Aboitiz Foods is an integrated regional food and agribusiness company dedicated to creating a high-performance culture anchored on our time-honored values of Integrity, Teamwork, Innovation, and Responsibility. Through the collective strengths of our subsidiaries, Pilmico and Gold Coin, we believe in sustainably feeding Asia’s growth from mill to meal.

We are constantly improving and optimizing our processes by integrating the value chain around Asia. We leverage our sector expertise and capabilities to deliver quality every time. With our world-class technology and culture of constant innovation, we devote ourselves to serving you better.

At Aboitiz Foods, we embrace change and inspire innovation, leading the way in food and agribusiness solutions. Join us as we shape the future of food in Asia and build a culture where, together, we nourish the future.

Job Description

The Junior Associate General Counsel supports the Aboitiz Foods Philippines Legal and Compliance team in contributing to the attainment of Aboitiz Foods strategic objectives through thorough and effective application of legal principles in the planning, execution, review and continuous improvement of Aboitiz Foods plans, programs, and initiatives.

The Juniuor Associate General Counsel has the following responsibilities:

Land Management

Reviews documents, such as, but not limited to, titles, tax declarations, certifications by various government entities, in relation to the conduct of the legal diligence of properties that the Company wants to acquire;
Provides legal opinion and summarizes the risks involved in the properties if the Company decides to purchase the same;
Recommends to the Farms Project Team and Company’s Management on how to decrease, if not eliminate, the risks in relation to the properties;
Assist in contract drafting and negotiation for the sale of the properties;
Oversees and manages the reclassification and conversion of the properties purchased by the Company to ensure that the same may be used for the identified purpose.
Reviews documents submitted to various government agencies in support of application for land use reclassification and conversion;
Oversee and manage the issuance of owners’ certificates of titles over properties acquired by the Company; and in connection therewith, ensure that the documentation of the Company’s transactions with land is complete and adequate to support the Company’s application for registration of acquired properties;
Maintain good relations with key government stakeholders to the Company’s land conversion and/or land registration initiatives;
Ensures that the Company is shielded from potential liability(ies) or such liability(ies) are within industry parameters and/or existing limits set by the Board of Directors or responsible officer(s) of the Business Unit (BU), and the drafts of documents are in accordance with the mandate given by the Board of Directors or responsible officer(s) of the BU (Requesting Unit) and applicable laws, rules, and regulations;
Conducts research in preparation for proposal and negotiation of the terms and conditions, or revisions thereof, contained in the documents prepared or reviewed by the AEV Contracts Team, as the case may be, during conferences and meetings with the other party(ies) thereto and ensure that the Group’s interests are consistently advanced;
Attends conferences, meetings, and discussions with the BU (Requesting Unit) concerning the terms and conditions set forth in the Documents;
Assist in conducting orientation and providing training on documents review and negotiation to the other team members of the Company;

Contract Management

Prepares drafts of documents based on the standards of COE Corporate and Commercial Projects and the requirements of the Food Group, and in accordance with the existing corporate charter and by-laws of the Group, and applicable laws, rules, and regulations;
Reviews, revises, and modifies the draft of documents prepared by the different teams submitted to TLC Team for review and rendition of opinion to ensure that risks are eliminated;
Ensures that the Group is shielded from potential liability(ies) or such liability(ies) are within industry parameters and/or existing limits set by the Board of Directors or responsible officer(s) of the BU, and the drafts of Documents are in accordance with the mandate given by the Board of Directors or responsible officer(s) of the BU (Requesting Unit), and applicable laws, rules, and regulations;
Conducts research on behalf of the TLC Officer in preparation for proposal and negotiation of the terms and conditions, or revisions thereof, contained in the documents prepared or reviewed by the Lex team, as the case may be, during conferences and meetings with the other party(ies) thereto and ensure that the Group’s interests are consistently advanced;
Attends conferences, meetings, and discussions with the BU (Requesting Unit) concerning the terms and conditions set forth in the Documents;
Assists the COE Corporate and Commercial Projects Team in establishing acceptable and uniform standards for the Documents and a systematic and uniform method of review of the Documents;
Conducts orientation and provides training on documents review and negotiation to the other team members of the Group, as necessary.

