Legal Manager – Regulatory Affairs & Litigation

Purpose of the position

Lead the company's regulatory legal strategy, ensuring compliance with legal requirements applicable to its operations, facilities, products, and commercial activities. Act as a strategic legal advisor on regulatory, administrative, civil, and commercial matters, managing relationships with government authorities, compliance with permits and authorizations, as well as conducting relevant litigation to protect the business's interests and operational continuity.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead legal strategy in regulatory and administrative matters, identifying and mitigating risks that could impact the company's operations and objectives.
• Monitor and advise business areas regarding permits, licenses, authorizations, concessions, registrations, and other required procedures before federal, state, and municipal authorities.
• Maintain a strategic relationship and act as the primary legal point of contact with regulatory authorities, including COFEPRIS, CONAGUA, SEMARNAT, PROFEPA, and other relevant government agencies.
• Monitor legislative, regulatory, administrative criteria, and jurisprudential developments, evaluating their impact on the business and defining preventive actions.
• Coordinate legal response to inspections, audits, verification visits, information requests, administrative procedures, and sanctioning processes.
• Identify risks related to permits, concessions, authorizations, regulatory restrictions, and other requirements necessary to ensure operational continuity.
• Lead the company's defense in administrative litigation, amparo lawsuits, as well as civil and commercial disputes related to business operations.
• Provide legal leadership during regulatory crises and contingencies, including critical inspections, sanctioning procedures, temporary closures, conflicts with authorities, government investigations, environmental incidents, and other events that may affect operational continuity or the company's reputation.
• Manage and supervise external law firms, defining legal strategies, monitoring performance, and administering legal budgets.
• Participate in strategic and expansion projects, providing regulatory advice from the early planning stages.
• Provide legal leadership during regulatory contingencies, critical inspections, sanctioning procedures, closures, contractual disputes, and other high-impact events for the company.
• Prepare executive reports, indicators, and risk assessments to support senior management decision-making.

External

• COFEPRIS
• CONAGUA
• SEMARNAT
• PROFEPA
• Federal, state, and municipal authorities (including the Executive and Judicial branches)
• Industry chambers and associations
• External law firms and specialized advisors

Required Profile

• Law Degree.
• Desirable experience in highly regulated industries, preferably food and beverage, manufacturing, mass consumption, or related sectors.
• 8 to 12 years of professional experience.
• Solid experience in regulatory matters, administrative procedures, and dealings with government authorities.
• Significant experience in administrative litigation and amparo lawsuits.
• Experience in civil and commercial litigation.
• Experience managing permits, licenses, concessions, authorizations, and regulatory procedures.
• Experience supervising external law firms.