Deputy General Counsel

SVP Worldwide•Nashville, TN

12d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Deputy General Counsel serves as the operational, strategic leader of the Legal Department and is responsible for leading the Company's global legal function on a day-to-day basis. Reporting directly to the Chief Legal Officer, this senior leader serves as the second-in-command within Legal, leading legal operations, managing outside counsel, leading the legal team, and providing practical legal advice across the business. This role is designed for a highly commercial attorney who enjoys building scalable legal processes, partnering with business leaders, and enabling growth in a fast-paced private equity environment. While the Chief Legal Officer focuses on Board governance, enterprise strategy, executive counseling, M&A, and significant enterprise risks, the Deputy General Counsel owns execution across the legal function and ensures Legal delivers responsive, business-focused support throughout the organization. The ideal candidate combines outstanding legal judgment with exceptional leadership, operational discipline, and business acumen.

Requirements

Juris Doctor from an accredited law school
Licensed and in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction required.
10–15+ years of legal experience
Combination of sophisticated law firm and in-house experience strongly preferred.
Significant commercial transactions experience.
Experience supporting manufacturing, consumer products, retail, or industrial businesses.
5+ years experience leading legal teams.
Experience supervising outside counsel.
Excellent contract negotiation skills.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Demonstrated experience supporting organizations under private equity ownership, with an understanding of PE governance, investment strategies, and value creation initiatives.
Strong knowledge of global manufacturing operations, including operational, commercial, and regulatory considerations.
Expertise in global supply chain legal matters, including procurement, logistics, sourcing, trade compliance, and supplier risk management.
Deep understanding of the consumer products industry, including product compliance, advertising, marketing, and commercial transactions.
Experience advising on retail and omnichannel operations, including e-commerce, consumer protection, and distribution strategies.
Comprehensive knowledge of international distribution, cross-border commercial transactions, and global channel partner relationships.
Proven experience leading legal support for mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and post-acquisition integration initiatives.
Strong expertise in corporate governance, ESG, ethics, and compliance frameworks supporting publicly and privately held organizations.
Extensive knowledge of intellectual property, including trademarks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets, licensing, and brand protection.
Experience driving legal operations excellence, including process optimization, outside counsel management, legal spend oversight, and contract lifecycle management.
Proficiency with AI-enabled legal technologies, legal automation platforms, and emerging technologies that improve legal service delivery and operational efficiency.
Ability to develop, engage, and maximize performance and potential within others/team
Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information
Advanced Knowledge and education required.
15+ years experience in leading manager and director level employees.

Responsibilities

Build and Lead a High Performing Legal Team
Lead the day-to-day operation of the Legal Department
Manage legal priorities across all business functions
Develop, engage, and maximize performance within others; lead a high-performing team of attorneys and paralegals who scales with the business
Manage a collaborative relationship with outside counsel
Allocate resources and prioritize work based upon enterprise risk
Develop department goals, KPIs, budgets, and operating plans
Build scalable legal processes that support continued company growth
Role model and operate with our Values (value-based behaviors) every day, fostering a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and continuous improvement
Commercial Transactions
Draft, review, and negotiate a wide variety of commercial contracts, including vendor agreements, NDAs, and service contracts
Improve contracting efficiency through playbooks, templates, delegation frameworks, AI-enabled workflows and contract lifecycle management
Risk Management and Litigation
Partner closely with People & Culture to proactively manage legal risk
Direct outside counsel and litigation budgets while driving efficient, practical outcomes
Develop practical compliance training and business guidance
Oversee the company’s compliance program and monitor regulatory developments in key jurisdictions
Support the company in investigations and managing legal disputes
Advise on and ensure compliance with global data privacy laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA
Strategic Partnerships and Transactions
Lead legal aspects of M&A transactions, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships
Conduct legal due diligence, draft transactional documents, and negotiate deal terms
Collaborate with the finance and business teams to assess deal risks and opportunities
Intellectual Property
Manage the company’s intellectual property portfolio, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets
Provide strategic guidance on IP licensing agreements, enforcement, and protection of proprietary technologies
Collaborate with R&D and product teams to ensure IP assets are effectively protected