Legal Counsel—Equipment Finance

International Motors•Lisle, IL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Navistar Financial Corporation (NFC), the finance arm of International Motors, LLC, is seeking an attorney to provide legal support across all product lines and help NFC become a leading captive finance company in the United States. The role supports strategic decisions, compliance matters, risk assessment, product and service development, and training. It reports to NFC’s General Counsel and is located in Lisle, Illinois, USA. The position supports commercial truck, tractor, trailer, bus, and other specialized transportation and commercial equipment financing products in the United States. It works with sales, operations, credit, capital markets, treasury, and other business functions on legal policies, procedures, and documentation. The role also advises stakeholders on business strategy, new products and services, operations, risk management, and emerging legal and regulatory developments; supports governance and internal legal initiatives; and participates in cross-functional projects. The attorney manages outside counsel and other external advisors, including legal spend and project alignment. Candidates must have a Juris Doctor degree and at least five years of experience as an attorney, including at least one year of lead experience. The position also requires unrestricted authorization to work in the United States; employment-related sponsorship is not anticipated. Desired qualifications include commercial transaction experience, particularly equipment leasing and financing, and experience negotiating contracts and documenting financing transactions. The role calls for strong communication, critical thinking, collaboration, prioritization, and problem-solving skills, as well as flexibility, sound judgment, and a commitment to compliance, integrity, and quality. The position offers competitive market-based compensation and a comprehensive benefits package. The expected salary is within a stated range, with the final offer based on applicable skills, knowledge, and experience; no specific range is provided in the posting.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree.
At least five years of experience as an attorney.
At least one year of lead experience.
Legally authorized on an unrestricted basis to work in the United States; the employer does not anticipate providing employment-related sponsorship.
Ability to negotiate contracts and document financing transactions.
Strong oral and written communication skills and ability to explain complex issues clearly and accurately to non-legal audiences.
Critical-thinking skills and ability to identify and resolve legal issues quickly and effectively, including making timely risk decisions.
Ability to prioritize conflicting demands from multiple business clients in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to collaborate, build relationships, gain credibility, and partner effectively across the organization.
Self-directed, solution-focused approach, strong work ethic, and ability to collaborate cross-functionally.
Ability to guide the organization through change and encourage others to participate in problem-solving.
Knowledge and experience in key legal trends affecting the business.
Ability to exchange feedback respectfully and provide guidance with confidence.
Ability to build effective working relationships with colleagues worldwide and across cultures.
Demonstrated commitment to compliance, integrity, and quality.

Nice To Haves

At least three years of experience in commercial transactions, preferably equipment leasing and financing, in both law firm practice and in-house settings.
Legal expertise in one or more of the following: UCC Article 2A and Article 9 transactions; marketing of vehicle financing; regulatory and compliance issues; electronic documents and data privacy; financing autonomous or electric vehicles; insurance; electronic signatures or e-chattel paper; or securitization.
Willingness to branch out and gain experience in other legal areas.
Creativity in developing alternative legal strategies and structures.
Flexibility and ability to multitask and manage projects with shifting priorities.

Responsibilities

Support sales, operations, credit, capital markets, treasury, and other business functions in developing, implementing, and revising legal policies, procedures, and documentation for commercial vehicle and equipment financing products in the United States.
Negotiate and document commercial lending, leasing, syndication, warehouse, capital markets, working capital, retail finance, and wholesale transactions.
Provide legal guidance on regulatory compliance, including state finance company licensing, FCPA, competition law, anti-money laundering, know-your-customer, data privacy, and commercial finance regulations; support related training and policy development.
Provide legal support for the management, restructuring, workout, recovery, and enforcement of troubled transactions, and oversee litigation and bankruptcy matters.
Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including vendor contracts, confidentiality agreements, service agreements, lease and loan amendments, and other documents.
Advise business stakeholders on strategic initiatives, new products and services, operational processes, risk management, and emerging legal and regulatory developments.
Support corporate governance and internal policies and procedures, including contract management, records retention, and other legal department initiatives.
Participate in cross-functional projects involving business growth, operational efficiency, digital transformation, regulatory developments, and continuous improvement.
Manage outside counsel and other external advisors, including oversight of legal spend, project management, and alignment with company objectives.