Associate General Counsel, M&A

The Kraft Heinz Company•Chicago, IL

4d•$190,300 - $237,900•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate General Counsel, Mergers & Acquisitions serves as a senior member of the Kraft Heinz Legal Department and a strategic legal advisor to executive leadership on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, minority investments, strategic partnerships, and other transformational transactions. Reporting to the Deputy General Counsel, M&A, Strategy & Venture Capital, this role leads the legal strategy, structuring, negotiation, execution, and integration of complex domestic and cross-border transactions. While supporting global M&A initiatives, the position is primarily focused on transactions impacting the United States business and serves as the lead legal partner to business and functional stakeholders throughout the transaction lifecycle. This is a highly visible leadership role requiring exceptional transactional expertise, commercial judgment, stakeholder influence, and the ability to balance legal risk with business objectives in a fast-paced global consumer packaged goods environment. The Associate General Counsel is expected to operate independently on the Company's most significant transactions while helping to shape M&A processes, standards, and capabilities across the enterprise. This is a hybrid role requiring 3 days onsite weekly at our office in Chicago.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school with strong academic credentials.
Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
15+ years of significant M&A experience, including substantial responsibility for leading complex domestic and cross-border transactions.
Combination of major law firm and in-house corporate legal experience strongly preferred.
Demonstrated success advising executive leadership on high-profile and strategically important transactions.
Deep expertise in transaction structuring, negotiations, legal due diligence, risk assessment, and post-close integration matters.
Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and navigate complex organizational environments.
Strong business acumen and ability to deliver practical, risk-adjusted legal advice aligned with commercial objectives.
Exceptional project management, communication, and leadership skills.
Experience working within a multinational organization and managing matters across multiple jurisdictions.
Experience in consumer packaged goods, food and beverage, manufacturing, or similarly complex global industries preferred.
Demonstrated ability to leverage technology, data, and AI-enabled tools to improve legal service delivery and transaction efficiency.
Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as business needs require.

Responsibilities

Lead all legal aspects of complex domestic and international mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, minority equity investments, restructurings, and other strategic transactions.
Partner with senior business leaders to assess strategic opportunities, transaction structures, legal risk profiles, and value creation initiatives.
Provide commercially focused legal advice throughout all phases of transactions, from target evaluation and diligence through signing, closing, and post-close integration.
Serve as lead legal advisor and principal negotiator on purchase agreements, merger agreements, joint venture agreements, transition services agreements, equity investment documents, disclosure schedules, and other transaction-related documentation.
Advise executive leadership and deal teams on key legal, regulatory, and commercial issues impacting transaction execution.
Lead legal due diligence efforts in collaboration with internal and external subject matter experts across employment, intellectual property, compliance, commercial contracts, litigation, privacy, environmental, and regulatory disciplines.
Identify material legal, operational, and regulatory risks and develop practical mitigation strategies to support business objectives.
Counsel stakeholders on transaction structure alternatives, governance considerations, antitrust and competition matters, labor and employment risks, and jurisdiction-specific legal requirements.
Develop and negotiate risk allocation mechanisms, including representations and warranties, indemnities, escrows, earn-outs, and other protections.
Act as a trusted legal advisor to senior executives, business development leaders, finance partners, and corporate strategy teams.
Collaborate closely with Accounting, Tax, Treasury, Risk Management, Supply Chain, Procurement, Human Resources, Compliance, and other functions to drive successful transaction outcomes.
Translate complex legal concepts into practical, actionable guidance for non-legal stakeholders.
Build strong relationships across North America and global business teams to facilitate effective decision-making and transaction execution.
Help establish and maintain best-in-class M&A legal processes, templates, playbooks, negotiation standards, and governance frameworks.
Develop scalable tools, knowledge resources, and training materials to improve efficiency, consistency, and risk management across the global M&A function.
Identify opportunities to leverage technology, AI, and automation to enhance transaction execution and reduce legal spend.
Promote continuous improvement initiatives and share transactional best practices across legal and business teams.
Select, manage, and oversee outside counsel and other transaction advisors across multiple jurisdictions.
Establish clear budgets, scopes of work, and performance expectations while ensuring high-quality, cost-effective legal support.
Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary deal teams across internal and external stakeholders.
Advise business and functional leaders on integration and separation planning from signing through implementation.
Support contract transitions, regulatory commitments, employee-related matters, governance transitions, and remediation plans arising from completed transactions.
Partner with business leaders to help realize transaction value while managing legal and operational risks.
Provide mentoring, coaching, and development support to attorneys, paralegals, and other legal professionals.
Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture focused on business partnership, accountability, and continuous learning.
Serve as a thought leader within the Legal Department and contribute to broader functional and enterprise initiatives.

Benefits

medical
dental
vision coverage
7% 401(k) matching
Business Resource Groups (BRGs)
industry-leading total rewards package
high discretionary bonus
coverage for benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents
events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle for our employees and their families
Physical - Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments
Social - Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training
Emotional – Employee Assistance Program , Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs
Financial – 401k, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability