Associate General Counsel, Ben & Jerry's

Job Location: Englewood Cliffs, NJ or Burlington, VT (hybrid), or Remote, US may be considered
Travel: Less than 30% of the time

About Unilever:

Unilever is one of the world`s largest fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) businesses, with products across 5 Business Groups, including the Ice Cream Business Group. We make products that people love – and that make a difference. Nutritious foods. Household care essentials. Indulgent ice creams. Luxurious shampoos. Affordable, disease-combating soaps... and many more. In fact, Unilever offers around 400 much-loved brands including global brands such as Magnum, Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s, Knorr, and Dove, but also local brand such as Carte D’Or and Calvé. Shoppers buy them in more than 190 countries. That means you’ll find at least one of our products in seven out of ten households on the planet. And we want every one of those products to make a positive impact on the lives of the people who buy them.

We want our business to flourish, and we know that our success depends on others flourishing around us. That's why our purpose is to make sustainable living commonplace, and why sustainable, long-term growth is at the heart of our business model. 

As has been announced, Unilever intends to separate the Ice Cream business during the second half of 2025, meaning it will be a separate, publicly-held standalone business.  Although this is presently intended to be accomplished via a de-merger, other types of transactions will be considered.

Background & Purpose of the Job:

We have an opportunity for an exceptional and accomplished qualified lawyer to serve as the Ben & Jerry’s General Counsel.  Ben & Jerry’s is a beloved and iconic brand that makes delicious ice cream and that has inspired passionate fans around the world.  Ben & Jerry’s is known as much for its commitment to a progressive social mission as for its ice cream.  Ben & Jerry’s was founded in in Vermont and 1978 by its two namesake partners who sought to combine their love for ice cream with their passion for progressive social causes.  They set out a three-part mission – to succeed financially, make great ice cream, and work to make our society more just and sustainable – that continues to guide and inspire the business today.

Ben & Jerry’s was acquired by Unilever in 2000, but the company’s social mission was to be carried forward under a unique acquisition agreement that placed primary responsibility for upholding that mission and the integrity of the Ben & Jerry’s brand in the hands of an independent board of directors.  Under the agreement, the board works within its defined purpose, together with the Ben & Jerry’s CEO and Unilever, to guide the business in a manner that respects its history and tradition of activism.

Who You Are & What You’ll Do:

The primary responsibility of the Ben & Jerry’s General Counsel revolves around the governance issues that arise under this unique agreement.  These issues may arise in a wide range of circumstances involving media and communications, sourcing and supply chain, performance appraisal and compensation, litigation and dispute resolution, and more.  The successful candidate must possess strong communications and interpersonal skills and an ability to navigate complexity where there is often little legal precedent available to serve as a guide.  The candidate must also be capable of partnering effectively with multiple stakeholders with often divergent interests and priorities. 

Cross-functional collaboration, both within the legal function as well as with individuals and departments outside of it, is an essential component of the job.  All members of the legal team and business leadership are considered important stakeholders, including privacy, compliance, labor & employment, HR, IT, Quality, Safety, Sustainability, Communications, Finance, Security, Marketing, and Supply Chain.

The successful candidate for this role will have broad legal experience across a range of issues to include intellectual property, compliance, commercial transactions, franchising, labor and employment, competition, consumer law, and more. The candidate must be able to negotiate and resolve difficult issues with both firmness and tact.

The Ben & Jerry’s GC may be expected to “double hat” in an adjacent role, which might encompass, Americas region (partnering the Americas GM), litigation, ethics and compliance, investigations, privacy, or other subjects. The position reports to the Ice Cream General Counsel and will be a member of her leadership team.  Periodic travel to Burlington, Vermont as well as to Rotterdam, Netherlands and elsewhere to attend leadership meetings can be expected. 

