Brand Protection Manager at Colgate-Palmolive

PRIMARY GLOBAL COMPENTENCIES

The Brand Protection Manager is responsible for developing regional and local strategies, managing all Brand Protection (BP) related work in the Africa/Eurasia division (but with an immediate focus on Africa), managing a team, overseeing the work of consultants, investigators and outside counsel, working closely with law enforcement, working on government affairs issues, ensuring transparency in all efforts, and working as a liaison among key stakeholders, including the Brand Protection Unit (BPU), the Africa/Eurasia division, and involved subsidiaries.

The position requires a strong manager of undisputedly high integrity who has solid experience in managing within budget the essential components of a BP/anticounterfeiting program that are designed to optimize the company’s intellectual property assets and drive business growth, including but not limited to investigations, raids, border protection, law enforcement training, civil litigation, criminal prosecution, retail channel control (including parallel imports), online monitoring, and related government relations work, as well as the external and internal resources needed to execute those components. Duties include:

Working with Corporate (New York, USA) and key business partners

• Work closely with the BPU to ensure that efforts in the division are consistent with global strategy
• Serve as Corporate’s main point of contact for the division’s counterfeit issues, anticounterfeiting initiatives, and logistics
• Work closely with global/division/local legal department personnel and outside counsel to coordinate all BP activities and responses (to conclusion) to counterfeit incidents
• Work closely with the business to help to set regional strategies to address issues that are specific to particular subsidiaries/countries/regions
• Identify law enforcement training opportunities, coordinate the company’s participation, and urge local colleagues to meet training goals
• Identify pending legislation and regulations in the division that could impact the company
• Work closely with Corporate and Government Affairs to further issues of concern between Africa/Eurasia countries and US government
• Represent the company in BP-related conferences, committees, and in meetings with law enforcement
• Regularly report developments to the BPU and utilize the company’s incident reporting system
• Support all global initiatives as necessary

Managing outside firms

• Effectively manage third party vendors (consultants, investigation firms, law firms, etc.) to ensure high-quality performance and full compliance with all laws, including FCPA
• Work closely with the Global Trademarks and local legal directors to manage civil litigation for trademark infringement/unfair competition issues

 Working with authorities

• Build partnerships with authorities (Economic Departments, Customs, police, etc.) to ensure that the company’s challenges are priorities
• Pursue enforcement of various types to clear all markets/channels and deter those involved in the movement of counterfeit/infringing products
• Update/develop product identification training materials and conduct product identification training as necessary
• Develop effective government relations to work to achieve legislative and regulatory change, among other things
• Participate in industry-, Africa/Eurasia governments- and US government-sponsored initiatives designed to fight against the manufacture, sale, and distribution of counterfeit/infringing products

 PRIMARY FUNCTIONAL/TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

• BP investigative, enforcement, and management experience
• Proven ability to coordinate complex investigations with law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies
• Strong working knowledge of law enforcement and Customs procedures as well as relevant IP laws/regulations in Africa/Eurasia, with immediate focus on Africa
• Demonstrated ability to make sound and timely decisions
• Outstanding communication, presentation, and project management skills
• Full compliance with anti-corruption and other laws

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor degree
• Minimum 6-10 years of practical working experience in BP
• Law enforcement and/or investigative background with comprehensive legal knowledge of intellectual property and enforcement
• English and French
• Travel required
• North Africa and Middle East BP experience a plus