Senior Commercial Counsel, Packaging EMEA

Packaging

• Delivering commercially focused legal advice to the Commercial division across EMEA within the DS Smith business, working directly with MDs/FDs and other relevant business contacts on a multi-jurisdictional basis.
• Advising on and negotiating contracts with material customers.
• Advising on major customer-related projects, third party disputes, litigation and other corporate / commercial matters as required.
• Providing face to face training on legal topics (including contract law (to facilitate stakeholder self-service).
• Reviewing and negotiation of complex customer agreements, applying the relevant playbook (and use of precedents) to manage risk profile. 
• Negotiating contracts with opposing counsel and/or customer sales/procurement teams with confidence, often via video-call or (where required) in person.
• Reviewing tender contracts.
• Redirecting queries to other relevant business functions (and collating responses) where applicable.
• Assisting with review and implementation of AI tools to streamline legal processes and function.
• Understanding and exhibiting company values. 

The Wider Business

• Supporting continued integration and alignment with International Paper, working closely with other Group functions and external counsel.
• Reviewing and drafting new Group legal policies when appropriate to reflect legal and regulatory developments or changes to DS Smith’s operations.
• Providing legal advice and support to group functions including procurement, R&D, sustainability, compliance, IT, treasury, finance, integration and corporate affairs.
• Working with in-house legal counsels in other jurisdictions to update and roll-out legal templates.

The Individual

Experience

• Commercial legal experience gained preferably from in-house positions and from a magic circle / top tier law firm.
• Excellent contract law knowledge. 
• In-depth commercial legal experience.

​Attributes

• Emotional intelligence. 
• Good commercial judgement and the willingness to use it.
• Intellectually sound with a strong, analytical mind.
• Curious, hard-working, proactive, task and action-oriented.
• Team player, but able to work with a high degree of autonomy with ability to recognise when escalation to the legal director input is required.
• Responsive. 
• Grounded, collaborative and comfortable engaging at every level of an organisation.
• High degree of energy and commitment, an ability and willingness to travel and to deliver to tight deadlines.
• Ability to work in a lean and fast paced operational environment.
• Ability to work through change and ambiguity. 
• Ability to prioritise, with agility to re-prioritise as required. 
• Ability to be creative and with a solution-focused approach. 
• Ability to build rapport and manage stakeholder relationships. 
• Ability to adapt communication style to best communicate with relevant stakeholders. 
• High level of initiative. 
• Understanding of legal vs commercial items. 
• Experience of using legal/contract review AI tools beneficial. 
• Experience with advising multi-jurisdictional stakeholders preferred. 
• Experience of instructing external legal counsel (in other jurisdictions) preferred. 
• Discreet. 
• Ability to use persuasion and influence over stakeholders to help achieve legal compliance

Based In London