• Advise the Unilever, Ice Cream business, and Ben & Jerry’s leadership on key issues involving corporate governance, with particular attention to the merger agreement, shareholder agreement and related documents setting out the roles and responsibilities of the Ben & Jerry’s independent board and the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s.
• Mediate and resolve disputes among multiple stakeholders that may arise under the unique corporate governance structure of Ben & Jerry’s.
• Oversee litigation involving the company, including responding to claims, demands, suits and third-party subpoenas; engage and oversee outside counsel and other advisors; and respond to regulatory issues and proceedings
• Manage and oversee contracts and commercial negotiations and disputes, franchise matters, intellectual property rights, and competition/antitrust issues.
• Partner with Marketing teams to support the innovation process, making sure the relevant IP is protected and product and campaigns are compliant with relevant laws and regulations.
• Partner with Human Resources, Finance and other functions to address and resolve cross-functional issues
• Create and manage budgets and develop practices and procedures to minimize external spend
• Develop and give presentations on current legal issues to senior management and other stakeholders.
• Serve as the subject matter expert on issues related to merger agreement, shareholder agreement, articles of incorporation, by-laws and other key documents and agreements concerning the relationship of the independent board to the parent company.

Behaviors:

• Passion, energy and enthusiasm for your work and for everything that makes Ben & Jerry’s unique
• Outstanding communication and problem-solving skills
• A team player who is highly collaborative 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
• Capable of multi-tasking and juggling multiple projects while always meeting deadlines

What You'll Need to Succeed:

Candidates must be a qualified lawyer, admitted to practice within the U.S. and with at least fifteen years of combined law firm, inhouse or government experience.  Candidates must have demonstrated expertise in litigation and corporate governance; experience in other areas of expertise as noted above is highly desirable.

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school
• At least 15 years experience as a practicing attorney
• Admission in good standing to practice law in at least one U.S. state
• Legal experience with litigation, corporate law, Intellectual Property, compliance, commercial transactions, franchising, labor and employment, competition/ anti-trust issues, consumer law, legal marketing activities, issues management; additional experience with Data Privacy & Security preferred
• Excellent business judgment and ability to assess legal risk while also thinking strategically and providing practical business-oriented advice
• Strong oral communication, interpersonal, drafting, negotiation and organizational skills
• Ability to think on your feet, using judgement and experience to quickly analyze issues and propose legally and commercially viable solutions
• Experience managing a high-pressure workload that requires covering multiple tasks and collaborating with several internal and external stakeholders simultaneously

What We Can Offer You

Culture for Growth | Top Notch Employee Health & Well Being Benefits | Every Voice Matters | Global Reach | Unilever: Life | LinkedIn | Strategy | Unilever | Why work for Unilever | Careers at Unilever |  Unilever Global Website | Check Out Our Space

Pay: The pay range for this position is $200,600 to $401,200. Unilever takes into consideration a wide range of factors that are utilized in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, qualifications and education, and other business and organizational needs.

Bonus: This position is bonus eligible.

Long-Term Incentive (LTI): This position is LTI eligible.

Benefits: Unilever employees are eligible to participate in our benefits plan. Should the employee choose to participate, they can choose from a range of benefits to include, but is not limited to, health insurance (including prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage), retirement savings benefits, life insurance and disability benefits, parental leave, sick leave, paid vacation and holidays, as well as access to numerous voluntary benefits. Any coverages for health insurance and retirement benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents

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Unilever is an organization committed to diversity and inclusion to drive our business results and create a better future every day for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal law and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. 

For more information about your Federal rights, please see Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal and Pay Transparency Non-discrimination Provision.

Employment is subject to verification of pre-screening tests, which may include drug screening, background check, credit check and DMV check.

If you are an individual with a disability in need of assistance at any time during our recruitment process, please contact us at NA.Accommodations@unilever.com. Please note: This email is reserved for individuals with disabilities in need of assistance and is not a means of inquiry about positions or application statuses. The Protected Veterans or Individuals with Disabilities AAP narratives are available for inspection by any employee or applicant for employment Monday through Friday during normal business hours at establishment.

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