General Counsel - Europe

Americold is a global provider of temperature-controlled infrastructure. We partner with farmers and food producers to ensure their perishable and frozen product reaches food suppliers, restaurants, and your local grocery store without spoilage. Our customers, which include some of the most respected brands in the food industry, rely on our expertise and commitment to safety in order to delivery on their commitments.

General Counsel - Europe

Overview

The General Counsel Europe will act as primary legal advisor to the European part of the Americold group. This position includes providing legal support and advice on a wide range of operational, commercial and governance issues, with an overall expertise and emphasis on Corporate Compliance and Commercial Transactions. Furthermore, the General Counsel Europe will be performing legal services for Americold involving consultation, advisory, document review and drafting activities, carrying out the legal processes necessary to affect the rights, privileges, and obligations of the organization as directed by the Chief Legal Officer and the Managing Director Europe. As such, the position requires a solid foundation in European regulations and corporate laws, commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, real estate development, human resources areas and the ability to support operational units with routine requests.

Tasks & responsibilities

• Prepare and review a wide variety of legal instruments and documents of critical value to the Company's activities, primarily sophisticated business to business services and warehousing contracts and vendor contracts, IT agreements, software licensing, purchase and sale agreements (M&A), real estate instruments, and Memorandums of Understanding (MOU's).
• Provide legal advice and support Commercial Finance and Business Development on contracting new business, service contracts, interpretation of existing agreements, and related disputes.
• Provide legal counsel to the Managing Director Europe, VP Finance Europe, VP Human Resources Europe and Engineering Teams, Director of Real Estate and Treasury group on corporate governance, development projects, landlord, tenant, purchase/sale, zoning, land use and related issues.
• Assist with the development and execution of proactive programs designed to mitigate legal, regulatory, and reputational risks in areas such as anti-bribery, competition law, data privacy and cyber-security, and environmental, sustainability, and governance (ESG).
• Manage intellectual property issues for the European group, including the coordination of international trademark registrations and monitoring of compliance related to intellectual property issues.
• Provide legal advice for warehouse facility managers on all corporate, legal and regulatory matters.
• Engage and manage third-party legal counsel as required with an emphasis on cost containment.
• Collaborate with and advise Management on legal issues arising in a variety of contexts and advocacy for the Company in the event of disputes.
• Other duties as requested.
• Direct reporting relationship with Chief Legal Officer for all aspects of the role.
• Works closely and effectively together with the Managing Director Europe, VP's, managers of all levels and other individuals across the group to ensure that the way of working is in line with Americold's strategy and guidelines.

What you'll need

• Juris Doctorate or equivalent required from an accredited college of law.
• 8-15 years' experience; preferably obtained through a combination of in-house and law firm experience, but experience limited to a large to medium sized law firm will be considered.
• Must be a licensed lawyer under applicable practice rules for practice as an in-house counsel with experience supporting the European operations of a US multinational corporation.
• Strong cross border experience in commercial law, financial transactions, contract negotiation, mergers and acquisition required.
• Human Resources/Employment law, transportation law experience a plus.
• Experience in the warehousing, logistics, supply chain or transportation industries strongly preferred.
• Strong computer skills including knowledge of Microsoft applications and contract databases.
• Self-starter who relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Must excel in a deadline-driven environment.
• Ability to confidently interact with senior executives and potentially board members across cultures and languages and provide competent counsel on a wide range of technical and legal issues related to the Company.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of contacts, including outside attorneys, senior management, and business associates across borders and cultures.
• Must demonstrate in-depth knowledge of compliance obligations affecting the business including privacy and GDPR requirements.
• Must possess excellent writing, organizational, negotiation, problem-solving and interpersonal skills.
• Must have strong customer service orientation.
• Must demonstrate consistently high-quality legal work product.
• Must demonstrate good judgment and decision-making ability.
• Must be able to work independently and multitask in a fast-paced work environment.
• Demonstrates flexibility and commitment.
• Demonstrates an uncompromising level of integrity and code of ethics and maintain a high degree of confidentiality.

Key competencies

Business Acumen Knows how businesses work; knowledgeable in current and possible future policies, practices, trends, and information affecting his/her business and organization; knows the competition; is aware of how strategies and tactics work in the marketplace.

Interpersonal Skills Relates well to all kinds of people, up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the organization; builds appropriate rapport; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably.

Composure Is cool under pressure; does not become defensive or irritated when times are tough; is considered mature; can be counted on to hold things together during tough times; can handle stress; is not knocked off balance by the unexpected; doesn't show frustration when resisted or blocked; is a settling influence in a crisis.

Integrity and Trust Is widely trusted; is seen as a direct, truthful individual; can present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; doesn't misrepresent him/herself for personal gain.

Perseverance Pursues everything with energy, drive, and a need to finish; seldom gives up before finishing, especially in the face of resistance or setbacks.

Customer Focus Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.

Problem Solving Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; probes all fruitful sources for answers; can see hidden problems; is excellent at honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn't stop at the first answers.