Senior Counsel - Mergers & Acquisitions

Kraft Heinz • Chicago, IL

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Counsel – Mergers & Acquisitions will serve an important role within the Kraft Heinz Legal Department’s transactional group. Responsibilities will include managing or supporting various aspects of complex corporate transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and equity investments; coordinating and driving the due diligence process for transactional matters in collaboration with other functional areas; preparing and/or reviewing preliminary transaction agreements, including confidentiality agreements and investment banker engagement letters, as well as principal transaction documents such as purchase agreements, merger agreements and joint venture agreements in addition to ancillary agreements such as transition services agreements; and advising stakeholders on a variety of M&A-related issues as they arise during the lifecycle of a transaction, including during the integration or separation planning process, as applicable. The position may also involve the development of M&A templates, tools, playbooks and best practices together with other members of the M&A Legal team. Position will involve exposure to both domestic and global M&A transactions as well as to a broad range of substantive areas within a fast-paced CPG company. This is a role for someone who craves a global challenge balanced by the desire to be accountable for delivering results in the largest Region for Kraft Heinz. It will be both a strategic and a tactical position best suited for those who are learning agile and able to work effectively in teams.

Requirements

• JD Degree from an accredited law school and top academic credentials required.
• 7+ years of M&A experience handling a variety of transaction types in roles of increasing responsibility.
• Prior law firm and/or in-house experience required.
• Excellent management skills and business judgment with a capacity to make decisions and give advice, which demonstrates an understanding of overall business objectives and the risks/rewards of each situation.
• Strong organizational skills, flexibility, and ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment that requires management of competing priorities and multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proactive personality and commitment to understanding the industry and the company’s business.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a non-legal audience both verbally and in writing.

Nice To Haves

• Experience leveraging AI and other technology to drive M&A process efficiency and cost effectiveness without compromising quality is a plus.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally when necessary.

Responsibilities

• Drafting and/or reviewing deal documents for all phases of M&A transactions from confidentiality agreements to asset and stock purchase agreements to disclosure schedules and transition services agreements.
• Serving as legal advisor on a variety of M&A matters and helping stakeholders to progress all workstreams including, without limitation, due diligence, structure analysis, regulatory review, and labor & employment.
• Collaborating cross-functionally (e.g., with Accounting, Tax, Treasury, Risk Management, Supply Chain) and within the Legal Department to achieve desired results on tight timelines and with imperfect information.
• Identifying risks and developing risk-mitigation strategies in partnership with the M&A team and other Legal team members.
• Engaging with stakeholders across the globe to drive business-oriented solutions to complex issues arising in context of M&A initiatives.
• Advising on commercial contracting issues triggered in connection with M&A transactions.
• Coordinating engagement and oversight of outside counsel as necessary.
• Updating current contract templates and developing new templates to improve the efficiency of the M&A process.
• Bringing a positive, collaborative approach to all tasks undertaken with the ability to work effectively across all levels of the organization.
• Willingness to support other commercial areas on an as-needed basis.

Benefits

• Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments
• Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training
• Employee Assistance Program, Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs
• 401k, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability

What This Job Offers

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