Job Category: Legal & Corporate Affairs
Location: United Kingdom, London
Job ID: 761053
Division: Legal & Corporate Affairs
Travel Required: 20%
Location: United Kingdom, London
Job ID: 761053
Division: Legal & Corporate Affairs
Travel Required: 20%
Role Purpose
Dependent on experience, you will be supporting key stakeholders within the business or engaging directly with the senior leaders. You will be the first point of contact of the individuals on these teams for any legal questions (transactions, contentious issues, e-commerce, retail, marketing and communication, product support, policy).
Team/Department Mission
The UK Legal and Corporate Affairs (LCA) team is a group of 4 lawyers located in Reading. You will also be a member of the EMEA Consumer LCA team whose members are located in different locations in Europe, who provide legal advice and support for these fast moving businesses groups which drive key elements of Microsoft's consumer and retail strategies.
Key Accountabilities
o Transactional work:
§ Negotiation of retail distribution agreements with a broad array of parties (Retailers, Distributors, Operators)
§ Creation of terms and conditions for distance selling of software, both full packaged product and e-software, compliant with local and EU laws
§ Creation and negotiation of media/sponsorship & co-marketing deals for the promotion of Microsoft products.
§ Creation of contract and offer templates to accommodate specific local needs
§ Collaborate with colleagues in localization of new contract templates
o Product Group Support and Marketing/Promotions:
§ Product group support, in collaboration with EMEA Consumer LCA Team: Windows, Windows Mobile, xBox (including Kinect), Server/Tools & Platform, Information Worker, OEM, Online Sales
§ Product marketing review (messaging, packaging, pricing)
§ Review of promotional operations and content (advertising regulations, price communication, distance selling)
§ Customer escalations (eg. Abuse, billing, etc)
o Compliance:
§ Review Consumer Channels Group offerings for compliance with competition rules and regulations; Review all marketing and promotions for compliance with all local laws.
§ Lead the response to any ASA complaints received by Microsoft.
§ Assist UK LCA Commercial Lead and Redmond colleagues in pre-litigation/litigation related to consumer businesses and related marketing (e.g. intellectual property, privacy and consumer/distance selling issues)
o Policy/Outreach/citizenship:
§ Be a local legal expert on Consumer, Retail and Marketing issues.
§ Microsoft representation before the ASA, ISPA and other relevant industry organizations.
§ Contribute to and collaborate with Microsoft’s corporate and government affairs team
§ Identify legislative threats and develop an action plan in cooperation with local & EU government affairs colleagues and policy experts
§ Collaborate with the Media Acquisition team on any rights/collecting society queries
o Budget and management:
§ Work efficiently and within budget with UK outside counsel
§ Internal training sessions and updates on relevant legal issues
o Involvement in the EMEA Consumer LCA Team
§ Set up close collaboration with EMEA Consumer LCA lead and his team;
§ Actively contribute to EMEA Consumer LCA Team projects (new processes, templates, programs,…) and provide visibility on UK business and best practices
Key Success Criteria
Ability to establish LCA as a strategic business partner at a time of organizational re-alignment. Demonstrate creativity and business minded approach to legal issues while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations, as well as internal policies and practices. Show a real passion for consumer focused retail businesses, the internet and cutting edge online services.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
1) Essential Experience
Qualified as a solicitor or barrister in the UK with demonstrable industry experience (or equivalent) with substantial post qualification commercial experience, gained in the online industry. An extensive in-house experience and a good knowledge of the FMCG sector would be considered as a plus.
2) Personal Attributes / Interpersonal Skills
Action oriented with ability to prioritize and manage fast moving client
Strong organizational skills to efficiently assist a newly structured client group
Ability to think strategically and always adopt problem solving approach to issues
Strong team spirit and ability to work with colleagues based in different locations
Excellent communication and presentation skills and strong negotiation skills
Strong drive towards learning and self-improvement
3) Special Requirements
Some occasional travel to London offices and industry events will be required.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer and supports workforce diversity
Microsoft’s privacy statement can be viewed on the following web page: http://privacy.microsoft.com/en-gb/default.mspx>
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