General Counsel, Canada

Ferrero International S.A.; Toronto; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global food company is seeking a General Counsel in Toronto, Ontario. This role encompasses providing strategic legal guidance across various business operations, managing compliance with local laws, and supporting corporate governance activities. The ideal candidate has over 10 years of legal experience, is licensed to practice in Canada, and possesses robust skills in contract law, food law, and corporate governance. A commitment to quality and consumer-centric values is essential.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in legal roles, preferably in the food industry.
• Proven track record in contract drafting and negotiation.
• Experience managing legal risk and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal counsel to Canadian leadership teams.
• Draft, review, and negotiate various contracts.
• Manage Canadian litigation matters.
• Ensure compliance with Canadian laws.

Skills

Contract law

Food law

Advertising law

Intellectual property

Corporate governance

Negotiation skills

Interpersonal skills

Leadership

Education

Licensed to practice law in Canada

Law degree

Job description

Company description

Ferrero is a family-owned company with a truly progressive and global outlook and iconic brands such as Nutella, Tic Tac, Ferrero Rocher, Raffaello, Kinder Bueno and Kinder Surprise. As the love for our brands continues to grow, so too does our global reach. Represented in more than 50 countries, with products sold in more than 170, the Ferrero Group is loved by generations around the world. The secret to our global success? 40,000 dedicated employees who celebrate care and quality to craft a business, careers and brands we are proud of. Join us, and you could be one of them.

Location: 100 Sheppard Ave E, Suite 900, North York, ON M2N 6N5, Canada

About the Role:

The Legal function in Ferrero Canada exists to activate compliant business operations while enabling strategic growth. It provides legal counsel across the full spectrum of the business’s operations to ensures compliance with food law, advertising regulations, corporate governance, intellectual property, privacy, contract law, and more. The function also manages litigation, risk mitigation, and deployment of Group legal policies.

The General Counsel, Canada serves as the primary legal advisor for the Canadian commercial and industrial units, directly supporting leadership and business teams. This role integrates legal strategy into daily operations, manages governance, and leads legal risk assessments. It also acts as a liaison with Area Legal and external counsel, ensuring alignment with broader North American legal standards and Ferrero Group policies.

Main Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic legal counsel to Canadian leadership teams, including marketing, sales, finance, industrial, supply chain, quality and HR.
• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts and agreements, including commercial, service, sponsorship and agency contracts.
• Manage Canadian litigation matters, including coordination with external counsel and support for the commercial operations and industrial facilities.
• Ensure compliance with Canadian laws, including food law, advertising law, intellectual property, privacy, and corporate governance.
• Participate in the Canadian Leadership Team, offering legal updates and guidance on business decisions.
• Act as Secretary of Ferrero Canada Ltd., overseeing corporate governance and board meeting responsibilities.
• Deploy Group and Area legal strategies and policies within the Canadian business context.
• Monitor and advise on marketing and food law compliance, including product claims, advertising messages, and packaging.

Who we are looking for:

• Senior legal professional with 10+ years of experience, including time at a major law firm, in-house at a large, complex and global food company or similarly complex CPG company.
• Licensed to practice law in Canada, with deep expertise in contract law, food law, advertising law, intellectual property, and corporate governance.
• Proven ability to navigate and lead within a matrixed, global organization, balancing local business needs with regional and group-level legal strategies.
• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills, with experience structuring and managing complex commercial transactions.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing legal risk, litigation strategy, and compliance across multiple business functions.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders, synthesize complex legal concepts into business friendly terms, and collaborate across cross-functional teams.
• Nice to have dual lawyer qualifications for both Canada and United States.

How to be successful in the role and at Ferrero:

Consumers, quality and care are at the heart of everything we do. So, to be successful at Ferrero, you’ll need to be just as consumer and product centric as we are - dedicated to crafting brilliant results for consumers around the world.

Diversity Statement

Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all of our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them, generation after generation, the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative and highly rewarding.

Ferrero Canada will accommodate the needs of applicants with disabilities throughout all stages of the selection process. If you need accommodation during the recruitment process, please advise the HR Representative. Information relating to the need for accommodation and accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.