Legal Counsel: Supply Chain and Support Functions at Diageo

Purpose of Role

• To provide pro-active legal leadership, support and advice in assisting the Supply Chain, Business Integrity, Finance and HR functions in achieving their core strategic objectives whilst appropriately managing and mitigating the associated legal risks and driving the legal compliance agenda to preserve value (financial and reputational).
• To provide support in managing the organisation’s licensing renewals.
• Ensure that the Legal & Corporate Security Director and Team receive quality support to achieve jointly agreed objectives.
• Minimise legal risk for Diageo by ensuring that the company’s legal agreements are sound, commercially sensible and documented on time.

Top Accountabilities

• Become a key member of a pro-active, committed Legal and Corporate Security team.
• Lead the provision of legal advice and support required by the business, including providing input on implications of strategy and providing solutions to enable delivery of business objectives.
• Ensure that the Legal department has full visibility of all issues and is servicing the business’ legal needs effectively.
• Assisting in appropriate resolution of disputes which arise with competitors, agencies, regulators and other third parties.
• Using external counsel in a cost effective way to optimise performance and contribute to the effective management of the legal budget.
• Raise the capabilities of internal stakeholders through coaching and training.
• Work with members of the Diageo Legal Function to ensure precedents and Diageo best practices are consistent with best practice and fully up to date.
• Work with the Compliance, Controls and Ethics team to advise on and update internal policies and champion the compliance agenda within the Legal and Corporate Security team.
• Support the External Affairs function on policy and regulatory matters, as well as in industry forums and interactions.

Qualifications and Experience Required

• South African admitted attorney, with relevant legal practice experience gained in legal practice and/or relevant in-house experience
• Proven track record of managing or supporting wide legal and compliance agenda, legal transactions and dealing effectively with external legal service providers
• A sound work ethic and interest in learning about the organisation’s sector and the various deliverables. Candidate need not be experienced in all functional areas to be covered by the role but must demonstrate and aptitude to learn
• Ability to provide sound commercial legal advice to the business
• Strong interpersonal/communication skills
• Commercial and pragmatic approach
• Good influencing and coaching skills
• Confident in and sensitive to different cultures in RSA
• Two to Five years post qualification experience
• Ability to work confidently, persuasively and to stand ground with and gain the respect and trust of other senior managers
• Ability to shape and create change
• Good influencing skills
• Engaging presentation skills

Skills/Knowledge:

• Strong organisational, interpersonal and communication skills
• Some drafting ability or experience
• A good working knowledge of competition law, contract law and general commercial law
• Ability to generate respect from both the business and colleagues, for judgment, approach & commitment
• Ability to stand ground with senior colleagues
• Strong commercial and pragmatic approach.

Barriers to Success in Role

Inability to:

• Work collaboratively across the organisation
• Consistently deliver great performance
• Understand customer needs and develop plans to deliver against these
• Build relationships with a diverse range of internal and external partners and stakeholders
• Work flexibly and respond with agility to unforeseen challenges / opportunities at short notice
• Translate business goals into specific outlet objectives