Legal Labor & Employment Junior Manager

Overview

CAREERS TO SMILE ABOUT

At PepsiCo, you’ll discover a place where our mission is to create smiles around the world. With a portfolio of more than 500 beloved brands including, Gatorade, Lay’s and Quaker, our work touches millions of people every day. 

 At the heart of the company is a team of thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers who collaborate to innovate and turn ideas into action. Driven by innovation and a focus on creating joyful moments through food and drinks, our decisions are guided by consumer centricity, creating opportunities for our associates to do meaningful work and make a lasting impact in the communities we serve. 

 Whatever your role, you’ll be part of a global community that values your ideas and empowers you to make an impact, on your career and on the world around you. 

Responsibilities

THE OPPORTUNITY

Being the respoinsible for advising the PMF business on how to deal with labor risks, recommend strategies to deal with labor reforms implications (e.g collaborating closely with Supply Leaders, Sales Leaders, and HR to support workforce management initiatives, strengthen organizational capabilities, and foster a cohesive and full compliance approach), correcting past practices that have been created reputational and financial risks to PMF regarding labor/employment aspects, map and mitigate labor litigation root causes, and take measured risks in sensitive situations.

Manage all PMF litigation portfolio (+1500 cases, with a total exposure of more than USD50MM). Among other activities, the management of the litigation portfolio will include:

• Evaluate when a settlement is preferable to litigation.
• Proactively monitor case progress to make timely decisions in response to changes.
• Analyze recurring causes of litigation to design effective prevention policies.
• Continuously oversee external law firms to ensure that proposed or implemented strategies serve the company’s best interests.
• Delivering comprehensive risk management.
• Improving litigation outcomes and optimizing legal spend.
• Overseeing a significant budget.
• Driving efficiency through KPIs, cost control, and strategic partnerships.

Additionally, the legal labor manager will play in shaping and supporting PMF’s labor relations strategy. This includes supporting HR in chosing and managing the external counsel that will be involved in union negotiation, review ways of workings, recommend risk mitigation strategies etc, ensuring a transpartent and full compliance approach.

YOUR IMPACT  

1. Employment matters- Legal Compliance (making decision and providing consultation)

• Ensure all employement  actions comply with current legislation.
• Ensure the correct application of internal and external policies.
• Keep processes updated according to regulatory changes.

2. Litigation Management (making decision and providing consultation)

• Coordinate the handling of labor lawsuits and summons.
• Prepare files and supporting documentation for trials.
• Negotiate agreements and settlements to minimize risks.
• Manage a litigation portfolio of approximately 1200 ongoing cases related to Labor and non Labor matters, that sum a potential risk of more than USD50MM, involving approx 15 external law firms.
• Manage external law firm activities involving annual legal fees, leading weekly meetings, setting KPIs, training external lawyers, analyzing and reviewing key pleadings in sensitive cases, and tracking hearings.
• Develop legal argument models with external law firms to reduce liability, considering PepsiCo’s operational model, court decisions, and best practices.
• Implement settlement policies to improve efficiency and financial results, leveraging technology to reach agreements that benefit the business without incentivizing new cases.
• Conduct root cause analysis using litigation data to identify recurring issues and implement effective solutions, aligning strategically with other functions and business partners to minimize business impact.

3. Labor Termination Processes (making decision and providing consultation)

• Validate the legality of individual and mass terminations.
• Review final kits and ensure compliance with legal requirements.
• Advise HR and leaders on risks and best practices.

4. Internal Consulting (providing consultation)

• Provide legal guidance to HR teams and operational areas.
• Resolve questions about contracts, dismissals, and labor relations.
• Deliver training on labor regulations and internal procedures.

5. Coordination with External Lawyers (making decision and providing consultation

• Manage relationships with law firms.
• Ensure complete and timely delivery of information.
• Monitor progress and outcomes of litigation.

