Position Title:  Legal Counsel

Be a part of a ground-breaking change!

Times are changing at Philip Morris International (PMI). We’ve chosen to do something incredible. The world expects us to act responsibly. We are doing just that by redefining our business and building our future on one clear purpose – to deliver a smoke-free future.

This transformation will redefine every area of our business: the products we sell, where we sell them, and how they’re manufactured and delivered. The way we talk to our customers and engage with society.

With huge change, comes huge opportunity. So, you’ll enjoy dreaming up and delivering better, brighter solutions and the space to move your career forward in endlessly different directions.

Attorney who works with affiliates, regional and OC legal & compliance teams and PM West & Central Africa Management to provide quality, business-centric and timely legal analysis, advice, representation, negotiation and documentation in a wide variety of PM West & Central Africa activities and initiatives to enable PMI’s Smoke Free Future vision in West & Central Africa coherently with relevant laws and regulations and PMI positions. He/she will also support the Senior Counsel to implement departmental practices and objectives in all PAE – SSA markets. 

Key responsibilities:

• Partners with global subject matter experts, regional legal teams, the Senior Counsel / Assistant General Counsel and business colleagues to create proactive strategies designed to avoid or minimize exposure to legal liability.
• Helps business colleagues understand the risks and consequences of the given situation.  Effectively communicates the consequences and in collaboration with internal stakeholders develops alternatives to manage identified risks.
• Efficiently gathers and distills relevant information from appropriate sources, identifies and analyzes legal issues and knows when to escalate them
• Drafts key documents, presents clear recommendations and ensures legal compliance as it relates to the noted areas of law.
• In coordination with External Affairs and with the supervision of the Senior Counsel / Assistant General Counsel, represents the company’s position before federal, state and local government agencies regarding the noted areas of law and supports PMI’s harm reduction advocacy.
• Stays current with legal developments, best practices and benchmarks in the noted areas of law and assists business colleagues in implementing policies and procedures in response thereto.
• Participates in project teams, advising them to ensure that their decisions and recommendations protect the legal interests of the affiliate and PMI and executes decisions to achieve objectives on a timely basis
• Maintains a culture with a high degree of emphasis on dignity, respect, and inclusion.

Critical skills:

• Subject to prevailing business needs and the Senior Counsel’s  / Assistant General Counsel's directions, act as the first point of/primary legal contact for business colleagues and assume the role of the market’s subject matter expert in certain legal, governance, regulatory, risk and policy areas.
• Review, draft, revise and negotiate a wide range of agreements with customers, vendors, partners, distributors, resellers and other third parties, including software and intellectual property licenses, technology agreement, distributor, professional services, cloud, and other complex commercial agreements.
• Working knowledge of PBO-related practices to support PMI’s PBO model
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments in the region, which may materially affect the company.
• Understands business objectives, practice yellow-zone decision making, thinks through the practical implications, and anticipates future business and legal needs
• Apply legal knowledge clearly and precisely, effectively communicating thoughtful and practical solutions
• Maintains effective working relationships with outside counsel.
• Acts as a team player and role model for the legal function, encouraging collaboration and standards of excellence.

Desired profile:

• Licensed to practice law in a jurisdiction where PMI operates.
• At least 5 years of concentrated experience which demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and applied understanding of area of expertise; both in house and major law firm experience preferred.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, handle multiple, conflicting priorities while managing a substantial workload and client expectations.
• Experience of working successfully in a highly results-oriented and performance-driven environment with a focus on excellence.
• Ability to maintain an appropriate perspective regardless of the ambiguity, delicacy or pressure of a situation.
• Robust interpersonal, networking and writing skills, good public speaking skills, confidence and credibility to act quickly, communicate effectively with diplomacy and civility, and command respect of both internal and external audiences.
• Ability to think strategically and exercise sound judgment. 
• Ability to perform on projects and see them to successful completion in an organized, efficient, and effective manner.
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary setting to achieve consensus.
• Extreme attention to detail.
• For PAE:  excellent command in written and spoken French.