law, factory support, issues management.

LEADERSHIP:   

You are an inclusive motivator of people. Your team delivers with real passion, growing and learning from each other whilst delivering quick wins.You are still responsible for your own results and as a manager, you also need to motivate others to deliver with passion, creating an inclusive and engaging climate around you. You can balance challenge with support and coaching. You understand the wider business context and you are emotionally intelligent enough to motivate people to deliver what is needed.Passion, energy and enthusiasm for your work and for everything that makes Ice Cream uniqueOutstanding communication and problem-solving skillsA team player who is highly collaborative, flexible and enjoys working with othersBoundaryless – will go above and beyond to get the job doneCurious with an unquenchable desire to learnStrives for constant improvementA commitment to unyielding integrity who will serve as a role modelA great sense of humor, enjoys fun and strives for a proper work-life balanceAble to work across time zones and possessing global sensibilitiesA doer more than manager – always willing to roll up own sleeves to get something doneAbility to assimilate information quickly, identify and articulate risks and provide pragmatic solutionsA business partner mindset that emphasizes practical and effective solutionsClose attention to detailStrong organizational skillsCapable of multi-tasking, address changing demands in a fast-paced environment and juggling multiple projects while always meeting deadlinesLead with a global mindset to ensure our teams operate on a consistent legal practice on a worldwide, cross-jurisdictional basis.

Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) BehaviorsPERSONAL MASTERY: Sets high standards for themselves. Has emotional intelligence to take feedback, manage mood and motivations, and build empathy for others.PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Generates intensity and focus to motivate people to deliver results at speed. Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results.TALENT CATALYST: Invests in people – coaches individuals and teams to realize their full potential. Creates an inclusive climate, empowering everyone to be at their best.PURPOSE & SERVICE: Has humility, understanding that leadership is service to others, inside and outside Unilever.CONSUMER LOVE: Invests time inside and outside to understand the needs of consumers.BUSINESS ACUMEN: Creates sustainable growth with purpose, engaging different partners across the system for change.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. 

For the recruitment of this position, we would like to emphasize that local conditions apply to the position.

Please be aware if you are applying for this role from outside the informed location, if successful, your internal application will be treated as a self-initiated Change Location Outside of Country (CLOC) transfer.

No further relocation support will be provided in a self-initiated CLOC.

ARE YOU EXCITED TO CRAFT THE ICE CREAM FUTURE?

To apply, you must do so online. Please do not forget to upload your CV, latest EoY and a motivation letter.  If you have been informed that you are at risk of redundancy, please make sure to tick this box during your application. Please also attach your letter of redundancy to the application.

Your application will be reviewed against our requirements, and we will be in touch shortly after the closing date to provide you with an update on the status of your application.

By applying for this vacancy, you are confirming that you have made your Line Manager aware of your application and that you are at a point in your career with Unilever where it is appropriate for you to apply for other positions.

Disclaimer 

Equal Opportunity Employer: Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. 

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.