Head of Legal and Compliance

Danone; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 800 000 - 1 000 000; Full time

Job summary

A global leader in fast-moving consumer goods is seeking a Legal Counsel to manage legal compliance and provide strategic legal guidance. The role requires 10 years of experience in FMCG, strong communication skills, and an LLB degree. The candidate will oversee all legal affairs, ensuring compliance with country and industry regulations and managing litigation. This position emphasizes collaboration within the organization and external stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 10 years of experience in FMCG leading legal matters.
• Senior expert in Legal & Regulatory and Compliance activities with 5 years of experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage all legal affairs and oversee litigation.
• Provide legal advice and guidance to the leadership team.
• Design and implement legal and regulatory frameworks.

Skills

Legal recommendations communication

Collaborative mindset

Business Acumen

Good communication skills

Fluent in English

Education

LLB Degree from an accredited institution

Job description

About The Job

Proactively identifies, assesses, and manages legal, compliance, and regulatory risks across Danone's business for all relevant internal stakeholders and matters, assuring compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies.

Provides legal counsel and support to colleagues across all areas of the Danone businesses, including in contracts (drafting, reviewing, negotiating, etc.), compliance, advertising and marketing, sales and distribution, competition law, employment and labour relations, real estate, licensing, government regulations, corporate governance, company secretarial and other areas having significant legal relevance to the Danone businesses.

Protect and support Danone’s business, innovations, and assets by designing and implementing the optimal legal and regulatory framework. Build awareness of Laws and Danone policies related to products and corporate matters. Ensure their application within Danone and by third parties.

Primary responsibility is one or more of the following areas Employment, Commercial and Company Law, litigation and other operational matters.

The incumbent will be responsible for managing and directing all legal affairs issues, including oversight of litigation, for the designated function(s). This position will be responsible for managing the budget and hiring external counsel as necessary. The incumbent in this position will provide both legal advice and counsel to management, and is responsible for managing the entire legal process, including negotiation of legal fees and querying of bills, contract manufacturer/supplier negotiations and interactions, and formulating legal strategies.

Working independently and providing legal guidance to the Danone Southern Africa (DSA) leadership team ensures that DSA complies with country, company, and industry legislation and regulations. Ensures that the interests of the company are always protected. Provides strategic legal guidance and Risk Management for major business initiatives such as compliance, commercial, compliance, procurement, distribution, marketing, consumer, and labour issues.

Minimizes the legal risk of non‑compliance with all aspects of legislation, unfair contractual obligations and inadequacy of contracts.

Manages, protects, and registers various Intellectual Property (IP) with the dedicated law firm as defined by the Global Legal Department.

Manages the DSA Compliance pillars of integrity, anti‑trust, data privacy and sanctions and ensures adherence, working closely with the Global Compliance Division.

This position will be expected to cover the SA market but will provide strategic legal guidance on new market entries in Southern Africa and other African Export Markets.

The role leads the Cluster Compliance Committee and serves on the Global General Counsel.

About You

Qualification

• LLB Degree with an accredited and recognized legal tertiary institution
• 10 Years’ experience in an FMCG organization leading company legal and compliance matters
• Ability to communicate clearly legal recommendations
• Collaborative mindset & attitudes and ability to develop networks internally and externally
• Business Acumen
• Good communication and negotiation skills (willingness to develop and grow expertise on various legal topics)
• Fluent in English

Experience And Skills

• Senior expert of Legal & Regulatory and Compliance activities, 5 years of experience
• Spokesperson & crisis management experience
• Solid experience in management
• Significant external network with key stakeholders

About Us

For more information about Danone, our culture, please explore careers.danone.com.

A job which could easily turn in to a career in Danone. We believe everyone is born with superpowers, something which comes natural to you. We know this uniqueness is something which brings both excellence as well as energy, so we believe in all Danoner’s potential and when we build careers based on these superpowers and when we develop everyone’s potential to the fullest magic happens. This is how we like to see Talent Management in Danone.

This is a highly visible position within Danone; you will interact with Internal - Marketing, Sales Supply chain, SSD and External - Suppliers, CO-packers. Challenge, innovate, convince and find alignment when needed. This role has no direct reports.