Head of Investigations

Looking for Your Dream Job? Join Our Ice Cream Team!

We are looking for our next "Head of Investigations"

Función: Legal

Reports to: Chief Integrity Officer, B&Js GC and Head of Litigation

Location:  Mexico

Terms & Conditions: Full time, right to work required

If you are consider choosing to work for the Unilever Ice Cream business, you will work for the Global, leading Ice Cream player with €7.9bn turnover in 2023. The Ice Cream business is operating in a highly attractive category, as we are part of the €1 trillion snacking and refreshment industry, growing consistently at high pace. We have strong brand equities: 5 of top 10 selling brands including Wall’s, Magnum, Ben &Jerry’s. We are investing to unlock the full growth potential of Ice Cream as a standalone entity, once we separate from Unilever, which is planned to happen by November 2025.

Ice Cream has distinct characteristics from Unilever’s other operating businesses and the growth potential of Ice Cream will be better delivered under a different ownership structure. As a standalone Ice Cream company, we are committed to developing and nurturing talent. You will have ample options for career growth and exploration, allowing you to explore roles and opportunities across the new organisation. Your career development will be a priority for us, and we are dedicated to supporting your growth journey within the new company. We hope that you will want to build the new chapter of our Ice Cream history together with us.

ABOUT ICE CREAM: Life Tastes Better With Ice Cream

Unilever Ice Cream is the largest global Ice Cream company in the world, with over 100 years of experience delivering a diverse range of indulgent, yet responsible, craft food experiences and treats delighting consumers. Committed to innovation, quality, and sustainability, we have 35 brands, including 3 billion Euro-plus brands (Magnum, Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s), and a strong presence in over 60 countries, generating annual revenue of over $8 billion. All brands are driven to transform moments into memories through indulgent yet responsibly made and marketed products. We have a well-developed strategy to deliver growth and value creation which is clear on where to play and how to win.

We turn the ordinary into the extraordinary by designing unique and innovative Ice Cream experiences that make life taste better, creating joyful experiences. In our Ice Cream business, we’re crafting the future through innovation and imaginative minds, creating unique products. We spark moments of happiness for people and within the communities where we operate. However, it is not as simple as it may seem. As Ice Cream makers we are serious about happiness. With warm hearts, we create the coolest products.

JOB SUMMARY:

We have a unique opportunity for an ethics and compliance leader(with a minimum of 10-years post-qualified experience in law) with deep expertise in establishing, leading and continuosly enhancing global compliance programmes.

Reporting to the Chief Integrity & Compliance Officer, the Global Integrity & Compliance Counsel (will help ensure that Unilever Ice Cream establishes a unique top class programme, bespoke to the risks we face and in compliance with the ethical and legal expectations of the markets where we operate. The Global Counsel will be a true legal and compliance expert, with outstanding skills to influence and communicate effectively to all layers of the organisation and to innovative through the adoption of practical and proportional tools and the provision of advice that enables the business and its employees to do the right thing.

The ideal candidate should also be able to learn and understand well the different business activities of the company and how to navigate a highly matrixed organization so tools and solutions are created with a deep undertanding of our people, operations and the risks we face. She/He must also be able to balance proactive projects with reacting to new issues quickly and efficiently. The role will require knowledge and understanding of risk management, policy and learning creation, and internal investigations. The Global Counsel will be key in ensuring the Company operates in a legal and ethical manner while meeting business objectives and timelines.

It is envisioned that this successful candidate will assume this role while the business is part of Unilever, and will work closely with his or her counterparts within the Unilever legal organization to develop policies and procedures so as to allow for a seamless transition to standalone status of the business in late 2025, at which time the candidate will assume full responsibility for leading these key functions, under the direction of the Chief Integrity & Compliance Officer. The role may line manage one or more global resources.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Global Integrity & Compliance Counsel will be part of the Legal Team, reporting to the Chief Compliance Officer. 

The successful candidate will be responsible for the following:

• Policies & Procedures:  Developing and implementing the Company’s code of conduct, as well as various implementing and subordinate policies and procedures.

• Speak-up programme: Developing and implementing an end-to-end speak-up programme for integrity concern reporting, triaging, investigation, remediation, and root cause analysis.  This will require close collaboration and partnering with relevant functions including human resources, information technology, safety and security, and intellectual property. Lead and/or oversee the selection and management of the Company’s  speak-up channels, compliance hotlines, case management tool, and triage process.

• Risk Assessment and Mitigation:  Developing, implementing, and monitoring processes and procedures for identifying, analysing, and mitigating top risks, including but not limited to anti-bribery/anti-corruption; economic sanctions; anti-money laundering; internal fraud; conflicts of interest; and protection of trade secrets.

• Training & Communications:  Developing and implementing a program for training employees and third parties on ethics and compliance policies and procedures and communicating to targeted audiences and emerging risks and trends.

• Third party compliance: representing the risks under the remit of the Integrity & Compliance team before policy and process owners of the third party compliance programme. This would include addressing red-flag escalation.

• Governance & Reporting:  Management of meetings, materials and documentation of Integrity & Compliance committees at different levels of the organisation.  Reporting out on key cases, data, and trends relating to the ethics and compliance program to the Board and board committees, senior management, auditors, and externally.

