Sr. Legal Counsel

Barry Callebaut Manufacturing Iberica SA.; Wieze; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Barry Callebaut is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel to act as a trusted adviser to the business across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. You will support commercial, corporate, compliance and operational matters in a fast-paced multinational setting.

The role requires a qualified Belgian or European lawyer with 8–12 years of relevant experience, including exposure to manufacturing or FMCG environments, and strong contract law expertise. Fluency in English, French and Dutch is essential.

Qualifications

• Fluency in English, French and Dutch required.
• Strong background in commercial contract law and business advisory.
• Experience in a multinational or top international law firm.
• Ability to translate legal concepts into practical solutions.
• Experience supporting manufacturing or FMCG environments is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide pragmatic legal advice across commercial, corporate, compliance and operational matters.
• Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on a broad range of agreements.
• Support corporate governance and risk management initiatives.
• Lead training and awareness programs on legal topics for stakeholders.
• Manage disputes and coordinate with external counsel as needed.
• Collaborate with sales, procurement, supply chain, finance and HR teams.

Skills

Fluency in English, French and Dutch

Commercial contract law

Business advisory

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Education

Qualified lawyer in Belgium or Europe

Job description

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At Barry Callebaut, we are on a journey to transform the cocoa and chocolate industry. As the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, our actions truly shape the future of our industry. We are a business-to-business company, serving the entire food sector, from the cocoa bean to the finest chocolate product. We are a company with a purpose, we believe in doing well by doing good and reinvesting in the communities we operate. We have a long-standing commitment to sustainability and our goal is to shape a sustainable cocoa and chocolate future.We are headquartered in Zurich, and have more than 12,000 passionate Employees working in more than 40 countries worldwide.We are very proud of who we are and what we do. And of course, we are always looking for talented people to help us have a positive impact on our industry and beyond!

About the role

The Senior Legal Counsel serves as a trusted business partner to the organization in Europe, Middle East and Africa, providing pragmatic, solution-oriented legal advice across a broad range of commercial, corporate, compliance, and operational matters. The role supports business growth while ensuring legal compliance and managing risk in a fast-paced international environment.

Key responsibilities include

Commercial Legal Support

• Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on a broad range of commercial agreements.
• Provide practical legal guidance to commercial teams during contract negotiations.
• Develop and maintain standard contract templates and legal playbooks.

Corporate and Business Advisory

• Advise management and business stakeholders on legal matters affecting operations across Europe, Middle East and Africa.
• Support corporate governance activities and ensure compliance with applicable company policies.
• Participate in strategic business projects, acquisitions, integrations, restructurings, and transformation initiatives.
• Identify legal risks and propose commercially viable mitigation strategies.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Promote adherence to company policies, ethical standards, and applicable laws and regulations.
• Deliver legal training and awareness programs to business stakeholders
• Support investigations and internal compliance reviews when required.

Dispute Resolution and Litigation Management

• Manage pre-litigation and litigation matters in collaboration with external counsel.
• Advise on disputes involving commercial contracts, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate legal strategies and oversee external legal spending.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Sales, Procurement, Supply Chain, Operations, Finance, HR, Sustainability, and Digital teams.
• Act as a key legal contact for regional leadership.
• Collaborate with the broader global legal network to ensure consistency and sharing of best practices.

A bout you

• Fluency in English, French and Dutch
• Qualified lawyer in Belgium or another European jurisdiction preferred
• Minimum 8-12 years of relevant legal experience.
• Experience gained in a leading international law firm and/or multinational corporation.
• Strong background in commercial contract law and business advisory.
• Experience supporting manufacturing, food industry, FMCG, B2B, or industrial environments is highly desirable.
• Experience working in a matrixed, international organization.
• Deep expertise in commercial and contract law.
• Sound understanding of corporate and compliance matters.
• Strong business acumen and ability to translate legal concepts into practical business solutions.

At Barry Callebaut, we are committed to Diversity & Inclusion. United by our strong values, we thrive on the diversity of who we are, where we come from, what we've experienced and how we think. We are committed to nurturing an inclusive environment where people can truly be themselves, grow to their full potential and feel they belong.#oneBC - Diverse People, Sustainable Growth.

If you want to learn more about Barry Callebaut, please find further informationhere .