Director of Legal & Risk Management
4 days ago
Dufur
Job DescriptionDescription: 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, • 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, • 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, • 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, • 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, • 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, • Take the lead on legal research for any legal matter that arises across the organization, ensuring accurate, timely, and practical guidance for leadership, • 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 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, • Manage and coordinate outside legal counsel, ensuring cost-effective and values-aligned representation, • Oversee litigation strategy, settlements, and dispute resolution when necessary, • 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, • 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, • 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