Chief Legal Officer

Darigold is seeking a Chief Legal Officer to join our team reporting to the CEO. This individual will serve as a strategic partner to the CEO, the Board, and the leadership team in driving sustained high performance throughout the enterprise. A person capable of not only leading all things legal, but also a broad set of strategic and contractual issues across our Co–Op. The Chief Legal Officer reports to Chief Executive Officer on all legal matters affecting Company.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead people in a way that brings the best out of them, creates a high–performance culture, gives people a reason for tremendous personal commitment, and deliver superior results.

•Set and adhere to very high standards, especially people–related ones.

Serve as active member of Company's Executive Team. Provide strategic counsel on legal, business and operational matters.

• As Corporate Secretary, attend Board of Directors meetings and Board committees.

• Represent Company's legal interests and provide assurance of strong corporate governance and general legal housekeeping before members, regulatory agencies, legislative bodies, auditors, and trade groups.

• Provide prompt commercial, practical legal advice to Company's various business groups to facilitate, improve and strengthen operational decision–making through integration of legal analysis as part of overall business development process.

• Scope of responsibilities will include contracts and commercial agreements, finance, governance, real estate, intellectual property, employment and litigation/adversarial proceedings. Direct outside counsel as needed.

• Identify current and upcoming legal, regulatory and related compliance risk.

• Negotiate and draft partner related agreements.

• Support Business Development on commercial negotiations.

• Support HR and Finance on employee matters (e.g., employee agreements, consulting agreements, employee benefits, and other employment issues). Review and draft contracts, policies, compensation plans, and employee handbook as needed.

• Provide sound legal advice on issues affecting existing and future business where risks and mitigation strategies are clearly identified.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong leadership traits, proven ability to establish credibility and be decisive.
• Ability to attract and develop a strong legal team.
• Superior analytic, quantitative, and problem solving skills.
• Strong communication skills and gravitas to gain the confidence of executives inside and outside the Company.
• Strong boardroom skills, can operate effectively and ad hoc or on the fly on a regular basis.
• Strong business acumen to negotiate key contracts.
• Ability to strike a balance between managing the day–to–day legal function and influencing the strategy of the Company.
• Ability to create, implement and continuously improve highly effective business centered legal function.
• Ability to identify, develop and implement best practices based on lean principles.
• Comfortable with risk, which means uncertainty, which means potential opportunity.
• Unafraid to develop new models when the old shoe doesn't fit any longer.
• Ability to find workable solutions to complicated regulatory questions. Incisive thinker who moves fast and likes to get things done.

Education, Experience and Certifications:

• JD degree from ABA accredited law school
• Member in good standing in at least one State Bar.
• 15+ years of progressively responsible legal experience. Strong preference for experience in private practice from a well–respected law firm and candidates with experience working as in–house counsel in CPG, food and beverage and agribusiness.
• Legal expertise and prior experience in contract writing and negotiation
• Leadership experience demonstrates a capacity to drive projects, direct others and advise executives on the implementation of sound legal, regulatory and corporate compliance solutions.
• This position can be located in: Boise, ID, Seattle, WA Spokane, WA, and the Tri–Cities, WA.
• The minimum salary is $307,517 and may be adjusted based on experience, education, knowledge and skills. And, will be eligible to participate in our short and long–term incentive plan.
• This is a primarily on–site role.

To Apply:

Submit a resume and cover letter with your application.

Benefits of Working at Darigold:

We understand that as an employee, benefits that support you and your family in and out of work are important. We are proud to offer eligible positions a competitive total rewards package – that includes:

• Employer 401K contribution of up to 9% & eligibility to participate in our deferred compensation plan.
• Employer–paid life & disability coverage.
• Paid time off and paid Holidays
• 8 weeks paid paternal leave
• Education assistance
• Community giving through matching donations.

Our Commitment to Diversity:

Achieving our vision to Lead Dairy Forward requires cultivating and supporting a team with varying backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We are committed to providing a workplace based on mutual respect where all employees feel included and can bring their best and authentic selves to work every day. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and Affirmative Action Employer. We welcome all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, marital status, creed, religion, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. As a condition of employment applicants offered a role will be required to successfully pass our pre–employment background screen, receive a negative drug screen result & confirm eligibility to work in the U.S. We participate in E–Verify – please follow the links for details, English / Spanish & view our Right to Work Statement, English / Spanish .

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60–1.35(c)