Senior Director - Intellectual Property

H.B. Fuller•St. Paul, MN

3d•$200,000 - $220,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Director - IP serves as a key leader within H.B. Fuller's global intellectual property organization. In addition to managing a significant intellectual property portfolio, this role partners closely with the Chief IP Counsel to oversee the Company's intellectual property function, including a portfolio of more than 700 patent assets, 1,500 trademark assets, trade secrets, and related intellectual property matters. This position supports strategic business objectives through the development, protection, enforcement, and commercialization of intellectual property assets while providing leadership across patents, trademarks, trade secrets, licensing, transactions, and intellectual property operations worldwide.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
Active membership in at least one U.S. state bar.
Registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical discipline.
10-15 years of intellectual property experience in a law firm, corporate legal department, or a combination thereof.
Demonstrated experience managing patent portfolios and providing strategic intellectual property counseling.
Experience supporting business, technology, and innovation organizations.
Strong writing, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
Proven people and project management experience, including complex strategic intellectual property initiatives.

Nice To Haves

In-house intellectual property experience.
Significant experience supporting chemical, adhesives, materials science, construction products, health and hygiene, or medical technology businesses.
Experience with trademark portfolio management and enforcement.
Developing and implementing trade secret protection programs.
Conducting intellectual property due diligence for mergers and acquisitions.
Negotiating technology licenses and strategic technology agreements.
Managing intellectual property disputes and litigation through outside counsel.
Demonstrated ability to advise senior business leaders and influence strategic decision-making.

Responsibilities

Manage a global patent portfolio, including invention harvesting, patent drafting, prosecution, and portfolio optimization.
Collaborate with technical and business leaders across all segments to develop patent filing and protection strategies.
Supervise outside patent counsel and manage associated budgets.
Conduct patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, validity, and competitive landscape assessments.
Support patent enforcement activities, disputes, oppositions, and third-party challenges.
Handle a personal docket of strategic patent matters, including drafting and prosecution activities.
Manage global trademark portfolios and trademark protection strategies.
Advise business and marketing teams regarding trademark selection, clearance, registration, maintenance, use, and enforcement.
Coordinate trademark prosecution and enforcement activities with outside counsel.
Support brand protection initiatives and online enforcement efforts.
Lead trademark due diligence efforts for acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic transactions.
Develop and maintain trade secret protection programs and processes.
Advise business and technical teams regarding protection of confidential and proprietary information.
Support implementation of confidentiality, information security, and intellectual property governance practices.
Assist in investigations and risk assessments involving trade secret protection and potential misappropriation.
Partner with Human Resources, R&D, Compliance, and Legal teams on trade secret-related issues.
Lead IP due diligence activities involving patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and technology assets.
Support mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships.
Advise transactional attorneys on intellectual property provisions in commercial and strategic agreements.
Negotiate and advise on joint development agreements, technology licenses, research collaborations, material transfer agreements, confidentiality agreements, and intellectual property ownership and commercialization matters.
Assist in the development of infringement, non-infringement, validity, and freedom-to-operate opinions.
Assist the Chief IP Counsel in leading the Company's intellectual property function.
Manage intellectual property department workflows, processes, and operational initiatives.
Supervise patent paralegals, patent coordinators, and other intellectual property professionals as assigned.
Track and report intellectual property metrics and trends.
Manage intellectual property-related processes, including license payment administration, patent annuity reviews, competitive patent watch activities, inventor remuneration programs, business portfolio reviews, and technology and competitive landscape monitoring.
Lead integration of acquired intellectual property assets.
Provide training and guidance to business leaders, inventors, scientists, engineers, and legal colleagues on intellectual property matters.
Serve as a mentor and resource to less experienced members of the intellectual property organization.