Sr. Director, Commercial Transactions & Litigation
7 days ago
Austin
Job Description Finding the right place to grow your career isn't (over) easy, so we're here to help by sharing a few reasons why the grass is greener at Vital Farms. We think you'll appreciate our focus on Conscious Capitalism, which drives business decisions that benefit all our stakeholders (leading to even better business results). You might be drawn to our innovative approach and refusal to settle for the "way things have always been done." Or you could find it exciting to grow your skills while working for an industry-leading brand. Whether you're into our values, our brand, or our egg-cellent puns, we hope you'll join our Crew and help us change the world 108 square feet at a time! At Vital Farms, we're proud of the diverse communities we serve and the stakeholders who help bring our purpose to life. We're committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment where every crew member feels valued. We see this as one of our greatest strengths - and your role is key to helping us build on it. Your Role: As our Sr. Director of Legal, Commercial Transactions & Litigation, you will serve as a key member of the Legal Leadership Team, reporting to and partnering closely with the General Counsel and advising executives across the enterprise. You will set strategy for our commercial legal function, oversee complex litigation and dispute management, and ensure Vital Farms continues to scale with strong, future-ready legal processes. What You'll Do: • Strategic Leadership: Shape and execute the company's legal strategy for commercial transactions, litigation, intellectual property, and employment, ensuring alignment with business objectives and long-term growth., • Enterprise Partnering: Act as primary legal advisor to senior leaders across Sales, Marketing, Operations, Grower Support, and People team, providing pragmatic guidance that enables bold, ethical decision making., • Commercial Transactions: Oversee negotiation and execution of high-value contracts, strategic partnerships, and enterprise-wide vendor agreements. Establish scalable contracting processes that balance agility with risk mitigation., • Litigation & Dispute Management: Direct outside counsel and internal resources in managing all facets of litigation, employment disputes, and regulatory matters. Ensure proactive, cost-effective, and reputationally sound outcomes., • Team Development: Lead and mentor legal staff, fostering a high-performance team culture that is collaborative, innovative, and business-focused., • Brand Protection: Oversee intellectual property strategy and enforcement to ensure brand health and protection., • Juris Doctor from a highly regarded law school; active member of at least one U.S. state bar., • 10+ years of progressive legal experience, including at least 5 years in-house at a growth-oriented, consumer-facing company (food, CPG, or agriculture preferred)., • Ability to travel 10-20% for company meetings, team offsites, onboarding trip, and conferences., • Demonstrated success leading commercial transactions, litigation strategy, employment matters, and IP protection at a senior level., • Proven ability to influence and advise senior executives, board members, and cross-functional leaders with sound judgment and business acumen., • Strong leadership skills with experience managing attorneys and/or legal staff., • Track record of strategic planning and implementation in building scalable legal processes, contract playbooks, and compliance frameworks to set up the enterprise for continued rapid growth and success., • Excellent negotiation skills and ability to distill complex legal issues into clear, actionable guidance., • A collaborative, humble, and approachable leadership style grounded in empathy, trust, and respect., • You're no hero – You know the power of teamwork and celebrate the work of others before your own., • You give a sh*t – You believe in acting like an owner and making Vital Farms a place to be proud of., • You raise the standards – You know growth can be hard, but you strive to improve yourself and others each day., • You can walk in someone else's boots – You seek to understand other's viewpoints and think that you get to better answers by sitting on the same side of the table., • You don't walk on eggshells – You're not afraid to leave the bullsh*t behind and have honest conversations., • A fast-paced, energetic, remote environment with passionate people who are leading a movement to bring ethically produced food to the table., • Competitive pay and benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, and Paid Parental Leave, just to name a few)., • Generous retirement contributions: 401(k) + 3% Contribution from Day 1., • Free eggs and butter (yes, really!), along with friends and family discounts., • Fun team SWAG that will make you the talk of the town. Who We Are: Vital Farms, a Certified B Corporation, offers a range of ethically produced foods nationwide. Started on a single farm in Austin, Texas, in 2007, Vital Farms became a national consumer brand that works with 350 family farms and is the leading U.S. brand of pasture-raised eggs by retail dollar sales. Vital Farms' products, including shell eggs, butter, hard-boiled eggs, and liquid whole eggs, are sold in over 24,000 stores nationwide. Vital Farms' ethics are exemplified by its focus on the humane treatment of farm animals and sustainable farming practices. In addition, as a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation, Vital Farms prioritizes the long-term benefits of each of its stakeholders, including farmers and suppliers, customers and consumers, communities and the environment, crew members, and stockholders. In short, we exist to improve the lives of people, animals, and our planet through food. Commitment to Equal Opportunity To fulfill Vital Farms mission of bringing ethically produced food to the table, we're committed to building teams that reflect diverse perspectives and lived experiences. We believe that when all crew members feel valued and respected, they bring their best ideas forward - fueling innovation, belonging, and shared success. We strive to create a welcoming environment rooted in equal opportunity and encourage individuals from all backgrounds and experiences to apply. To that end, we make employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business need. Vital Farms does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender and gender identity, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, citizenship status, military or veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Ready to Join Us? Together, we're cultivating an environment where every Crew member can thrive, grow, and know they're part of something bigger - improving lives through ethical food. If this role sounds like the right fit for you, we'd love to hear from you! Even if you don't meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply - you might be exactly what we need! Next Steps:Shortly after you complete your application, you'll receive a follow-up email elaborating on any potential next steps in our process. If you don't immediately receive said follow-up email, we would highly encourage you to check your spam filter! In order to fulfill Vital Farms mission to "bring ethically produced food to the table," we seek to build teams that leverage diverse perspectives to create a welcoming and innovative environment that is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunities. To that end, we make employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business need. Vital Farms does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender and gender identity, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, citizenship status, military or veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Notification to Agencies:**Vital Farms is not accepting unsolicited third-party recruitment agencies in the hiring process for this role. If you are a potential candidate interested in a role with Vital Farms, please submit an application directly. California Applicants: Please see our California Employment Candidate Privacy Statement for more information about how we collect, use, retain, and disclose personal information as part of our recruitment and hiring process.
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