Ice Cream Patents Legal Counsel

Please Note: The deadline for applying is 23.59 the day before the job posting end date.

Job Title: Ice Cream Patents Legal Counsel

Location: Colworth Science Park

If you are in the Unilever Ice Cream business or consider choosing to work for the Unilever Ice Cream business, you will work for the Global, leading Ice Cream player with €7.9bn Turn Over in 2023. The Ice Cream business is operating in a highly attractive category, as we are part of the 1 trillion snacking and refreshment industry, growing consistently at high pace. We have strong brands equities: 5 of top 10 selling brands including Wall’s, Magnum, Ben &Jerry’s. We are investing to unlock the full growth potential of Ice Cream as a standalone entity, once we separate from Unilever, which is planned to happen by November 2025.

Ice Cream has distinct characteristics from Unilever’s other operating businesses and the growth potential of Ice Cream will be better delivered under a different ownership structure. As Ice Cream company we are committed to developing and nurturing talent within our Ice Cream company. You will have ample options for career growth and exploration, allowing you for you to explore roles and opportunities across the new organisation. Your career development will be a priority for us, and we are dedicated to supporting your growth journey within the new company. We hope that you will want to build the new chapter of our Ice Cream history together with us.

Unilever Ice Cream is the largest global Ice Cream Company in the world, with over 100 years of experience delivering a diverse range of indulgent, yet responsible, craft food experiences and treats delighting consumers. Committed to innovation, quality, and sustainability we have 35 brands, including 3 one billion Euro brands (Magnum, Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s), a strong presence in over 60 countries, generating annual revenue of over $8 billion. All brands are driven to transform moments into memories through indulgent yet responsibly made and marketed products. We have a well-developed strategy to deliver growth and value creation which is clear on where to play and how to win.

We turn the ordinary into the extraordinary by designing unique and innovative Ice Cream experiences that make life taste better, creating joyful experiences. In our Ice Cream business, we’re crafting the future through innovation and imaginative minds, creating unique products. We spark moments of happiness for people and within the communities where we operate. However, it is not as simple as it may seem. As Ice Cream makers we are serious about happiness. With warm hearts, we create the coolest products.

JOB PURPOSE

The role of the Patents Legal Counsel is to protect the Ice Cream business and help it to win.  The Patents Legal Counsel will have global responsibility for IC patents, design rights, utility models and know how, as well as key strategic R&D and other innovation Agreements. The role reports into the Head of IP, Media & Marketing and will business partner the R&D leadership team and other senior leaders within Legal and other functions such as Marketing. 

Together with the Head of IP, Media & Marketing, you will be responsible for the selection of external legal vendors and technology tools and budgets to optimise our innovation, protection and enforcement strategies.  You will also work with other lawyers and functional experts on areas such as litigation, licensing, privacy, tax, competition law, procurement and supply chain.  

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Patents Legal Counsel will drive and develop the patent evolution of the strategy to support IC’s goals, collaborating with R&D and business colleagues, as well as internal and external partners, and other members of the IP team to accelerate the exploitation of IP. This role will help lead the development of an innovation pipeline to create impact and support unmissable superiority and multi-year innovation priorities for the company.  You will help develop a culture of continuous innovation, including developing Patents legal processes. 

You will also manage a patent portfolio and will be involved in everything from invention harvesting, through to drafting and prosecution, to freedom to operate, licensing, and enforcement and handling of negotiations and disputes with third parties. 

You will have a strong and broad understanding of IP laws and proven experience in advising on emerging risk areas. 

Together with R&D colleagues, you will be responsible for the following, working in close partnership with Legal colleagues and business leaders: 

• Strategy: developing and implementing global patent strategies to enhance IC brand value and growth – ensuring alignment to our commercial priorities.
• Patent Prosecution: setting and implementing processes and ways of working, as well as best practice for the clearance, protection and maintenance of our intellectual property rights worldwide, including how we support smaller brands and regions.  
• Trade secrets: Managing and implementing governance to protect trade secrets and other forms of confidential information.
• Litigation related with Patents: leading major litigation, setting strategy, selecting external counsel, and collaborating and supervising other team members, including in relation to complex settlement negotiations.
• R&D Agreements: negotiating and drafting key vendor contracts, commercial agreements and R&D partnerships, including collaborating with functional experts where there are inter-dependencies with IP. 
• Business Partnering: acting as a trusted business partner to the IC leadership team and the R&D extended leadership team, providing pro-active IP (Patents) counselling on all innovation areas, whilst identifying wider legal issues. 
• Budget: setting, forecasting, tracking, and controlling patent spend.  

ALL ABOUT YOU

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED:

SKILLS: Legal Expertise, Advanced Risk Management, Business Partnering, Stakeholder Management, Problem Solving, Decision Making, Business Acumen, Project Management, Collaboration, Influential Leadership, Negotiation Skills, Digital Curiosity, Versatility, Advocacy, Emotion Intelligent, Prioritisation Skills, Multitasking, External Network, External Communications, External Network, Budget and Management Controls.

EXPERIENCES & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Qualified Patent Attorney with relevant years in an FMCG company or another comparable global organisation.
• Qualification as a European Patent Attorney with experience experience in trade secrets, designs and patents and before the European Patent Office;
• Significant experience in drafting IP terms in major supplier agreements.

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. 

For the recruitment of this position, we would like to emphasize that local conditions apply to the position.

Please be aware if you are applying for this role from outside the informed location, if successful, your internal application will be treated as a self-initiated Change Location Outside of Country (CLOC) transfer.

No further relocation support will be provided in a self-initiated CLOC.

ARE YOU EXCITED TO CRAFT THE ICE CREAM FUTURE?

To apply, you must do so online. Please do not forget to upload your CV, latest EoY and a motivation letter.  If you have been informed that you are at risk of redundancy, please make sure to tick this box during your application. Please also attach your letter of redundancy to the application.

Your application will be reviewed against our requirements, and we will be in touch shortly after the closing date to provide you with an update on the status of your application.

By applying for this vacancy, you are confirming that you have made your Line Manager aware of your application and that you are at a point in your career with Unilever where it is appropriate for you to apply for other positions.

Disclaimer

Equal Opportunity Employer: Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, or any other basis protected by applicable law, and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.