• Manage and conduct investigations. Collaborate with internal Legal team members and outside counsel in connection with investigations and other compliance matters, as necessary.

• Conduct intake and investigations training for human resources and business management personnel. Regional support for HR & culture investigations as needed.

• Provide day-to-day proactive ethics and compliance legal advice; identify creative, compliant solutions to achieve business goals and strategies by collaborating with Human Resources, Security, Internal Control, Finance and other stakeholders to resolve issues and mitigate risk.

• Work with Legal team to provide business clients with guidance on a daily basis with regard to resolving red flags, addressing compliance questions and providing pragmatic solutions that appropriately balance enterprise growth and legal and compliance risk mitigation, all in accordance with company policy and applicable law.

• Participate in and coordinate with the company’s compliance professionals and internal audit on a periodic basis to assess and monitor the effectiveness of our compliance program and implement continuous improvement.

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED:

SKILLS:

Legal Expertise, Advanced Risk Management, Business Partnering, Stakeholder Management, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Business Acumen, Project Management, Collaboration, Influential Leadership, Negotiation Skills, Digital Curiosity, Versatility, Advocacy, Emotion Intelligent, Prioritisation Skills, Multitasking, External Network, External Communications, External Network, Budget and Management Controls.

EXPERIENCES & QUALIFICATIONS:

1.           Educational Background:

o            Legal Degree. Advanced degrees or certifications in Compliance is highly desirable.

2.           Professional Experience:

o            Minimum of 10 years of experience in legal and compliance roles.

o            Proven track record of successfully navigating complex regulatory environments and ensuring compliance with international laws and regulations.

3.           Industry Knowledge:

o            experience working in similar multinational companies. FMCG-specific experience is highly desirable.

4.           Leadership and Management:

o            Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate teams to achieve compliance objectives.

5.           Regulatory Expertise:

o            Experience in developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with these regulations.

6.           Strategic Thinking and Problem-Solving:

o            Ability to develop and implement long-term compliance strategies that align with the organization’s business objectives.

o            Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and mitigate compliance risks.

7.           Communication and Interpersonal Skills:

o            Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively convey complex legal concepts to non-legal stakeholders.

o            Strong interpersonal skills to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

8.           Ethical Judgment and Integrity:

o            High ethical standards and integrity, with a commitment to promoting a culture of compliance and ethical behavior within the organization.

o            Ability to make sound ethical judgments and provide guidance on ethical issues.

9.           Technology Proficiency:

o            Familiarity with compliance management software and tools.

o            Understanding of the role of technology in enhancing compliance processes and mitigating risks.

10.        Global Perspective:

o            Experience working in a global environment, with an understanding of cultural differences and their impact on compliance practices.

LEADERSHIP: 

• You are an inclusive motivator of people. Your team delivers with real passion, growing and learning from each other whilst delivering quick wins.
• You are still responsible for your own results and as a manager, you also need to motivate others to deliver with passion, creating an inclusive and engaging climate around you. You can balance challenge with support and coaching. You understand the wider business context and you are emotionally intelligent enough to motivate people to deliver what is needed.
• Passion, energy and enthusiasm for your work and for everything that makes Ice Cream unique
• Outstanding communication and problem-solving skills
• A team player who is highly collaborative, flexible and enjoys working with others
• Boundaryless – will go above and beyond to get the job done
• Curious with an unquenchable desire to learn
• Strives for constant improvement
• A commitment to unyielding integrity who will serve as a role model
• A great sense of humor, enjoys fun and strives for a proper work-life balance
• Able to work across time zones and possessing global sensibilities
• A doer more than manager – always willing to roll up own sleeves to get something done
• Ability to assimilate information quickly, identify and articulate risks and provide pragmatic solutions
• A business partner mindset that emphasizes practical and effective solutions
• Close attention to detail
• Strong organizational skills
• Capable of multi-tasking, address changing demands in a fast-paced environment and juggling multiple projects while always meeting deadlines
• Lead with a global mindset to ensure our teams operate on a consistent legal practice on a worldwide, cross-jurisdictional basis.

• Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) Behaviors
  • PERSONAL MASTERY: Sets high standards for themselves. Has emotional intelligence to take feedback, manage mood and motivations, and build empathy for others.
  • PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Generates intensity and focus to motivate people to deliver results at speed. Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results.
  • TALENT CATALYST: Invests in people – coaches individuals and teams to realize their full potential. Creates an inclusive climate, empowering everyone to be at their best.
  • PURPOSE & SERVICE: Has humility, understanding that leadership is service to others, inside and outside Unilever.
  • CONSUMER LOVE: Invests time inside and outside to understand the needs of consumers.
  • BUSINESS ACUMEN: Creates sustainable growth with purpose, engaging different partners across the system for change.

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. 

For the recruitment of this position, we would like to emphasize that local conditions apply to the position.

ARE YOU EXCITED TO CRAFT THE ICE CREAM FUTURE?

To apply, you must do so online. Please do not forget to upload your CV, latest EoY and a motivation letter.  

Your application will be reviewed against our requirements, and we will be in touch shortly after the closing date to provide you with an update on the status of your application.

By applying for this vacancy, you are confirming that you have made your Line Manager aware of your application and that you are at a point in your career with Unilever where it is appropriate for you to apply for other positions.

Disclaimer

Equal Opportunity Employer: Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. 

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