Sector General Counsel - Global I&S

Ecolab • Saint Paul, MN

1d • $275,500 - $413,300 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Sector General Counsel for Ecolab’s Global Institutional & Specialty (I&S) segment is the senior legal leader for the segment, enabling global growth, strengthening risk governance, improving commercial contracting effectiveness, and supporting scalable execution of the I&S strategy. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, the role supports businesses providing specialized cleaning and sanitizing products to the foodservice, hospitality, lodging, government, education, and retail industries. The position provides executive-level legal leadership on complex matters of strategic importance and builds, leads, and develops a high-performing team supporting the global business.

The successful candidate brings excellent judgment, unquestioned integrity, and the ability to translate legal advice into practical commercial outcomes. As a trusted advisor to senior leadership, the Sector General Counsel contributes to Ecolab’s success by aligning legal strategy with business priorities, operational realities, and long-term growth objectives. The role requires executive presence and effective partnership with global stakeholders, including senior leaders and internal and external constituents from multinational backgrounds.

The Sector General Counsel maintains oversight and management responsibility for legal resources, processes, and solutions that enable execution of the I&S strategy; provides strategic direction, coaching, development opportunities, and accountability for direct reports; leads personnel and performance management for the team; and delivers globally coordinated, business-facing legal solutions for the I&S businesses and sector. The role is based in St. Paul and follows Ecolab’s hybrid work model: three days per week in the office and two days per week remote. Relocation is available for the right candidate. It reports to the Deputy General Counsel, Global Commercial, and is a member of the General Counsel’s leadership team.

Requirements

• Member in good standing of the State Bar of Minnesota, or eligible for admission as in-house counsel within a reasonable time following commencement of the position.
• JD from an accredited law school, with strong academic credentials.
• At least 12 years of legal experience gained in private practice and as in-house counsel in a multinational company handling complex commercial matters.
• Extensive experience handling commercial law matters.
• Unquestioned integrity, credibility, and judgment.
• Ability to translate legal advice into practical commercial outcomes and provide sound judgment on complex matters.
• Ability to partner effectively with global stakeholders, senior leaders, and internal and external constituents from multinational backgrounds.
• Willingness to dive into detail when needed and ability to learn quickly and handle complex matters and multiple initiatives simultaneously.

Nice To Haves

• Experience leading and managing a team of lawyers and professionals.
• Experience with global distribution and government contracts.
• Ability to contribute to, influence, and frequently lead cross-functional teams.
• Superior intellect and pragmatic business acumen, including the ability to make clear, well-reasoned decisions that anticipate risk, enable commercial objectives, and create measurable value.
• Expertise in prioritizing and managing a large volume of concurrent projects.
• Proven track record of and commitment to Ecolab’s values, including building and leading a high-performing team.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and effective oral and written communication with senior business leaders and colleagues at all organizational levels.
• Collaborative, accountable, and inclusive leadership that empowers business partners and colleagues, values diverse perspectives, and builds scalable team practices for consistent, high-quality legal service delivery.
• Personal and professional resonance with Ecolab’s culture, including a collaborative disposition, executive presence, and commitment to developing talent and partnering across functions.

Responsibilities

• Partner proactively with operating leaders to understand business objectives and develop commercial contract strategies that accelerate growth, improve contracting velocity, and manage material risk.
• Advise senior executives on complex legal and business issues involving significant risk; assess exposure, prioritize practical solutions, and enable informed decision-making.
• Lead and manage a legal team handling a wide range of commercial legal issues.
• Prepare, review, and negotiate a broad range of commercial contracts.
• Review contract management processes and work with business leaders to develop and implement simplified commercial contract review, negotiation, and approval procedures.
• Provide legal training to operating leaders on critical contract terms, negotiating strategies, and related legal and commercial issues.
• Provide legal and strategic business advice to operating leaders on a wide variety of commercial matters.
• Review and evaluate business practices for legal risk and work with operating leaders to provide proactive legal advice supporting commercial operations and growth and profit objectives.
• Coordinate across matters to obtain appropriate input from legal department subject matter experts, including compliance, litigation, intellectual property, and governance/securities.
• Build and supervise a team of lawyers and other functional experts with a broad range of subject matter responsibilities.
• Manage outside counsel as needed on specialized legal matters.
• Oversee legal resources, processes, and solutions supporting execution of the I&S strategy.
• Provide strategic direction, coaching, development opportunities, and accountability for direct reports; lead personnel and performance management for the team.
• Deliver globally coordinated, business-facing legal solutions for the I&S businesses and sector.

Benefits

• Annual bonus based on performance, per plan terms.
• Long-term incentives based on performance, per plan terms.
• Comprehensive and market-competitive benefits for associates and their families.
• Relocation available for the right candidate.

What This Job Offers

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