About POP MART
Founded in 2010, POP MART is a market-leading entertainment company and a global champion of designer toy culture. Through global artist development, IP operations, and designer toy culture evangelism, we have built an integrated platform covering the entire designer toy value chain. Besides our original and iconic IPs such as Molly, Hirono, Skullpanda, and LABUBU, POP MART collaborates with top-tier toys and lifestyle brands including Disney, Universal Studios, and Sanrio to create collectible art toys featuring their iconic characters.
For more information, please visit www.popmart.com
Position Overview
The Legal Counsel will play a key role in supporting the company's growing operations in the Philippines. This position is responsible for leading and managing all legal affairs for our Philippine operations, this role provides strategic and hands-on support for business rollout, license applications, import/export compliance, and contract review. The position requires strong project management capabilities, sound legal research and analytical skills, and excellent communication abilities to effectively partner with internal teams, regional headquarters, and external stakeholders, including government agencies.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Comprehensive Philippines Legal Operations
- Draft, review, negotiate, and finalize a wide range of contracts, agreements, and other legal documents essential for the company's business operations in the Philippines, including but not limited to commercial agreements, vendor contracts, partnership agreements, and potentially leases or construction agreements as relevant to the business.
- Organize and manage the contract approval matrix and ensure systematic archiving of legal documents for the Philippine entity.
- Application for All Required Licenses and Permits for Investment and Business Operations in the Philippines
- Provide dedicated and specialized legal support for key strategic projects and initiatives within the Philippines, including but not limited to business rollout, advising on all related legal and regulatory aspects from inception to completion.
Legal Risk Management & Compliance (Philippines Focus)
- Conduct legal research and manage legal risks in relation to the company's operations in the Philippines (both offline and online, if applicable).
- Independently manage and handle comprehensive legal projects and advisory related to Philippine regulatory requirements, including but not limited to license applications, importation/exportation compliance, product labeling/marking (if applicable), advertising compliance, data protection (DPA), employment law, and consumer protection requirements.
- Develop, implement, and monitor compliance programs and policies for the Philippine entity, ensuring adherence to local laws (e.g., Corporation Code, DPA, anti-bribery laws) and Group-level compliance standards.
- Manage corporate secretarial matters for the Philippine entity, ensuring good corporate governance.
Intellectual Property Protection
- Oversee the protection of the company's intellectual property rights (trademarks, copyrights, patents, etc.) in the Philippines and support regional IP strategies.
- Review and negotiate IP licensing and related contracts and agreements to ensure compliance with applicable laws and in the best interest of the company.
Stakeholder & External Counsel Management
- Liaise effectively with external legal counsel in the Philippines and government agencies to ensure smooth operations and compliance with legal obligations.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams (local, regional, and Group) to understand business needs and provide practical, commercially-sound legal solutions.
Headquarters & Group Legal Liaison
- Assist the headquarters (HQ) legal team with legal affairs in relation to auditor's reviews, adjustments of shareholding structure (if applicable to the Philippines), M&A activities affecting the Philippines, and other legal matters as assigned by the HQ legal team from time to time.
Legal Training & Compliance Awareness
- Participate in and, where appropriate, conduct legal training sessions to enhance the legal knowledge and compliance awareness of internal teams in the Philippines.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or Juris Doctor (JD) degree from a reputable university.
- Must be a member in good standing of the Philippine Bar.
- At least 5 years of relevant legal experience, with exposure in both a law firm and in-house setting preferred. Experience working with multinational companies or within the retail, consumer, trading, or related industries is an advantage.
- Strong legal research, drafting, and analytical skills, with the ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and provide practical and business-oriented legal solutions in a fast-paced environment.
- Solid understanding of Philippine laws and regulations, particularly in contract law, corporate law, commercial law, data privacy, labor-related matters, and regulatory compliance.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams, regional counterparts, government agencies, and external partners.
