Senior Counsel, Nutrition - Erlanger, KY

Senior Counsel, Nutrition - Erlanger, KY

The Senior Counsel - Nutrition position reports to the Associate General Counsel, Nutrition and supports members of the Nutrition Business Unit team by providing legal counsel on matters related to the flavors and specialty ingredients industry, the health and wellness industry, and the animal nutrition and pet food industry.  The Senior Counsel is expected to provide counsel on a range of topics related to commercial and contract matters, corporate matters, distribution arrangements, joint ventures, pre-litigation matters, and day-to-day antitrust issues and also provides business-unit specific guidance for matters being primarily handled by subject-matter attorneys.

Senior Counsel’s Key Goals
Provide timely and accurate legal advice in advancement of the Nutrition Business and ADM’s business goals, while protecting ADM’s legal interests, and become part of the business team by developing and maintaining strong relationships with Nutrition leaders.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal counsel to all levels of Nutrition commercial team, including senior executives and their direct reports maximizing the use of internal legal resources and minimizing outside legal spend.
• Draft, interpret, and negotiate commercial agreements for various Nutrition businesses including, but not limited to flavor, food ingredients, dietary supplement, specialty ingredients, animal nutrition and pet food.
• Provide guidance on commercial, antitrust, and pre-litigation matters relating to the day-to-day aspects of the Nutrition business including everything from strategy for discussions with customers and producers, liens, reviewing marketing materials, and general compliance with applicable laws.
• Manage outside counsel as required on specific subject matters.
• Review, revise and/or approve all proposed changes for confidentiality agreements drafted by legal assistant and assist as necessary with customer discussions regarding such changes in order to execute NDAs.
• Provide advice and counsel regarding ADM policies and procedures.
• Work with specialist ADM attorneys as required on Nutrition matters and policies.

Qualifications:

• Graduate of an accredited law school; licensed to practice law in a U.S. state, and willingness to become licensed in another state if necessary.
• At least 3 to 5 years experience, ideally working in both a large law firm and corporate in-house setting in a BU/commercial role.

Skills:

• Excellent contract drafting, review and negotiation skills.
• Commercial and practical approach to legal advice is critical.
• Oral and written communication skills and an ability to adapt communications style depending on with whom they are dealing.
• Must be responsive to business needs and act with timeliness and sense of urgency.
• Must be a quick-thinker and be comfortable answering questions “on the spot.”
• Good abilities in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Familiarity with legal research databases.
• Willingness and ability to learn about Nutrition’s business and understand it in depth.
• Willingness and ability to work closely with business team to develop solutions to legal issues that are both in keeping with ADM policies and values, and relevant laws and regulations, and serve to advance business needs.
• Highly motivated, proactive, self-disciplined and team-oriented.
• Willingness and ability to work independently with general supervision and direction from the Associate General Counsel, in furtherance of law department, Nutrition, and ADM goals.
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced and dynamic environment while handling multiple competing tasks simultaneously to satisfactory closure.
• Demonstrated ability to provide business-oriented solutions to complex legal problems.

Other required or desirable attributes:

• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with the BU team and the legal team and positively influence outcomes.
• Experience in food, agriculture, and/or food ingredient manufacturing sectors is preferred.
• Experience advising on regulatory law matters, with preference for candidates who have worked with food law, food or feed safety regulations, food or feed labeling compliance, and/or experience engaging with federal agencies. 
• Committed to ADM values: integrity, respect, excellence, resourcefulness, teamwork, and responsibility.
• Disposition to maintain an “open door” policy, to encourage all levels of the ADM business team to raise potential issues.
• Commitment to cooperate and collaborate with other members of the ADM law department within the department matrix structure.
• Ability to delegate and manage resources effectively.
• Effective planning and organizing skills to prioritize key areas of responsibility, tasks and projects in a high pressure environment.
• Abide by and demonstrate the Company’s Mission, Vision, and Values through both behavior and job performance on a day-to-day basis.