Legal Counsel Mexico

No Relocation Assistance Offered
Job Number #177251 - Del.Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City, Mexico

Who We Are

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specialising in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!

Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.

Position: Legal Counsel (Mid-senior)

Reports to: Mexico Legal Vicepresident

Location: Mexico City (Hybrid 4-1)

Travel: Approximately 25%

Job Summary

Colgate-Palmolive Mexico is seeking an in-house Legal Counsel to join our legal department, reporting directly to the Mexico Legal Vicepresident, as part of an established team. This role serves as a key operational engine and trusted day-to-day legal partner across commercial and operational functions, delivering practical, business-oriented legal solutions that manage operational risk while enabling business priorities.

We are looking for a corporate lawyer with 5 years of experience (preferable with solid multinational in-house background) who brings mid-senior professional maturity, clear business acumen, and strong executive communication.

The ideal candidate possesses an unwavering personal commitment to ethics and integrity, exercises sound judgment within corporate governance guidelines, works with autonomy and accountability, and demonstrates the confidence, poise, and articulateness needed to engage cross-functional teams and represent Legal effectively.

Requirements

Basic Qualifications (Non-negotiable):

• Law degree from an accredited Mexican law school, with a valid professional license (cédula profesional) to practice law in Mexico.

• Full professional fluency in both English and Spanish; capable of presenting, negotiating, and drafting complex legal matters in both languages at an executive level.

• 5 years of proven experience working as a generalist in Mexico, including minimum 2 years of in-house experience at a multinational corporation are desirable.

Preferred Qualifications:

• In-house corporate experience within fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), retail, or related consumer-facing sectors.

• We highly value candidates who have built their careers with sustained commitment to the organizations where they have worked.

• Practical experience with consumer protection (PROFECO), advertising clearance, and commercial contract negotiations.

• Prior exposure to trade chambers, industry committees, and/or regulatory authorities.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Operational Legal Support & Business Partnership

• Serve as the direct day-to-day legal partner for Marketing, Sales, Human Resources, Supply Chain, Regulatory, and Procurement, actively translating business objectives into workable, compliant strategies.

• Drive corporate governance, including the maintenance of corporate books, board resolutions, shareholder meetings, and the management of powers of attorney.

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements and transactional documentation, balancing operational speed with disciplined risk control.

• Support the senior legal colleagues on corporate matters, briefings, and day-to-day transactional workflows across business units.

• Support Marketing teams on strategic projects and ongoing business needs. This includes advertising challenges in collaboration with the Legal Marketing Specialists.

• Coordinate day-to-day employment and labor matters in alignment with Human Resources and external legal advisors.

• Liaise with external counsel on litigation and administrative files, tracking progress, organizing documentation, and preparing initial strategic assessments.

• Prepare and deliver clear, practical legal and compliance presentations and training sessions to commercial and operational teams.

• Support the day-to-day implementation of the Company's Ethics & Compliance program, reinforcing adherence to the Code of Conduct, internal compliance policies, and routine third-party due diligence within business operations.

Regulatory Monitoring, Industry Advocacy & Corporate Governance

• Continuously monitor legislative and regulatory developments at the federal and state levels, assessing operational impact and presenting actionable, synthesized briefs to the General Counsel Mexico.

• Provide comprehensive operational support in industry chambers and trade associations (e.g., CANIPEC, AmCham), preparing executive position papers, comparative regulatory matrices, and strategic talking points.

• Support the business during consumer protection proceedings (PROFECO), official inspections, administrative inquiries, and audits, handling interactions with composure, technical precision, and authority.

Core Profile & Critical Competencies

Ethics, Integrity & Professional Judgment

• Demonstrates consistent ethical conduct, discretion, and sound professional judgment, acting in accordance with corporate policies, governance standards, and compliance requirements.

Executive Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Strong oral and written communication skills in both English and Spanish, with the ability to articulate complex legal matters clearly, concisely, and effectively.

• Ability to structure and deliver business presentations, communicate legal recommendations, support positions with sound reasoning, and engage constructively with stakeholders at different organizational levels.

Business Acumen & Corporate Environment

• Understands business priorities, corporate operations, and organizational dynamics, translating management directives into practical legal actions while exercising sound judgment within established corporate guidelines.

• Previous experience in multinational in-house legal environments, with the ability to operate effectively within global matrix structures, governance frameworks, and established decision-making processes.

Autonomy, Accountability & Execution

• Demonstrates initiative, effective self-management, and accountability, with the ability to manage assignments independently, anticipate needs, establish priorities, and drive matters through completion.

• Exercises appropriate judgment in resolving matters within their scope of responsibility and identifying issues requiring management involvement or escalation.

Professional Effectiveness & Stakeholder Management

• Effectively manages competing priorities, tight deadlines, complex situations, and differing stakeholder expectations while maintaining a constructive and solution-oriented approach.

• Demonstrates the ability to manage challenging conversations, address disagreements professionally, assess risks objectively, and maintain effective working relationships.

Digital & Legal Tech Fluency:

• Experience leveraging Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) platforms, legal intake workflows, and digital signature tools to optimize transactional efficiency.

• Practical understanding and responsible adoption of generative AI tools (e.g., Copilot, AI-assisted legal research and document review) to streamline drafting, analysis, and routine workflows, while maintaining strict adherence to data privacy, confidentiality, and corporate information security guidelines.

Our Commitment to Inclusion
Our journey begins with our people—developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect, and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form should you require accommodation.