Legal and Governance Senior Manager in London

Founded in Japan in 1887, Kao is passionate about making a difference in people's lives with high-quality products and services to create a Kirei Life for all—a beautiful life that respects the needs of our consumers, customers, and the planet. We never compromise on quality and craft our products with care for the consumer and the environment.

The position is responsible for the legal support of brands such as Molton Brown and our Consumer Care brand portfolio: John Frieda, Biore, Curel, and Bondi Sands. Reporting into the Legal Director EMEA, you will form part of a dynamic, commercially focused team supporting multiple stakeholders across the Kao business.

What you will do:

• Draft, review, and negotiate a range of commercial contracts including supplier agreements, wholesale and distributor agreements, IT and technology contracts, and various marketing agreements.
• Manage litigation and commercial dispute resolution, coordinating and where applicable supervising external counsel on key disputes.
• Provide legal support on handling regulatory matters broadly.
• Advise the business on issues related to current and upcoming green legislation, including the practical steps required to ensure compliance from a contractual, product labelling and marketing perspective.
• Deliver advice on competition law matters, advertising, and general consumer law.
• Advise commercial teams on relevant changes in laws and regulations in the UK and EU.
• Provide strategic legal and commercial advice across all business areas and promote the Legal function both internally and externally.
• Optimize legal processes and maintain a legal precedent database.
• Conduct Integrity, Anti-Trust, IP, and UK Bribery Act trainings for the group’s UK entities.

What you will need:

• Degree educated or equivalent.
• Solid training and qualification from a leading city or national law firm preferred.
• In‑house experience essential, preferably within the beauty, fashion, retail, or FMCG industry.
• Excellent knowledge of general commercial, contract, consumer and competition law.
• Deep understanding of complex matters and sound business acumen.
• Good technical understanding, especially of the cosmetic industry and regulations.
• Affinity to work with and sound understanding of luxury global brands.
• Proactive in working on issues and leading to their resolution.
• Ability to develop wide networks in the industry and build relationships with colleagues, including individuals in management.
• Demonstrate a practical and commercial approach in dealing with a variety of legal issues across multiple jurisdictions and legal systems.
• Personable and approachable, with excellent communication skills.

What we offer:

A friendly and flexible work environment with competitive salaries, benefits package, ongoing development, and the opportunity to enhance your skills and deliver tangible results. At Kao, your voice will be heard. Your opinion really counts. We believe that change comes from taking opportunities into your own hands, so we value and reward entrepreneurial thinking and innovation.