Director, Legal Counsel, Customers – North America

This Director, Legal Counsel position is part of the Global & U.S. Customer Legal Team, which reports up through the North America Legal Team. The person selected will work in a networked fashion with legal colleagues and business clients to draft and negotiate complex commercial agreements with the Company’s restaurant and retail customers and provide counseling on a wide variety of contract, commercial and marketing matters, to advance the Company’s growth agenda and protect our interests and assets.

What You’ll Do for Us

• Manage all legal matters and strategic initiatives of the assigned North America customer portfolio.
• Draft, review and negotiate complex agreements with the Company’s customers. 
• Maintain an ongoing understanding of industry trends, to be able to proactively evaluate risk and think and act strategically in support of the business. 
• Develop and scale efficiencies and new ways of working for the customer legal team and cross-functional partners. 
• Improve existing processes and systems using significant conceptualizing, reasoning and interpretation.  Optimize efficiency and drive standardization, and develop new templates, guidance and training documentation, as appropriate.
• Demonstrate executive presence, a high degree of responsiveness and an inclusive and communicative leadership style. 
• Work collaboratively with colleagues throughout the Global Legal Function, as well as with bottler legal teams, to provide effective legal guidance to the business and ensure compliance with all applicable legal requirements. 
• Demonstrate a collaborative spirit and a ‘can do’ attitude with a demonstrated willingness to support projects and strategic initiatives in other categories as needed. 

Collaborative Partnerships:

• Collaborate with leaders of the assigned portfolio and their teams to provide strategic advice and legal support for customer negotiations.
• Establish and maintain positive relationships with client groups, cross-functional teams and bottler legal teams.
• Support the Global Legal Function’s networked ways of working by fostering connections and sharing best practices.

Leadership:

• Indirectly manage the work of other legal professionals, balancing multiple urgent priorities effectively and managing a high level of confidence among senior stakeholders.
• Invest in development of team members and provide thought leadership to the team.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree. 
• Juris Doctorate Degree. 
• Licensed to practice law in Georgia (or other appropriate U.S. jurisdiction) and in good standing.
• 3-5 years of experience handling complex commercial negotiations with a large law firm or in-house department.  
• Ability to analyze and articulate complex issues for a non-legal audience and provide business-practical legal advice where possible.
• Ability to manage and pivot among multiple urgent projects and priorities.
• Clear and persuasive oral and written communication skills.
• Strong business acumen and demonstrated global mindset. Extensive understanding of the Company’s business, system and strategy is preferred.
• Excellent stakeholder management and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to build positive relationships, instilling confidence in senior stakeholders, and drive consensus among multiple functions.
• Ability to work independently to drive key initiatives while maintaining appropriate collaboration and communication with leaders and stakeholders.
• Ability to anticipate risks and find creative and practical solutions to complex problems.
• Commitment to developing others and demonstrating our leadership behaviors.

Position Details:

Location: Atlanta, Georgia

Hybrid work schedule – 3 days per week in person and 2 days virtual

Individual contributor role – no direct reports

Contract Negotiations; Contracts; Negotiation; Prioritization; Commercial Agreements