Legal EEMEA Counsel

At Barilla, we believe that every great journey begins with passion and a bold vision. From our humble beginnings in 1877 in a small shop in Parma, Italy, we’ve blossomed into a global leader in the food industry, guided by our commitment to progress and excellence.

Today, Barilla is an international group present in more than 100 countries and we are proud to be recognized as the world’s top food company by reputation. With 22 beloved brands in our portfolio, we are world leader for pasta, the number one choice for ready-made sauces in Europe, leader for bakery products in Italy, and for crispbread across Scandinavia with Wasa.

Our success story is written by a passionate team of almost 9,000 dedicated employees across 30 plants and offices worldwide, all united by a shared mission to nourish the future with purpose and passion.

Are you ready to add your unique flavor to our journey?

Brief Description

We are looking for a Legal EEMEA Counsel to support the business across the EEMEA region on a wide range of commercial, contractual, corporate, and regulatory matters. The role involves partnering closely with regional and global legal teams, as well as cross-functional stakeholders, to provide practical legal guidance, ensure compliance with company policies, and support strategic business initiatives. The successful candidate will also collaborate with external counsel, help manage disputes and litigation, and contribute to protecting the company's interests across the region.

Responsibilities:

• Provide legal advice and support to the regional teams based on business request.
• Implement and monitor local legal strategies that align with the company’s business objectives and regulatory requirements.
• Support HQ corporate dept on local corporate governance matters, board and shareholder resolutions, powers of attorney, and legal entity management.
• Manage training programs for regional employees on legal topics such as antitrust, compliance, intellectual property, and contract management, in alignment with global legal teams. Develop practical legal guidance (documents, templates, FAQs, etc) on common legal issues faced by the company in the Region.
• Contribute to implement and monitor regional compliance programs and policies to mitigate legal risks, ensuring consistency with global legal policies.
• Conduct regular risk assessments and support internal audits and investigations to identify and address potential legal issues.
• Perform the drafting, negotiation, and review of contracts and agreements including supplier, distributor, services, NDAs, and partnership agreements.
• Ensure all contracts comply with company policies and legal requirements.
• Provide training and guidance to the business on contract management and negotiation.
• Contribute to the management and oversee litigation, arbitration, and other dispute resolution processes within the region.
• Support the management of the regional intellectual property portfolio, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights. Prepare documents and strategies for enforcing IP rights and defending against IP infringement claims in the Region.
• Implement within the region data protection and privacy policies in compliance with regulations like GDPR or CCPA, provide, in close collaboration with the company’s privacy officer, privacy advice applicable to regional initiatives.
• Monitor local legislative and regulatory developments, assess their business impact, and recommend proactive actions.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Law from an accredited law school, with admission to the bar in a relevant jurisdiction preferred.
• 5+ years of legal experience preferably in food or consumer goods industry.
• Knowledge of Corporate Affairs, Intellectual Property (IP), Compliance, Privacy and Food Law.
• Bar admission in relevant jurisdiction from the region preferred.
• Fluent in English, and Greek or Turkish, any other language of the region would be a plus.
• In house experience would be a plus.
• This role can be based in either Athens, Greece or Istanbul, Turkey.

What We Offer:

An international, purpose-driven and inclusive workplace where people collaborate across borders, feel valued and empowered, and thrive through a strong culture of flexibility, quality and sustainability.

• Continuous learning & development through training programs and mentoring opportunities
• Transparent career paths and internal mobility opportunities to support long-term growth
• Starter, a tailor‑made onboarding journey, that combines our digital platform with "onlife" activities
• Smart Working policy (up to 40% remote work)

At Barilla, we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace where diversity in all its forms is valued and embraced. Our employment policies and practices are designed to ensure equal employment opportunities for all, regardless of age, race, color, citizenship, faith, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or characteristics of expression, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, medical condition, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. Our commitment to equal employment stems from our unwavering belief that it is not only the right thing to do, but it is also a fundamental driver of innovation and business success.