Director of Legal & Risk Management

Description

ROLE OVERVIEW

Azure Standard is a mission-driven, family-owned organization committed to inspiring healthy and abundant living. We are seeking a Director of Legal & Risk Management to serve as a strategic advisor and steward of legal integrity across the enterprise.

This role exists to protect Azure’s people, relationships, brand, and long-term sustainability, while enabling responsible growth. The Director of Legal & Risk Management partners closely with Executive Leadership to proactively manage legal risk, compliance, and governance in a way that aligns with Azure’s mission, vision, and core values.

This is not a reactive legal role. It is a trusted, values-centered leadership position designed to bring clarity, structure, and discernment to complex legal and risk-based decisions.

Key Responsibilities

Corporate, Commercial & Contract Law

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of contracts including vendor agreements, distribution agreements, NDAs, licensing agreements, broker agreements, franchise-adjacent documents, technology agreements, and professional services contracts
• Support Sales, Purchasing, Operations, and Executive teams with practical legal guidance that enables growth while mitigating risk
• Establish and maintain standardized contract templates and approval workflows
  
  

Organizational Structure & Corporate Governance

• Advise Executive Leadership on corporate structure, subsidiaries, affiliates, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships
• Support governance best practices, including corporate resolutions, board support, and entity compliance
• Maintain corporate records, filings, and entity documentation across states and jurisdictions
• Provide legal insight during mergers, acquisitions, expansions, or restructures
  
  

Intellectual Property & Brand Protection

• Manage and protect Azure’s trademarks, copyrights, and proprietary brand assets
• Oversee trademark filings, renewals, monitoring, and enforcement
• Partner with CX, Brand, Marketing, and Product teams to ensure compliant and protected brand usage
• Support licensing agreements and intellectual property strategy for proprietary brands
  
  

Employment, HR & Workforce Legal Support

• Partner with Employee Services (HR) on employment law matters, including policies & investigations, and workers’ compensation
• Advise on wage and hour compliance, multi-state employment laws, and workforce regulations
• Support response to claims, complaints, audits, or agency inquiries (e.g., EEOC, state labor agencies)
  
  

Risk Management & Insurance Oversight

• Identify, assess, and mitigate enterprise-level legal and operational risk
• Partner with Finance and Operations to oversee insurance programs, including general liability, product liability, workers’ compensation, auto, cyber, and D&O insurance
• Review claims, manage loss trends, and collaborate with brokers and carriers
• Support incident response and risk mitigation strategies across facilities, logistics, and customer-facing operations
  
  

Licensing, Permits & Regulatory Compliance

• Oversee business licenses, permits, and registrations across local, state, and federal jurisdictions
• Ensure compliance related to food distribution, manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, and e-commerce operations
• Monitor regulatory changes impacting Azure’s business and proactively advise leadership
• Coordinate with outside counsel or regulatory agencies as needed
  
  

General Legal

• Take the lead on legal research for any legal matter that arises across the organization, ensuring accurate, timely, and practical guidance for leadership
• Identify when specialized legal expertise is required and procure, manage, and coordinate outside specialists as needed, ensuring alignment with Azure’s values, risk tolerance, and cost stewardship
  
  

Privacy, Data Protection & Technology Risk

• Advise on data privacy, consumer protection, and cybersecurity obligations
• Partner with Technology, CX, and Marketing teams on privacy policies, terms of service, consent practices, and data governance
• Support incident response planning for data breaches or technology-related risks
  
  

Compliance, Ethics & Internal Controls

• Support development and maintenance of internal policies and compliance frameworks
• Provide guidance on ethical business practices aligned with Azure’s values
• Assist in internal investigations and risk assessments
• Support training and education for leaders on legal and compliance topics
  
  

Litigation & Outside Counsel Management

• Manage and coordinate outside legal counsel, ensuring cost-effective and values-aligned representation
• Oversee litigation strategy, settlements, and dispute resolution when necessary
• Serve as internal point of accountability for legal spend and outcomes
  
  

Values-Centered Legal Leadership

• Serve as a strategic advisor to the C-suite, providing clear legal insight, risk assessment, and well-reasoned recommendations that support informed business decisions
• Enable leaders to move forward confidently by outlining legal considerations, options, and trade-offs; rather than simply identifying constraints
• Balance legal risk with business opportunity, helping leadership understand what is possible, what is prudent, and what is required
• Support decision-making that aligns with Azure’s mission, vision, and core values while protecting the long-term health of the organization
• Communicate legal guidance in a practical, grounded, and accessible way that empowers leaders across the company
• Partner collaboratively with executive leadership to navigate complex or sensitive matters with wisdom, discernment, and integrity
  
  

Requirements

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school
• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, Oregon strongly preferred
• 8 years of relevant legal experience (in-house and/or law firm), preferably supporting multi-state or regulated operations
• Strong experience in contracts, employment law, risk management, and corporate governance
• Demonstrated ability to partner cross-functionally with senior leaders
• Practical, solutions-oriented approach with sound judgment
  
  

What Success Looks Like In This Role

• Legal risks are anticipated and addressed proactively
• Leaders feel supported, informed, and confident in decision-making
• Contracts, licenses, and policies are structured, consistent, and aligned
• Insurance and risk strategies protect the company without over-complication
• Legal counsel strengthens trust, culture, and long-term sustainability