Chief Legal Counsel - EMEA

Job Description

Job Number 24178644
Job Category Legal
Location Europe Office - London, Barnard's Inn 86 Fetter Lane, London, London, United Kingdom VIEW ON MAP
Schedule Full-Time
Located Remotely? N
Relocation? N
Position Type Management

SCOPE / BUSINESS CONTEXT

Marriott International, Inc. is the world's largest hotel company based in Bethesda, Maryland and operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts and branded residential properties globally. Marriott’s Law Department services the Company's lodging and hospitality business and provides legal advice and counsel to Marriott’s internal clients. The EMEA legal team provides legal services in support of the development and operations of all Marriott-branded hotels and properties, as well as above-property matters, across Europe, Middle East and Africa.

JOB SUMMARY

The Chief Legal Counsel is an integral member of the EMEA Leadership Team and provides strategic business advice and legal counsel to the President of EMEA as well as other members of EMEA Senior Leadership. The EMEA Chief Legal Counsel also serves as a member of the global Law Department’s senior leadership team, advising specifically on issues arising in EMEA and collaborating with the EVP & General Counsel and the other members of the global legal leadership team on legal issues globally and matters involving the functioning of the global Law Department. The Chief Legal Counsel leads the legal function for Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) providing leadership and legal expertise and support in the following functional areas:

• Development: support the company’s growth by providing legal support for all facets of development, including management and related agreements, franchise and related agreements (including preparation of IDDs), M&A and affiliation transactions, acquisitions and dispositions, SNDAs and comfort letters, debt and equity financing and guarantees, joint ventures, residential licensing, trademark, antitrust (competition) and agency issues.
• Asset Management transactions, including contract renegotiations, amendments and extensions, portfolio relicensings, and owner disputes.
• Labor and Employment providing support to the human resources partners on employment and labor matters.
• Compliance and Privacy including all facets of the Company’s compliance program, from owner due diligence, anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, bribery, competition, sanctions, and investigations, to ESG, cybersecurity, privacy (with a focus on local data protection and privacy regulatory schemes), data governance and AI.
• Dispute Management: Partner with Dispute Resolution to oversee any legal disputes, litigation and arbitration, and manage relationships with external counsel, ensuring that legal strategies align with the company’s objectives.
• Other legal support to the business including commercial operations, hotel operations, etc.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic Leadership: Function as a strategic business partner to the President and the EMEA leadership team. Collaborate with executive leadership and key stakeholders to provide proactive legal support and risk management advice that align with business objectives and drives strategic initiatives. Coordinate with the EVP & General Counsel on overall legal work, risk evaluation and strategic initiatives for the business and for the Law Department generally.
• Growth support: Support managed and franchise development projects. Oversee the negotiation and drafting of key contracts and agreements, ensuring alignment with the company’s strategic goals and risk appetite. Manage, structure, negotiate, and execute multiple complex transactions utilizing a variety of financing and development techniques and practices. Provide expert counsel on varied and complex corporate transactions and governance matters and issues. Coordinate with HQ and facilitate cross-functional dialog on complex transactions to ensure consistency in approach.
• Enterprise Leadership: Partner with other departments (e.g., finance, operations, HR, commercial operations, etc.) and promote cross-functional collaboration to integrate legal considerations into business processes and strategic planning leading with an enterprise portfolio mindset. Function as a strong contributor to the global Law Department’s senior leadership team, bringing an enterprise point of view, informed by a thorough understanding of global and local business and regulatory priorities. Support global and continent initiatives that contribute to company KPIs and overall effectiveness of the legal function.
• Organizational Effectiveness: Assemble and lead a best-in-class legal team to most effectively deliver legal services to support the achievement of company KPIs. Effectively allocate resources, improve processes and technology to optimize results. Effectively management the EMEA Legal Department budget inclusive of use of outside counsel. Select and manage outside legal counsel, including preferred law firms to support relevant project work.
• Talent Development: Lead talent hiring and development efforts for the legal team, including the hiring, onboarding and upskilling of current and new team members, support their career development and professional growth through the development of technical, business and leadership acumen. Partner with the EMEA and Global Legal HR teams to ensure robust career and succession plans are in place for the discipline.
• Risk Management: Identify, assess, and mitigate legal risks associated with business decisions and initiatives; provide guidance on regulatory compliance and corporate governance. Collaborate with Law Department colleagues on company-wide legal risk issues.
• Policy Development & Implementation: Contribute to the development of corporate policies and lead the implementation of corporate policies in the continent to support business objectives and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Training and Development: Provide training and resources to leaders and associates across EMEA on various legal topics to enable appropriate decisions at all levels and foster a culture of compliance and ethical behavior.
• Privacy & Compliance: Partner with Global Privacy Officer and Global Compliance Officer to highlight and address areas of concerns in EMEA as well as provide insight to the legal issues facing EMEA. Provide oversight to attorneys in the Compliance and Privacy area to develop, design, and implement appropriate responses and solutions.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

• The attorney must be fluent in English and have an excellent academic record (both undergraduate and law school), and at least 20 years of legal experience with a U.S., U.K., or European law firm or company with significant expertise in the lodging industry and lodging transactions, and experience leading a multi-jurisdictional legal team.
• The attorney must have admission as a solicitor in England and Wales (or equivalent common law jurisdiction) and hold a current practising certificate OR if licensed in the United States, have an active Bar membership.
• Strong working knowledge of legal issues arising in owned, franchised and managed hotel environments.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills. Demonstrated experience in leading teams of attorneys. Proven success in talent management and enhancing organizational capabilities through effective staffing and leadership development.
• Strong executive presence and experience in advising senior business leaders.
• Skillful negotiator in tough situations.
• Ability to expeditiously identify and assess issues and provide recommendations consistent with good business practices and reason. Strong problem-solving skills; encourages new innovative solutions when appropriate.
• Change leader - Supports, manages, and initiates positive change.
• Effective decision-making skills; can choose a course of action amongst options involving uncertainty or risk
• Ability to think creatively, to supervise multiple and complex matters, and to work independently and collaborate effectively with clients, peers, and other parties. Demonstrated success in evaluating risks and developing proactive strategies and plans to mitigate business issues.
• Outstanding analytical, writing, and oral presentation skills.
• Ability to take constructive action without relying on directions from others.
• Strong collaboration skill and ability to work with others to achieve common goals and objectives.
• Fosters passion and enthusiasm, acts with integrity and shows personal commitment to success.
• Embraces an enterprise mindset and adapts to the global marketplace.
• Flexibility for travel.

Marriott International is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive, people-first culture. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, such as disability and veteran status, or any other basis covered under applicable law.

Marriott International is the world’s largest hotel company, with more brands, more hotels and more opportunities for associates to grow and succeed. Be where you can do your best work,​ begin your purpose, belong to an amazing global​ team, and become the best version of you.