Director of Legal, US M&A

Circle K•Charlotte, NC

About The Position

Reporting to the Head of Legal, Corporate Legal Affairs and Global M&A, the Director, Legal Affairs – US M&A will play a critical strategic role in supporting business development and growth across North America, leading the legal function for mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, related strategic investments and US capital markets activities. This leadership position is instrumental in shaping how the legal team contributes to business enablement, growth, and operational excellence across North America. This position provides expert legal advice on complex corporate and transactional matters while driving the development of standardized playbooks, tools, and processes to enhance efficiency, consistency, and risk management across the M&A lifecycle. The Director will work closely with the Head of Legal, Corporate Affairs and Global M&A, executive leadership, and the business development teams to ensure all transactions are aligned with operational goals and compliant with applicable legal requirements. In addition to providing expert legal counsel, the Director, Legal Affairs – US M&A will assume a key leadership role by leading, mentoring, and developing a team of legal professionals. This includes ensuring the team is equipped with the necessary resources, support, and strategic direction to deliver high‑quality legal services, foster professional growth, and promote a collaborative and accountable work environment.

Requirements

Law degree and member in good standing of at least one U.S. State Bar.
10+ years of experience focused on M&A, corporate transactional including both law firm and in‑house roles.
Proven track-record handling cross‑border transactions, joint ventures, complex commercial structures, and governance matters.
Strategic governance thinker with practical, results-driven problem-solving skills.
Excellent analytical and strategic reasoning skills, particularly for balancing regulatory compliance with business objectives.
Exceptional negotiation and drafting skills, with demonstrated ability to manage diverse stakeholder interests.
Superior communication and leadership competencies, adept at engaging senior stakeholders and fostering cross functional collaboration across legal, business, and finance teams.
Proven ability to translate complex legal and financial information into clear, actionable guidance for business and finance partners.
Demonstrated success in guiding and developing high‑performing legal teams to achieve strategic objectives.
Strong leadership capability with a focus on coaching, collaboration, and driving accountability within diverse professional teams.
Recognized for cultivating a culture of excellence, trust, and continuous improvement across legal and business functions.
Experienced in leading through influence, inspiring cross‑functional alignment, and ensuring team performance in complex, fast-paced environments.
Proven ability to organize work of the team, including working under pressure and manage several complex files concurrently within established deadlines.
Exceptional attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to manage multiple complex priorities under tight deadlines.
High degree of integrity, judgment, and professional ethics.
Client centric approach, facilitator of change, appreciation of entrepreneurial culture and ability to adapt to a constantly changing environment.

Nice To Haves

Solid experience managing complex equity and debt financings, including public offerings, private placements, and other securities transactions considered an asset.

Responsibilities

Lead all legal aspects of US and cross‑border mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic investments, from initial evaluation through integration, ensuring high quality and business-aligned legal outcomes.
Structure, draft, and negotiate complex transaction documentation including purchase agreements, shareholder and joint venture agreements, and ancillary contracts, in collaboration with external counsel as appropriate.
Oversee the coordination of due diligence and specialist advisory work, including sector-specific, regulatory and antitrust matters; ensure timely progress, transparency, and issue escalation as needed, efficiently advising business leaders on key transactional risks and mitigation strategies.
Design, implement, and continuously improve M&A legal playbooks, templates, and operational processes to promote aligned, high‑quality execution across global business units.
Lead the creation of pragmatic process maps and guidance documents simplifying deal execution steps for internal partners, ensuring business and finance teams can effectively navigate complex transaction cycles.
Develop and deliver targeted training sessions for corporate development, finance, and operations teams on M&A fundamentals — including due diligence principles, key contractual protections, and risk identification techniques — using real case scenarios and tools that increase cross‑functional deal readiness.
Maintain up‑to-date knowledge of US and international legal developments relevant to M&A, securities, and corporate law compliance.
Foster collaboration with the global Legal, Finance, Tax, and Operations teams on transaction structuring, corporate reorganizations, and post‑closing integration workstreams.
Provide expert advice to Treasury and Finance on public and private capital raising initiatives, including structuring considerations, disclosure obligations, and market regulatory interactions.
Lead the legal due diligence process for US-based financing activities and advise on complex capital market instruments, including credit facilities, convertible notes, and structured transactions.
Provide strategic and practical advice to executive management to facilitate sound, timely decision‑making in line with corporate priorities.
Manage relationships with external counsel and internal stakeholders to ensure high‑quality, cost-effective service delivery.
Establish and manage the legal budget of the team; monitor legal spend, and support cost control initiatives.
Oversee mandates given to outside counsel, ensuring compliance with billing, performance, and cost targets.
Ensure the company is represented with integrity and consistency, implementing strategies to mitigate commercial and litigation risk and reputational harm.
Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies, contributing to a culture of accountability and ethical conduct.
Develop and deliver training on legal procedures and policies to promote awareness and reduce legal risk.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legal areas and contribute to continuous improvement of legal practices.
Perform all related professional functions in support of the Legal Department’s transformation and strategic goals.
Lead, mentor, and support the US M&A legal team, providing strategic direction and promoting a culture of continuous learning and high performance.
Oversee workload distribution, establish clear team objectives, and ensure alignment with legal department and corporate priorities.
Conduct regular reviews of team performance, identify development areas, and implement best practices to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
Serve as the primary point of contact for North American M&A, business development and capital markets initiatives, ensuring the team has the resources and direction needed to address complex corporate governance and securities law matters.
Promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and legal excellence, championing technology and legal operations tools that enhance execution capabilities.
Provide strategic and practical advice to executive management to facilitate sound, timely decision-making in line with corporate priorities.
Manage relationships with external counsel and internal stakeholders to ensure high-quality, cost-effective service delivery.
Ensure the team is aligned with organizational goals and legal priorities, providing ongoing guidance, coaching, and professional development.
Oversee workload distribution, set clear expectations, and foster a collaborative environment where team members are empowered to deliver high-quality legal counsel and support.
Regularly assess team performance, identify areas for growth, and implement best practices to optimize efficiency and effectiveness.
Promote a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and legal excellence within the team.
Champion the integration of technology and legal operations tools to optimize legal support delivery.

Benefits

Complete benefits packages (medical, dental, etc.)
Possibility of enrolling in a defined contribution plan with employer contributions or a stock purchase plan
Employee discounts in stores and with multiple of our partners
Paid time off plan including vacation, sick days and personal days
Scholarship program available to the employee and the employee's children
Work in a collaborative, dynamic and high performing team
Learning opportunities to develop new skills and to evolve professionally in a fast-growing company

Stand Out From the Crowd

Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.

Upload and Match Resume