Corporate Counsel

PZ Cussons; Pendlebury; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consumer goods company is seeking a Corporate Counsel to provide legal leadership, facilitate corporate transactions, and support the legal strategy. The role is suitable for an experienced lawyer with a corporate or commercial background. Key responsibilities include overseeing legal support for significant projects and liaising with various stakeholders. Applicants must be qualified legal practitioners in the UK and possess strong communication and organizational skills. The company values diversity and inclusivity in the workplace.

Qualifications

• Experience working in-house or at a reputable law firm.
• Experience with international transactions.
• Demonstrated leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide effective legal support for M&A and capital markets transactions.
• Support commercial agreements and data privacy issues.
• Evolve and standardise legal ways of working across the group.

Skills

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Excellent organisational skills

Sound legal judgment

Technical proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams

Ability to manage multiple tasks

Strong attention to detail

Proactive approach to problem solving

Leadership potential

Ability to work collaboratively

Intellectual curiosity

Education

Qualified legal practitioner in the UK

Tools

Legal research software

Job description

The Corporate Counsel role is a broad and exciting role. It is responsible for providing legal leadership, facilitating corporate transactions, supporting the legal strategy throughout the group to help PZ Cussons achieve its long-term strategic ambitions and live up to its values and purpose. The role works with a wide range of stakeholders within and outside the business, and will involve occasional travel. It would be suited to an experienced lawyer who enjoys variety in their work, taking ownership and delivering results, is personable and adaptable, likely from a corporate or commercial legal background.

Function overview: The Legal, Governance and Compliance function consists of legal, company secretariat, E&C, insurance, intellectual property and data protection. The team currently consists of nearly 12 employees including the General Counsel & Company Secretary who sit on the group Executive Committee, supports the group Board and acts as a Non‑Executive Director of the PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc board. The function is split roughly half between those at group and those embedded in market legal units.

Reporting Relationships & Key Stakeholders

• Other members of the Legal, Governance and Compliance function
• Other corporate functions, particularly tax, treasury, financial reporting, HR, and procurement
• Market legal and functional teams
• The St.Tropez commercial team
• External legal advisers
• Executive members of the company

Responsibilities

• Provide effective legal support and leadership to deliver strategically significant projects with the support of external counsel where required. Examples include: M&A, debt financing, capital markets transactions, internal restructurings, pension transactions.
• Support legal issues for group employees and functions such as material commercial agreements, adviser engagement letters, employment and data privacy issues, disputes.
• Polic & procedures: Evolve, maintain and standardise legal ways of working amongst the group, coordinating with legal colleagues, developing best practice to ensure the team delivers effective and efficient legal support.
• Oversee legal support for the North America St.Tropez business: provide practical legal support to the St.Tropez team as the primary legal point of contact, and coordinate external legal advice for the US and Canada markets as required.

At PZ Cussons, we value diversity and make sure everyone feels included. We want our team to reflect society and our global customers. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and your unique perspective helps us develop brands and create new products for our consumers.

Please note that we are not able to offer visa sponsorship or assist with relocation support for this role. Applicants must have the right to work in the country where this role is located before applying. If you need extra support during this process, please inform us so that we can accommodate your needs appropriately. It is important to us that all candidates feel recognised and have a good experience with PZ Cussons as part of our commitment to inclusivity.

Qualifications

• Qualified legal practitioner in the UK or another jurisdiction
• Demonstrable leadership potential or demonstrated leadership experience
• Experience working in‑house or in a reputable law firm in a corporate or transactional area
• Experience with international transactions
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact professionally with colleagues at all levels
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively
• Sound legal judgment
• Technical proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, Sharepoint and familiarity with legal research software and legal tech is a plus
• Intellectually curious, personable, and energetic
• Able to work collaboratively with people from a variety of backgrounds, cultures and across various levels of seniority
• Strong attention to detail and a proactive approach to problem solving

PZ Cussons is an international consumer goods business, headquartered in Manchester, UK. We employ just under 2500 people across our operations in Europe, North America, Asia‑Pacific and Africa. Since our founding in 1884, we have been creating products to delight, care for and nourish consumers. Across our core categories of Hygiene, Baby and Beauty, our trusted and well‑loved brands include Carex, Childs Farm, Cussons Baby, Imperial Leather, Morning Fresh, Original Source, Premier, Sanctuary Spa and St. Tropez.

Sustainability and the wellbeing of our employees and communities everywhere are at the heart of our business model and strategy and captured by our purpose: For Everyone, For Life, For Good.