Senior Counsel

Description:

Who we are:
At An American Pet Food Company, our goal is to change the way people nourish their pets forever. We strive to strengthen the bond between people and our pets so that we both live longer, healthier, and happier lives while being kind to the planet. We believe that if we can create fresh, real foods that pets love and help them live healthier lives that their pet parents will also enjoy the many benefits of a rich life shared with a pet.
We started off with a mission to change the way pet parents feed dogs and cats, but we also wanted to be a company that had a thoughtful approach to how we operate. We wanted to do things differently, make great products but be gentle to the planet, good to the people who touch our business, and leave a positive impact with everything we do. We work hard every day to ensure that the original vision is met, starting with making the highest quality foods in our kitchens to running our business with integrity, transparency, and social and environmental responsibility. IT'S AMAZING WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU START COMPLETELY FRESH!
What you will do:

• Serve as commercial counsel, drafting, negotiating, finalizing and advising on a wide range of agreements, including, but not limited to vendor, technology, marketing, construction, consulting, product, social media and other commercial agreements.
• Stay apprised of regulatory, data privacy, intellectual property and other applicable federal, state and international legal developments relevant to our business.
• Assist with the management of external counsel in a cost-effective manner.
• Leverage our contract management system in coordination with our contracts manager, assist in contract template development.
• Provide support on other legal matters as needed.

How you will make an impact:

• Work closely with stakeholders across the Company to manage the Company's day-to-day legal and compliance needs.
• Contribute to Freshpet's high growth by working with the business to efficiently and proactively identify ways to mitigate risk and eliminate legal blockers.
• Manage a broad range of legal matters across the organization, supporting cross-functional business teams with legal advice and counsel.
• Develop expertise in new areas to support the business, creating appropriate policies and training.

What you will bring:

• You have a J.D. from an ABA accredited law school and are admitted to the NJ bar (or ability to secure in-house licensure).
• You have 5-8+ years of relevant legal experience. Big Law and in-house experience preferred. Experience in the CPG and/or pet space is a plus.
• You have excellent contract drafting and negotiation skills, spanning multiple disciplines. Familiarity with commercial contracts, marketing, and other vendor agreements is preferred. Knowledge of privacy laws is a strong plus.
• You have strong thought leadership and business partnering skills at all organizational levels, with an ability to manage tight timelines and shifting priorities.
• You have excellent communication (written and verbal) skills, the highest attention to detail and ability to communicate clearly and productively with non-legal colleagues.
• You possess a willingness to be flexible and proactive in solving complex challenges, with a proven track record of understanding business needs, finding creative solutions and balancing the interplay between legal and business risk.

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