| External Job Description |
CONTEXT:
Guinness Cameroon SA produces markets and sells alcoholic beverages in Cameroon. It is a subsidiary of Diageo Plc the global alcoholic drinks company. The company employs over 400 people.
The Legal and Company Secretarial department provides proactive legal counseling and legal support to the business, compliance, corporate governance; board meeting support and shareholders meetings organization and management.
The Assistant Legal Counsel will be expected to play a full role in the work of the Department - undertaking specified tasks identified in the Department's schedule of responsibilities and work calendar, as well as ad hoc projects furthering the post holder's legal and company secretarial experience.
The role reports to the company Legal Advisor and Company Secretary.
PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:
- Enable Guinness Cameroun to achieve its business objectives in a legally compliant way
- Preserve value (financial and reputational) by minimizing the risk of value leakage and litigation and maintaining compliance with laws and Guinness's Codes and policies
- Support the Legal Advisor and Company Secretary in developing best practice corporate governance within the company
- Ensure that the Company Secretary receives quality support to achieve all his agreed objectives
- Ensure the efficient management of the company's litigation cases and of consumers' complaints
ACCOUNTABILITIES:
- Function as a highly effective legal and business adviser.
- Ensure that the Legal Department is an integral part of Guinness Cameroun's business (including visibility in-market) so that the department receives appropriate commercial and other functional inputs
- Support the Legal Advisor and Company Secretary to achieve the right balance between hand on “doing” of legal work, managing external lawyers and training of other employees on relevant topics
- Support the Legal Advisor and Company Secretary in ensuring that the company's statutory registers and other records are maintained in an accurate and timely manner
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
- Formal legal qualifications and training as required by law to work as a legal practitioner in Cameroon.
- Ability to communicate verbally and in writing in both English and French.
- Minimum of five years' experience of working in active commercial legal practice or the legal/company secretarial department of a public limited company
- Preferably some experience of supervising junior staff (or ability to do so).
- documentation of commercial contracts relevant to the company's business and giving advice in relation to marketing, sales and promotion activities
- A good working knowledge of the following legal areas – product liability, IP, employment, antitrust, corporate governance and the responsibilities of a Company Secretary
- Demonstrably articulate and literate
- Computer literacy essential
KEY SKILLS:
The preferred candidate should have:
- Strong, analytical, drafting and negotiating skills
- Open and outward looking attitude
- Strong interpersonal/communication skills
- Ability to work confidently and stand ground with more senior managers
- Strong commercial and pragmatic approach
- Strong coaching and leadership skills
- Ability to impact and influence upwards
Female applications are highly encouraged.
Interested candidates should apply mentioning the above subject.
APPLICATION
All applications to be made through the website: www.diageo-careers.com
(Remember: CV to be uploaded)
Guinness Cameroon, which is ISO 9001/2008 and FSSC 22000 certified, is committed to meritocracy and inclusiveness and will not unfairly discriminate in recruitment, training, career development and promotion on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, gender, marital status, disability, religion or belief and age. |
