Associate General Counsel - Contracts & Procurement

Hertner, Block & Bowser, Inc.; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertner, Block & Bowser, Inc. in Atlanta, GA seeks an Associate General Counsel – Contracting and Procurement to lead legal strategy for purchasing contracts, commercial initiatives, and strategic transactions, while providing practical, business‑oriented counsel to protect the company’s interests and support growth.

The AGC will partner with senior leaders across procurement, finance, tax, risk, and operations to align legal support with enterprise priorities, oversee complex contracting, and

Qualifications

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• Minimum of ten years of relevant legal experience at a top law firm and/or in-house.
• Strong background in commercial contracts, procurement, and business advisory matters.

Responsibilities

• Oversee drafting, negotiation, review, editing, and administration of complex commercial contracts.
• Develop, implement, and improve contract lifecycle management with templates and workflows.
• Create and maintain a bank of contract templates for consistent execution.
• Advise on legal aspects of savings initiatives, vendor management, and risk-balanced terms.
• Provide strategic counsel to senior leadership on contract risk and deal structure.
• Partner with Procurement, Finance, Tax, Treasury, Risk, and Compliance.
• Manage contract initiatives in support of strategic transactions and outsourcing.
• Ensure risk mitigation and continuous improvement of contracting processes.
• Support licensing applications when needed.
• Manage outside counsel relationships and mentor legal professionals.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Contract lifecycle management

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Communication with executives

Education

J.D. (ABA-accredited)

Job description

Reporting to the General Counsel, the Associate General Counsel – Contracting and Procurement serves as a key member of the legal leadership team. The successful candidate will lead legal strategy and execution for the Company’s purchasing contracts, commercial contracting initiatives, and strategic transactions, while providing practical, business-oriented counsel and protects the Company’s interests, and supports long‑term growth.

The AGC will partner with other legal department leaders and the General Counsel to support the Company’s legal operations, work closely with senior leaders across procurement and its business stakeholders across the organization, operations, finance, and business development, and provide executive‑level legal guidance on complex contracting matters.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee the drafting, negotiation, review, editing, and administration of complex commercial contracts, including vendor agreements, master services agreements, technology agreements, procurement contracts, construction agreements, real estate services agreements, and strategic business arrangements.


• Develop, implement, and continuously improve contract lifecycle management including processes, templates, playbooks, approval workflows, and governance standards to improve speed, consistency, compliance, and risk management.


• Create, maintain, and update a bank of contract templates to streamline contracting, promote consistency, and support efficient execution across the business


• Advise business teams on the legal aspects of savings initiatives, vendor management strategies, supplier relationships, contract consistency, and risk‑balanced commercial terms across a broad supplier base.


• Provide strategic legal counsel to senior leadership on contract risk, operational commitments, deal structure, and business implications.


• Partner closely with Procurement, Finance, Tax, Treasury, Risk, Compliance, and business leadership to align legal support with enterprise priorities and business objectives.


• Manage contract initiatives in support of strategic transactions and enterprise priorities, including corporate separations, outsourcing, and strategic projects.


• Ensure an appropriate degree of risk mitigation with respect to contracting while continuously identifying opportunities to improve contract processes, controls, and business enablement.


• Support escalated business and occupational licensing applications when needed.


• Manage outside counsel and build and maintain a network of outside counsel relationships to assist with commercial and related legal matters as appropriate.


• Manage, develop, and mentor attorneys and legal professionals with a focus on performance, accountability, business partnership, and professional growth.

What We’re Looking For:

• J.D. from an ABA‑accredited nationally recognized law school.


• Active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.


• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant legal experience working at a top law firm and, preferably, in an in‑house legal department handling commercial contracts and business advisory matters.


• Significant experience in commercial contracting, vendor agreements, procurement support, contract lifecycle management, and legal support for strategic corporate initiatives.


• Demonstrated ability to structure, negotiate, and close complex agreements while balancing legal risk, business objectives, operational requirements, and financial considerations.


• Seasoned business judgment and a passion for building and/or transforming a top‑tier company.


• Unquestioned integrity, credibility, and judgment.


• Positive, optimistic, and willing to take ownership of issues and solve problems. A proactive, roll‑up‑the‑sleeves, and hands‑on approach.


• Exceptional ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and effectively with business leaders and other professionals, and colleagues at all levels of an organization.


• Confident in raising difficult issues directly and clearly with senior leadership.


• Strong, pragmatic business acumen with the ability to recognize the business consequences of legal advice.