Legal Compliance Management

Develops a good understanding of each business unit in Philippines, its strategies, its environment, competitive pressures and differentiating factors, and to use that knowledge to advise the management of the new laws, regulations or updates that impact or influence the business strategies and operations directly or indirectly;
Provides guidance and monitors the compliance of Aboitiz Foods with the applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including monitoring of the timeliness of obtaining/renewing necessary permits and licenses by the concerned operations/department team leaders, and provides management report on the Group’s compliance;
Coordinates with relevant government and other external networks, such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reforms, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Board of Investments, Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Energy (DOE), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and other government and regulatory bodies;
Monitors, and as necessary, coordinates compliance activities of the COE Legal and Compliance Team and business units to remain abreast of the status of all compliance activities and to identify trends;
Assists in identifying potential areas of compliance vulnerability and risk; proposes corrective actions and oversees the implementation for resolution of problematic issues, and coordinates with the business units to provide general guidance on how to avoid or deal with similar situations in the future;
Provides an assessment of the current legal trends that expose Aboitiz Foods to risks or provide it opportunities to ensure that Aboitiz Foods Philippines senior leadership stays up to date on the legal development;
Assists in developing, initiating, maintaining, and revising policies and procedures for the general operation of Aboitiz Foods Philippines Compliance Programs and its related activities to prevent illegal, unethical, or improper conduct.
Oversees the day to-day operation of the Programs;
Engages in active and continuing dialogue/collaboration with the Business Partners and external counsels to promote sharing of knowledge, experience and expertise among the legal practitioners in the Aboitiz Feedall Legal Team so that existing as well as emerging legal and regulatory issues, risks, threats or trends relating to Aboitiz Foods Philippines are properly identified, managed and best legal practices are implemented group wide;
Assists the in leading a rapid and effective response to situations where significant unanticipated legal threats to the group arise, makes recommendations on the nature and timing of actions to be taken, with defined responsibilities, and as appropriate overseeing the effective execution of those actions;
Assists in ensuring that Aboitiz Foods Philippines senior leadership is kept fully abreast of the changes and impact of relevant legal knowledge, developments and requirements, providing appropriate oral and written interpretations as necessary;
Works/coordinates closely with the Aboitiz Feedall Legal and Compliance functional team leaders (corporate secretarial, tax, contracts, labor and litigation) to ensure that the Team is fully aware of government affairs and developments that have impact on Business Units (BUs) and the Legal Team’s current practices and processes;
Collaborates with and assists the Aboitiz Feedall Legal and Compliance functional team leaders to develop some real knowledge and understanding of the new laws and regulations, updates and changes of current laws to allow Aboitiz Feedall Legal and Compliance to take on a more effective, proactive and business-based approach to its legal advisor role to the business units.

Litigation Management

Manages litigation and other modes of dispute resolution involving Aboitiz Foods Philippines by implementing legal strategies to meet the company’s objectives and/or minimize the adverse impact of the legal action to the company;
Coordinates and oversees the successful provision of services rendered by external legal counsel and other relevant firms or advisors employed to represent Aboitiz Foods Philippines and to protect the Group’s interests and evaluate the same based on the requirements of the company;
Provides a timely review of draft pleadings prepared by external legal counsel in cases involving Aboitiz Foods Philippines;
Take up direct management/handling of cases identified for in-house handling, whether civil, criminal or administrative.

Labor

Handles delivery of advisory, case/matter management, policy development and training development services relating to general labor standards, basic occupational health and safety. Subcontracting arrangements, labor audit, employee discipline, union and collective bargaining advisory, alien employment regulations, and other labor and social legislation laws and regulations, all with the objective of ensuring that Aboitiz Foods Philippines is compliant with relevant labor and social legislation and regulations.
Manages performance of external legal advisors and counsels engaged to handle labor claims initiated against Aboitiz Foods Philippines, or provide outsourced legal services in relation to negotiations with labor unions and/or complying with labor and employment regulations.
Assists and provides recommendations to Aboitiz Foods Philippines HR in the continuous improvement of hiring, pre-employment, subcontracting, post-employment and employee policies and processes.

Other Tasks

Performs other related activities that may be assigned by the immediate supervisor.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Law Degree
Must have at least 4 years of post qualifying experience
Strong local network and government relations

License/s:

Member in good standing of the Philippine Bar.

Additional Information

REPORTS TO: AVP Legal & Compliance
Hybrid work set-up, with 3 days of in-office attendance per week required.

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