Ethics and Compliance Associate

Kerry Group; Naas; On-site; EUR 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Kerry Group seeks a Legal Associate - Ethics & Compliance Programme Management to join our Business Integrity and Legal Operations team. This role supports and strengthens Kerry's global compliance programme, partnering with stakeholders across regions and functions to embed governance frameworks.

Reporting to the Senior Ethics & Compliance Manager, you will help manage policies, processes, and disclosures, combining legal expertise with programme management to ensure effective compliance

Qualifications

• Qualification in Law, Compliance, Risk, Governance, Business, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience in a legal, compliance, governance, risk, or programme coordination role.
• Experience supporting policies, approval workflows, case management systems, controlled processes, registers, or disclosure programmes.
• Exposure to ethics and compliance topics such as conflicts of interest, gifts and entertainment, anti-bribery and corruption, lobbying, political engagement, or competition law would be advantageous.
• Experience working across multiple functions, geographies, and stakeholder groups in a global organisation

Responsibilities

• As a trusted member of the Ethics & Compliance team, you will:
• Support the management and continuous improvement of Kerry's Conflicts of Interest and Gifts & Entertainment policies, procedures, guidance, communications, and training.
• Coordinate global compliance disclosure processes, including intake, risk assessment, review tracking, approvals, escalations, record management, and closure.
• Assess disclosures against established risk criteria and identify matters requiring enhanced review or escalation.
• Support political engagement and lobbying compliance activities, including pre-approval processes, disclosures, record keeping, and reporting requirements.
• Help drive Kerry's Fair Competition Programme through policy governance, training, communications, and stakeholder engagement.
• Coordinate annual compliance campaigns and awareness initiatives across key compliance topics.
• Respond to employee queries and provide practical guidance on compliance policies and procedures.
• Partner with Legal, HR, Procurement, Finance, Corporate Affairs, Global Business Services, and regional teams to ensure consistent compliance standards globally.
• Contribute to wider Business Integrity initiatives, including risk assessments, audit readiness, policy governance, process improvement, and regulatory horizon scanning.

Skills

Organisation

Attention to detail

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Written communication

Verbal communication

Data handling

Collaboration

Risk assessment

Education

Law/Compliance qualification or related field

Tools

Case management systems

Excel / reporting tools

Job description

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

At Kerry, we're committed to doing the right thing, the right way. As a global leader in sustainable nutrition, our reputation is built on trust, transparency, and ethical business practices.

We are looking for a Legal Associate - Ethics & Compliance Programme Management to join our Business Integrity and Legal Operations team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting and strengthening Kerry's global compliance programme while working with stakeholders across multiple regions and functions.

Reporting to the Senior Ethics & Compliance Manager, you will help ensure our policies, processes, and governance frameworks are effectively embedded across the business. You'll combine legal or compliance expertise with strong programme management skills to support critical compliance areas including conflicts of interest, gifts and entertainment, political engagement and lobbying, and fair competition.

Key responsibilities

As a trusted member of the Ethics & Compliance team, you will:

• Support the management and continuous improvement of Kerry's Conflicts of Interest and Gifts & Entertainment policies, procedures, guidance, communications, and training.
• Coordinate global compliance disclosure processes, including intake, risk assessment, review tracking, approvals, escalations, record management, and closure.
• Assess disclosures against established risk criteria and identify matters requiring enhanced review or escalation.
• Support political engagement and lobbying compliance activities, including pre-approval processes, disclosures, record keeping, and reporting requirements.
• Help drive Kerry's Fair Competition Programme through policy governance, training, communications, and stakeholder engagement.
• Coordinate annual compliance campaigns and awareness initiatives across key compliance topics.
• Respond to employee queries and provide practical guidance on compliance policies and procedures.
• Partner with Legal, HR, Procurement, Finance, Corporate Affairs, Global Business Services, and regional teams to ensure consistent compliance standards globally.
• Contribute to wider Business Integrity initiatives, including risk assessments, audit readiness, policy governance, process improvement, and regulatory horizon scanning.

Qualifications and skills

• Qualification in Law, Compliance, Risk, Governance, Business, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience in a legal, compliance, governance, risk, or programme coordination role.
• Experience supporting policies, approval workflows, case management systems, controlled processes, registers, or disclosure programmes.
• Exposure to ethics and compliance topics such as conflicts of interest, gifts and entertainment, anti-bribery and corruption, lobbying, political engagement, or competition law would be advantageous.
• Experience working across multiple functions, geographies, and stakeholder groups in a global organisation

Skills & Attributes

• Exceptional organisation and attention to detail.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to identify risks and escalation points.
• Confidence making risk-based decisions using established frameworks and guidance.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain complex requirements clearly and practically.
• Comfortable working with data, reporting tools, dashboards, and spreadsheets.
• Process-improvement mindset with a focus on creating efficient and scalable solutions.
• High levels of integrity, discretion, and professionalism when handling sensitive information.
• Collaborative, proactive, and able to thrive in a fast-paced, global environment.