Group Legal Manager EMEA & Asia

Job description

The Legal Manager EMEA & Asia serves as an autonomous and trusted legal advisor supporting business operations across Europe, South Africa and Asia. The role ensures high-quality, business-oriented legal support, particularly in commercial contracting, marketing, and Operations. The Legal Manager proactively manages regional legal risks, drives legal compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and ensures the effective management and sharing of legal knowhow to maintain a consistently high standard of legal advice aligned with a fast-paced, multinational FMCG environment. As Legal Manager EMEA & Asia, your responsibilities will include: Draft, review and negotiate commercial contracts including sales, operations and marketing agreements, ensuring alignment with company objectives and legal compliance. Advise internal stakeholders (marketing, sales, operations, etc.) on day-to-day legal matters, promoting risk awareness and business-enabling solutions. Proactively identify legal risks and implement mitigation strategies tailored to the dynamic FMCG landscape. Ensure continuous management and development of legal knowhow relevant to the region (Europe, South Africa and Asia), guaranteeing up-to-date legal advice aligned with local laws and evolving business needs. Outside Europe, this includes close alignment with external counsel and public external resources. Conduct regular meetings with the Management Team to align legal support with business strategy and provide forward-looking legal insights. Monitor changes in relevant laws and regulations, assess their impact, and communicate effectively to the business. Lead or contribute to regional and global legal initiatives and continuous improvement projects. Cooperate with the Compliance Manager in identifying local compliance needs and monitoring opportunities for improvement. Design and deliver training sessions to key functions on legal topics relevant to their operations. Foster a strong partnership with cross-functional teams and contribute to a culture of integrity, accountability, and operational excellence. To be successful in this role, we believe you bring: 6 to 10 years of post-qualification experience in a legal function, ideally combining top-tier law firm and in-house experience. Proven experience working in or with multinational corporations, ideally within FMCG, retail or life sciences environments. Strong expertise in contract law , including cross-border transactions. Solid understanding of competition/antitrust law , particularly in relation to distribution and pricing structures. Experience in marketing and advertising law , including digital and consumer protection aspects. Experience managing litigation processes and external counsel relationships. Demonstrated ability to draft and negotiate complex commercial agreements independently under tight deadlines. Strong track record in legal risk management, compliance and regulatory matters across multiple jurisdictions. Experience working in matrixed or global organizations, with the ability to operate autonomously while collaborating across regions. Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels, including executive leadership. Experience contributing to or leading continuous improvement and cross-functional legal projects. Ability to manage external counsel, control legal spend and ensure high-quality outcomes. Familiarity with legal knowhow management systems and best practices for legal knowledge sharing. Fluent in English and good knowledge of Dutch