Assistant General Counsel - Global Sustainability @ Mars

Assistant General Counsel – Global Sustainability, Mars Snacking

Chicago, IL (Hybrid) | Apply here

The global sustainability legal function provides ongoing strategic and operational support in the areas of business and human rights, business and environmental stewardship, and packaging to the Mars Snacking segment. It provides proactive legal support to help ensure the programs and processes developed across all of the Mars Snacking Sustainability Initiatives support compliance with evolving law, policy, regulation, and global standards and applicable enterprise legal frameworks.

What are we looking for?

• J.D. from an accredited law school with 12 to 15+ years of legal experience required. Expertise in the area of Global Sustainability and Human Rights. Experience in the CPG sector is a plus.
• Preferred candidate has experience in corporate environments, including work in matrixed organizations and engagement in policy and legal forums.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in working with internal corporate stakeholders, third‑party experts, NGOs, government, and regulatory organizations.
• Experience managing a geographically distributed team.
• Strong business acumen.
• Excellent relationship and influencing skills.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Must be a self‑starter, highly motivated with a bias for action (strong work ethic) and able to function independently.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong, flexible team player and collaborator that works to meet both personal and organization goals.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Excellent organization, execution and project management skills.
• Ability to travel if necessary.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as strategic legal advisor to the Mars Snacking Chief Sustainability Officer and oversee legal guidance to Mars Snacking sustainability and related teams.
• Provide strategic support to Mars Snacking General Counsel and legal leadership team on global sustainability matters, ensuring senior stakeholders are engaged on relevant topics.
• Partner with Mars enterprise‑level Associate General Counsel, Corporate Sustainability on material global regulations and other Mars priorities.
• Represent legal in the Mars Snacking Sustainability leadership team and advise on segment sustainability programs.
• Oversee a team of senior lawyers in the United States and Europe dedicated to advising on sustainability legal matters across the globe and partner with other legal team members across the function to support sustainability related initiatives.
• Provide legal advice to ensure Mars Snacking’s commitments, goals, communications and marketing related to social and environmental issues are aligned with applicable law and enterprise legal guardrails, and anticipate evolving global regulations and legal requirements.
• Establish segment‑based legal strategies in partnership with the enterprise Sustainability Legal team and other functional teams in the Mars.
• Provide strategic guidance and legal support to the Snacking segment in the spheres of sustainability, human rights, environment and other related corporate areas.
• Develop protocols, systems and guidance for teams across Mars Snacking on a range of complex environmental, human rights, and sustainability issues, including the effective operationalization of all relevant corporate policies.
• Oversee and support compliance with sustainability, human rights and environmental laws across the Mars Snacking business segment, with particular focus on high‑risk supply chains (such as cocoa, palm, sugar, mint, etc.) and high‑risk markets.
• Partner with the enterprise Sustainability Legal and Governance teams as appropriate in relation to investigations and oversight of sustainability and human rights issues in Mars Snacking’s operations and supply chain.
• Draft, review, and/or approve relevant documents and resources in support of Mars Snacking’s sustainability agenda.
• Develop and deliver training and capacity building for key personnel and teams in Mars Snacking with regard to legal risk pertaining to sustainability and help reinforce adoption of enterprise guidance within the segment.
• Provide expert guidance on sustainability‑related legal risk and strategy and help identify where segment‑specific issues require escalation or One‑Mars legal alignment.

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.

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between USD 242,240.00 and USD 333,080.00. The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in a 401k plan, and paid time off benefits.