Job Description:

Purpose of Role

The Executive Assistant & Legal Coordinator plays a critical role in supporting the Pet Nutrition Europe Legal Team by combining executive support and legal operations responsibilities.

This role acts as a key operational partner to the Associate General Counsel and the Legal Team, helping ensure efficient delivery of legal services across Pet Nutrition Europe. The Associate coordinates legal processes, legal reporting – including litigation, manages legal budgets and external counsel administration, facilitates governance and compliance activities, maintains legal knowledge resources, and serves as a trusted point of contact for internal and external stakeholders.

The role requires a highly organized, proactive, and collaborative individual who can manage multiple priorities, drive process excellence, and contribute to the continuous improvement of the Legal function.

Principal Accountabilities

Executive Assistant & Legal Coordination Support

• Provide executive and administrative support to the Associate General Counsel.

• Manage selected calendar, travel, communication, and coordination activities as required.

• Coordinate team meetings, leadership calls, workshops, and off-site events.

• Prepare agendas, track actions, maintain meeting records, and support follow-up activities.

Legal Operations & Process Management

• Coordinate legal matters and projects, including stakeholder follow-up, document collection, tracking of actions and reporting obligations.

• Coordinate and execute internal legal processes across the region, including litigation reporting.

• Drive continuous improvement of legal processes, templates, workflows, and operational efficiencies.

• Support implementation of Legal Operations initiatives and technology solutions.

Knowledge Management & Legal Resources

• Maintain and continuously improve the Legal team's SharePoint sites, knowledge management, and collaboration platforms.

• Develop, maintain and continuously improve legal playbooks, templates, guidance documents and training materials to support efficient self-service by business stakeholders.

• Support the development and maintenance of self-service legal resources.

• Support adoption of legal technology, automation and AI-enabled knowledge management solutions.

Budget & External Counsel Management

• Coordinate legal budget administration

• Pro-active monitoring and follow-through of external counsel budget

• Support accruals and forecasting activities.

• Coordinate interactions and administrative processes with external law firms.

Compliance & Ethics

• Maintain documentation and reporting related to compliance initiatives.

• Partner with Legal and Compliance teams to support ethics and compliance programs and communications.

Supporting Competencies

• Integrity & Trust

• Planning & Organizing

• Priority Setting

• Action Orientation

• Continuous Improvement

• Communication

Key Functional Skills & Knowledge

Executive Support & Coordination

• Strong organizational and planning skills

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English

• High attention to detail and proactive follow-through

• Stakeholder Management & Collaboration

Digital & Collaboration Tools

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft 365, SharePoint and collaboration platforms

• Ability to adopt and leverage new technologies and tools

Legal Operations & Business Support

• Understanding of legal, compliance or governance processes

• Experience coordinating projects, budgets, reporting and external vendors

• Ability to handle confidential information, exercise sound judgment, and demonstrate sensitivity to legal and compliance matters

• Strong attention to detail and ability to identify, escalate and follow through on legal and business risks appropriately

Key Experiences

• 1-2 years of experience in legal operations, legal coordination, executive support, compliance, governance, project management or similar corporate functions.

• Experience coordinating multiple stakeholders, projects and competing priorities in a fast-paced international environment.

• Experience supporting legal, compliance, governance or other corporate functions through process management, reporting and operational support.

• Experience managing budgets, invoices, external vendors or professional services providers is desirable.

• Strong proficiency with Microsoft 365, SharePoint and collaboration technologies.

Desired Education

• Degree in Law, Legal Studies, Business Law, or a related field preferred.

• Equivalent professional experience will also be considered.

• Additional qualifications or experience in legal operations, compliance, governance, contract management or project management are advantageous.

At Mars, we are guided by our Five Principles: Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency, and Freedom. We are looking for an associate who demonstrates integrity, collaboration, curiosity, ownership, and a passion for continuous improvement while helping the Legal Team deliver practical, business-focused legal support across Pet Nutrition Europe.

About Mars:

Mars is a family-owned business with more than $50 billion in global sales. We produce some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL® and COCOAVIA®. Alongside our consumer brands, we proudly take care of half of the world’s pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses such as Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, AniCura, VCA™ and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our 150,000 Associates into taking action every day towards creating the world we want tomorrow.

Commitment to Equal Employer Opportunities:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment in accordance with applicable law and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other category protected under federal, state, and local laws. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.

A Note to Candidates Regarding AI

Embracing AI as a vital skill for today and tomorrow, we welcome candidates to use AI to assist with your preparation as you engage with our recruiting process—from helping to perfect your CV/resume to using it to refine your interview skills. While AI can assist you, we expect that your ideas, responses, and demonstration of competencies throughout the recruitment process are authentically your own. We value genuine engagement and want to see the real you shine. At Mars, AI is here to support—not replace—the human connection at the heart of our recruitment process.

Note to Search Firms/Agencies:

Mars, Incorporated and its subsidiaries and affiliates (Mars) do not compensate search firms for unsolicited assistance unless they have a written search agreement with Mars and the requisition is position-specific. Any resumes, curriculum vitae, and other unsolicited assistance from search firms that do not have a written search agreement or position-specific requisition submitted to any Associate of Mars will be deemed the sole property of Mars and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Mars.