Senior Legal Counsel, Sustainability (EMEA)
Job Description:
We believe the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today, which is the vision at the heart of Mars’ Sustainable in a Generation Plan, one where the planet is healthy, people and pets are thriving, and society is inclusive.
The Senior Legal Counsel, Sustainability (EMEA) will play an important role within the Sustainability Legal team at Mars, Inc. This role supports legal compliance for sustainability-related regulations across the EMEA region, with a particular focus on cross-segment regulatory coordination and enterprise alignment.
This position operates within Mars’ Sustainability Legal Center of Excellence model and provides legal advisory support on Material Regulations, including CSRD, CS3D, EUDR, EmpCo, PPWR, and forced labor-related requirements. The role helps translate enterprise legal positions into regionally informed guidance and promotes visibility and consistency of legal approaches across segments.
The role requires a high degree of independence and self-direction. The Senior Legal Counsel is expected to build a strong internal network across legal, sustainability, and business teams in the region, and to proactively steer that network to drive alignment and consistency in legal approaches to sustainability regulations. While supported by enterprise leadership, the role operates day-to-day as the primary driver of regional coordination. This is a legal advisory and coordination role, not an implementation role. It focuses on legal interpretation, risk identification, and the development of guidance and tools, while business and segment teams retain responsibility for operational implementation.
What will be your key responsibilities?
Provide legal advice on sustainability-related regulatory requirements across the EMEA region, with a focus on compliance risk, legal interpretation, and coordinated legal approaches.
Act as the primary driver of cross-segment coordination on sustainability legal topics within the EMEA region, proactively bringing stakeholders together to align on legal interpretation and approach.
Act as the One-Mars legal point of contact for material regulations in the region, helping build an enterprise approach to sustainability compliance.
Own visibility across the region on sustainability-related legal risks, regulatory developments, and legal approaches.
Develop regionally informed legal guidance, playbooks, templates, presentations, and training materials on sustainability regulations in coordination with the other members of the Sustainability Legal Center of Excellence.
Provide jurisdictionally informed legal insights based on local regulatory knowledge, helping the central Sustainability Legal team and segments understand how sustainability regulations apply across EMEA markets.
Support legal analysis of key regulations, including CSRD, CSDDD (CS3D), EUDR, PPWR, and forced labor-related requirements, as well as related enforcement and compliance trends.
Engage directly with segment legal teams and regional stakeholders to influence alignment on legal positions, using judgment and stakeholder relationships to steer toward a consistent One-Mars approach.
Develop and deliver training, presentations, and practical guidance to legal and business stakeholders across the region on sustainability regulatory requirements and legal risk.
Identify potential legal risks, gaps, or inconsistencies in approach and escalate appropriately.
Act as a connector between the central Sustainability Legal team and regional stakeholders to promote a consistent, practical, and risk-based legal approach across the region.
What are we looking for?
Law degree from an accredited university in the EU, UK, or another relevant jurisdiction.
Licensed, admitted, or otherwise qualified to practice law in the EU or UK.
8 to 12+ years of relevant legal experience, ideally including in-house experience in a multinational environment.
Experience advising on EU sustainability regulatory frameworks, including CSRD, CSDDD (CS3D), EUDR, PPWR, EmpCo, or forced labor-related requirements.
Strong grounding in regulatory compliance and legal risk assessment in complex, multi-jurisdictional environments.
Ability to interpret evolving regulatory requirements and apply them in a practical, risk-based way.
Demonstrated ability to operate as a self-directed legal advisor in a complex, matrixed environment, including building networks and influencing outcomes without formal authority.
Ability to work independently with remote management, including setting priorities, progressing matters proactively, and maintaining strong alignment through periodic touchpoints with leadership in a different time zone.
Comfort acting as a regional point of leadership and coordination, even without direct reporting lines.
Experience working cross-functionally with Sustainability, Procurement, Finance, or Public Affairs teams.
Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, including the ability to deliver training, presentations, and practical guidance to legal and business audiences.
Sound judgment, including knowing when to escalate issues to senior legal leadership.
Comfort working within a broader enterprise legal framework while exercising a meaningful degree of independent judgment and initiative.
What can you expect from Mars?
Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.