6. Implementation of Tools and Processes (making decision and providing consultation)

• Participate in projects for automation of legal defenses and implementation of new litigation management system (E-Law)
• Optimize workflows to reduce time and errors.

7. Labor / employment Risk Prevention (providing consultation)

• Identify potential risks in internal processes.
• Propose preventive actions to avoid conflicts.
• Monitor indicators and report to management.

8. Advisory and Legal Support (making decision and providing consultation)

• Advise teams on labor and employment law, providing guidance on legal implications of business decisions.
• Implement, and manage employment law policies and procedures aligned with PMF’s strategic goals.
• Monitor changes in labor laws and ensure timely compliance.
• Draft, review, and negotiate employment contracts, policies, and agreements to meet regulatory standards.
• Oversee the drafting and implementation of supplementary agreements and HR policies with the HR team.
• Create training programs for employees and leadership on labor and employment law.
• Develop tools and resources to support internal teams in applying labor relations policies effectively.
• Provide legal support for internal investigations and disciplinary actions.
• Stay informed on industry trends and labor law developments, sharing insights and implementing best practices.
• Coordinate responses to labor audits and inspections, ensuring compliance and proactive risk management.
• Implement action plans to address root causes identified through risk mapping or litigation assessments.
• Keep the risk map updated to provide leadership with visibility into ongoing and emerging labor issues.

  9. Labor Relations (union negotiations)

  • selecting external firms and reviewing scopes of the CBA’s
  • Review current union negotiation processes and recommend improvements to the Agreements and to HR’s ways of working.
  • Legal Advice regarding risks and how to correct process that need to be corrected to allow full compliance to laws and regulations.

Qualifications

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

Core Knowledge and Skills

Legal and Regulatory Knowledge

• Mastery of national labor legislation.
• Minimum 5+ years experience in legal department or lawfirms
• Interpretation and application of internal and external policies.
• Continuous updates on legal reforms.

Effective Communication

• Clearly explain legal matters to internal teams and external partners.
• Draft accurate legal documents and communications.

Conflict Resolution

• Mediate complex situations and make decisions under pressure.
• Propose preventive solutions to avoid disputes.

Organization and Process Management

• Influence skills to ensure compliance with deadlines and regulations.
• Agility mindset to Implement platforms and automation to optimize workflows.

Consulting and Influence

• Provide strategic advice to internal teams.
• Influence corporate decision-making on labor and legal matters.

Analytical Thinking

• Assess legal risks and identify improvement opportunities.
• Data driven mindset to prepare reports and metrics for informed decision-making.

Proactive, Solution-Oriented Mindset

• Consistently seeks innovative solutions to emerging challenges, particularly in risk mitigation, compliance, and operational efficiency.
• Maintains agility to address complex issues with a focus on prevention and continuous improvement.

Effective Stakeholder Engagement

• Engages confidently with senior leadership and key stakeholders.
• Aligns team initiatives with organizational goals, positioning the legal function as a strategic partner to the business.

Leadership and Managerial Skills

• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in dynamic environments.
• Thrives in a matrix organization, managing ambiguity and driving collaboration across functions.
• Promotes a high-performance culture through coaching, empowerment, and accountability.

If this is an opportunity that interests you, we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet 100% of the requirements. 

What can you expect from us: 

• Opportunities to learn and develop every day through a wide range of programs.  

• Internal digital platforms that promote self-learning.  

• Development programs according to Leadership skills.  

• Specialized training according to the role.  

• Learning experiences with internal and external providers.  

• We love to celebrate success, which is why we have recognition programs for seniority, behavior, leadership, moments of life, among others.  

• Financial wellness programs that will help you reach your goals in all stages of life.  

• A flexibility program that will allow you to balance your personal and work life, adapting your working day to your lifestyle. 

• And because your family is also important to us, they can also enjoy benefits such as our Wellness Line, thousands of Agreements and Discounts, Scholarship programs for your children, Aid Plans for different moments of life, among others.   

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We respect and value diversity as a work force and innovation for the organization.