For our customer Ameropa, we are seeking the ‚Legal & Compliance Manager (100%)‘. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Binningen/BL (Basel area), Ameropa is a Swiss, privately owned international agri-business group. Together with its affiliated companies and guided by its core values of entrepreneurship and integrity, it produces, originates and markets fertilisers and grains and is a key part of the global agricultural supply chain that helps to feed the world. Ameropa has regional offices on all five continents and invests globally in assets supporting its business activities.
Reporting to the Group General Counsel, you will manage the Group’s compliance program and promote a culture of ethics and compliance within the Group to ensure that it continues to conduct its business in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, as well as high ethical and professional standards, whilst maintaining the Group’s commitment to entrepreneurship and enabling its continued growth in complex and sometimes economically/politically volatile environments. You will also provide pragmatic legal support on a wide range of corporate and commercial law matters, such as commercial contracts and negotiations, corporate governance and secretarial matters, disputes, and financing arrangements. A lawyer or legal counsel with a pragmatic, entrepreneurial, and collaborative mindset, you will have at least 5 years of post-qualified experience, including significant exposure to compliance and commercial/corporate law within an international commodity trading and/or agri-business group and a desire to take on significant responsibility. The draft job description includes the following:
Responsibilities:
Lead all compliance matters, including anti-bribery/corruption, sanctions, competition law, derivatives, and data privacy, across the Group’s business divisions, legal entities, and support functions across the Group, including: (i) Collaborate closely across Group entities, business divisions, and functions to develop, implement, monitor and update policies and procedures to ensure the Group’s continued compliance and ethical conduct; (ii) Build effective partnerships with local legal counsel and compliance officers to drive success of compliance program and embed compliance culture throughout the Group; (iii) Guide and train business leaders and relevant personnel Group-wide on all relevant compliance matters; (iv) Continuously review and update the Group’s compliance policies, procedures and code of conduct; (v) Establish processes for monitoring compliance with policies and procedures; (vi) Handle investigations into potential compliance breaches; (vii) Ensure compliance with relevant compliance reporting requirements, whistleblower regulations, etc.; (viii) Oversee the Group’s KYC processes, ensuring that they are efficient and effective, and, where appropriate, serve as a decision-maker on KYC issues on behalf of the Group; (ix) Provide timely advice on compliance issues arising out of ongoing and new commercial relationships, including contracting matters, disputes, new business opportunities, etc.; (x) Advise on compliance issues with pragmatic consideration for the commercial nature of the business, company risk appetite, culture and resources
Provide general legal support on other matters as required by the General Counsel, including: (i) Corporate governance issues and corporate secretarial matters related to Group entities such as, e.g., managing articles of incorporation, preparing board meeting documentation; (ii) Contracts drafting and negotiation such as, e.g., sale and purchase agreements, NDAs, guarantees, etc.; (iii) Disputes (arbitration and litigation); (iv) Financing agreements
Manage and supervise external legal or other service providers
Requirements:
Law degree (continental European university preferred); Bar admission strongly preferred
At least 5 years‘ Swiss work experience as a lawyer or legal counsel, including significant experience in compliance (especially sanctions, anti-bribery and competition matters) and commercial/corporate law
Experience in an international commodity trading and/or agri-business Group (or a renowned law firm advising the aforementioned industry) strongly preferred
Fluency in English and German (both at least level C1 „Verhandlungssicher“); additional languages would be a plus
Strong ability to analyse business requirements from a compliance and legal perspective and generate pragmatic advice, processes and policy
Excellent legal and policy drafting skills
Experience in developing compliance policies & procedures and providing legal & compliance trainings
Self-starter, with an entrepreneurial mindset, interested in taking initiative and responsibility for the decisions they make
Excellent project management and organizational skills
Strong legal research skills across multiple legal jurisdictions
Proven track record of influence and impact in complex organizations/ environments
Highly efficient, organized and ability to multi-task; used to managing various complex projects simultaneously
Comfortable operating in fast-paced, dynamic and challenging trading environments
High personal integrity and strong ethical values; used to working with utmost confidentiality
Able to communicate and present in a clear and concise manner (orally and in writing), influencing others positively
Down-to-earth character, solution-driven, goal-oriented, and assertive with ability to manage challenging situations
Proactive, strategic thinker with a hands-on approach and a positive „can do“ attitude
Confident and capable of independently and constructively advising and, if necessary, challenging business leaders at all levels
Interest and ability to work collaboratively in an international setting with multi-disciplinary and cross-functional teams; strong awareness of cultural differences
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to promote a team spirit within the Legal & Compliance teams in HQ as well as Group-wide
Ability to be permanently based in/near Basel, with some international travel required (approx. 10%)
