Group General Counsel
TITLE : Group General Counsel LOCATION : USA TERRITORY : Global REPORTING TO : Global CEO
ROLE
We are excited to be hiring a senior leadership role within our Legal organisation, which is a Group General Counsel. As part of the role, the General Counsel will provide senior level guidance on shaping and implementing our agenda in all regions and markets, to achieve our inorganic growth objectives, as well as advising on other critical strategic board-level project initiatives to navigate economic and political complexities. This General Counsel will report to Global CEO, but be the day-to-day lead for the other members of the global legal team in delivering Group priorities and collaborating in new and innovative ways, all of which are crucial to the delivery of our growth ambitions globally.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES
The General Counsel will be required to operate at a strategic level with all partners, including the Board and the Executive, requiring an ability for sophisticated pro-active critical thinking to identify creative solutions to challenges and a high level of credibility to deliver complex messages in a multifaceted, clear and persuasive manner. The General Counsel will be required to negotiate with external parties and represent the company in various external contexts, including regulators and industry groups.
- Provide expert and strategic legal advice to board and other management and implement strategic objectives set by board and other management;
- Provide best in class support at pace to a global vertically integrated wine and spirits business;
- Manage and supervise a high-quality international in-house legal team;
- Manage and supervise outside counsels;
- Manage complex and significant matters that cut across legal and business areas;
- Anticipate issues and proactively identify solutions that will eliminate or mitigate risks;
- Overall responsibility for all legal matters relevant to the group of companies, including:
- Commercial matters, including distribution, supply and purchase contracts, marketing, advertising and sponsorship contracts, etc.;
- Corporate governance, compliance, internal controls and audit;
- Cross-border mergers and acquisitions;
- Finance and legal aspects of tax;
- Intellectual property;
- Regulatory and securities issues;
- Labor and employment issues;
- Commercial disputes;
- Reorganizations/restructurings, formations and liquidations;
- New laws and changes to existing laws impacting the business of the group
- Draft and negotiate commercial, financial, legal and other types of agreements;
- Represent group companies in various matters;
- Training and development of all members of the in-house legal team.
Risk and Reputation Management
- This role will be responsible for ensuring there is appropriate identification, assessment and management of legal, commercial and reputational risk in the context of the inorganic growth and business development agenda. This will include exercising such capabilities across each of the areas of responsibility, which together represent a very large portion of commercial, regulatory and reputational exposure of Stoli Group. This will require full engagement across Stoli Group and sound commercial/legal judgement, which can be trusted by both senior leaders (including the Board and Executive Committee) and other team members globally.
Leadership & Talent Development
- The role will be required to lead and empower a broad set of professionals of an in-house legal team, also being responsible for defining and delivering on developmental pathways for members of relevant global functions.
- This role will also have a leadership role in connection with the global legal function, helping to set the agenda and strategy with the other members of the management team.
STAKEHOLDERS AND IMPACT
This role will provide senior legal leadership and strategic advice to the following:
- Other members of the legal department, including the IP department, as well as Group leadership and the Board of Stoli Group in connection with the execution of Stoli Group growth strategy.
- Clusters’ MDs and other senior in-market partners to support the management of Stoli’s strategy. In this capacity, the person will be responsible for the critical thinking and interventions needed to nurture our commercial sales strategy globally and our M&A agenda.
- Global Legal M&A Team in the identification, assessment, execution and integration of M&A transactions and other business development-related activity. This person will provide leadership and management of the global legal team.
- This role will also be working closely with the finance, tax, commercial/sales, marketing, and supply and procurement teams in the context of delivering the agreed priorities and transactions.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- 15+ years of relevant experience
- Successful cooperation with senior stakeholders, resulting in strong and positive outcomes
- Comfort with dealing with ambiguity, complexity and working within a fast-paced, entrepreneurial and matrixed environment
- Deep personal accountability for great performance
- Experience working across multiple countries/geographies
- Knowledge of the Russian language is a MUST
Disclaimer: Stoli Group is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity. By embedding diversity into all aspects of our culture, we maximize the opportunity to achieve sustainable business success. The duties and responsibilities described in the role profile might not be a comprehensive list.
