General Counsel, Residential Americas

Trane Italia • Davidson, NC

15d • $198,993 - $302,400 • Hybrid

About The Position

The General Counsel serves as the lead legal partner to Trane Technologies’ Residential HVAC business, advising on strategic and day-to-day legal matters. The role handles complex commercial agreements, regulatory and statutory issues, product and service planning, claims and recoveries, quality and customer issues, marketing communications, warranties, data practices, joint ventures, and consumer litigation. It also leads Legal Centers of Expertise and develops standards, processes, tools, and solutions to improve legal and contract support across the business.

The position is responsible for anticipating and mitigating legal risk, supporting the Residential HVAC business’s long- and short-term goals, and managing its legal budget. The General Counsel sets priorities in alignment with the SBU leadership team and leads, develops, coaches, and drives the performance of a small legal team. Work is onsite Monday through Thursday, with flexibility to choose the work location on Fridays according to work needs.

Requirements

• J.D. degree from an accredited U.S. law school.
• Member in good standing of a State Bar Association.
• 15 or more years of experience practicing as an attorney, including at least 10 years as in-house counsel.
• Strong corporate transactional background, with experience negotiating and drafting a variety of complex commercial agreements.
• Strong legal judgment and executive presence.
• Proven business law experience and strong business acumen.
• Expert understanding of contracting concepts and superior legal and analytical skills, with excellent judgment and initiative in selecting effective solutions and creating and implementing standard tools for recurring business or commercial issues.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate internally and externally, including standing firm with business clients when necessary.
• Ability to understand business objectives quickly, identify related issues, and facilitate risk-benefit analysis, including making decisions with incomplete information and operating in ambiguous situations.
• Business-oriented approach to problem-solving balanced with an appreciation for legal complexity and risk management.
• Detail-oriented and resourceful, with excellent follow-through.
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritize and manage workload and simultaneous tasks, and meet deadlines in a changing, fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal management and leadership skills that foster teamwork and effective working relationships.
• Flexible and adaptable, and comfortable with ambiguity and challenges.
• Experience managing outside counsel and other consultants.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in litigation involving commercial agreements.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the lead legal partner to the Residential HVAC business on strategic and day-to-day legal matters.
• Draft, review, and negotiate complex commercial agreements, including equipment sales, data collection and sharing, credit documents, and lending agreements.
• Analyze applicable statutory and regulatory requirements for sales, installation, marketing, and products, and counsel the business accordingly.
• Partner with business leadership on strategic and tactical plans for new products and services, identifying legal, contractual, and project risks.
• Identify and analyze company claim rights and recovery opportunities involving customers and suppliers.
• Identify, analyze, and resolve quality, customer, and project issues, including managing recalls and regulatory notifications when needed.
• Review and approve internal and external marketing and communications, including sales plans, cooperative programs, product brochures, websites, and press releases.
• Advise on warranty documents, processes, policies, and regulations.
• Identify, catalog, and create policies and processes for data collection and sharing.
• Manage and provide legal advice and corporate governance support for three joint ventures applicable to the Residential HVAC business.
• Work with company litigation teams to resolve consumer complaints, claims, and litigation concerning the Residential HVAC business.
• Manage and direct Legal Centers of Expertise, establishing and driving performance and the creation and use of standard work in areas such as marketing, regulatory, real estate, and antitrust.
• Develop and implement consistent standards, processes, metrics, solutions, templates, and tools to improve business and contract processes.
• Drive policies, plans, and projects for commercial legal services, including identifying, assessing, communicating, managing, and mitigating risk and developing protective solutions and strategies.
• Establish and execute legal department goals, objectives, policies, and programs, and manage the Residential HVAC business legal budget.
• Anticipate and proactively manage and mitigate legal risk for the SBU.
• Set priorities, goals, and objectives and ensure alignment with the SBU leadership team.
• Lead, manage, develop, coach, and drive the performance of a small legal team, directly and indirectly.

Benefits

• Health insurance for employees and their families, effective on day one.
• Holistic wellness programs with incentives.
• Fertility coverage and adoption or surrogacy assistance.
• Up to 15 vacation days, paid holidays, sick leave, and additional options supporting volunteer and parental leave.
• 401(k) match.
• Educational and training opportunities through company programs.
• Tuition assistance and student debt support.
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits and programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree