Sanctions & Compliance Lawyer

Our client is a global consumer health company focused on everyday health and wellness products. Headquartered in the UK and created in 2022 after being spun off from GlaxoSmithKline, it develops and sells over-the-counter medicines, oral health products, vitamins, and pain relief treatments. Its portfolio includes well-known brands such as Sensodyne, Panadol, Voltaren, and Centrum. The company operates in more than 170 markets worldwide and focuses on improving daily health through science-based consumer products, particularly in areas like oral health, pain management, respiratory health, digestive health, and nutritional supplements.

They had two separate roles covering the below but would now like to put a single solution in place. You’ll cover the gap as they look to recruit permanently over the next 3 months or so.

What will the role involve?

• 60-70% sanctions work and the rest supporting AIPAC. One major area of work is with Russian sanctions, and has one of the few licences to continue operating there.

Compliance strategy

• Global lead for the creation, development and execution of cross‑functional global ABAC, financial crime and sanctions compliance strategy.

Advisory

• Provide in‑depth, expert legal advice on a wide range of ABAC and sanctions law issues, including all behavioural, transactional, and contentious matters.
• Serve as a subject‑matter expert on ABAC, trade and economic sanctions laws and regulations, ensuring compliance with US, UK and EU regimes.

Regulatory compliance

• Lead responses to all related filings, licence applications, investigations, litigation and information requests for the portfolio.
• Represent client in front of relevant external enforcement agencies and bodies.
• Assess and advise on any potential or actual enforcement, regulatory action and/or associated proactive or reactive reporting requirements for the portfolio.

Risk assessment

• Undertake regular risk assessments (in line with the ERM framework) to identify and mitigate the compliance risks associated with their portfolio, through the definition, implementation and execution of appropriate, risk‑based second line of defence controls.

Empowerment

• Train and upskill local legal and the wider business on ABAC and sanctions related issues, empowering the latter to take the proper first line accountability for compliance risk identification and mitigation.
• Develop and deliver global training and supplementary training to relevant, higher risk employees.

Monitoring and assurance

• Devise and implement robust, risk‑based monitoring and assurance for the portfolio, to proactively identify and prevent compliance violations.

Horizon scanning

• Help to shape our future ABAC, financial crime and sanctions strategy, in line with international best practice, relevant global legal frameworks and regulatory expectations.

What skills do they need?

• Minimum of 10+ years’ post‑qualification leadership and management experience in a legal advisory role with a specific focus on ABAC and sanctions gained in a law firm and/or working as in‑house counsel in a multi‑national organisation (ideally in the pharma, healthcare or FMGC sector but not key).
• Expertise in international ABAC and sanctions laws and practices with an in-depth understanding of the implementation of associated compliance frameworks, policies and processes.
• Significant experience liaising with regulators and representing the company before Government and enforcement authorities, including securing/maintaining licences to undertake activities that would otherwise be prohibited/restricted under sanctions.

Work pattern: Full‑time

Location: Hybrid – 2 days in Tate Modern office but would consider fully remote for the right person.

Start date: Immediate

Duration: 3 months with extension likely, depending on how recruitment process goes.

IR35 status: Employed models only