In-House: Associate General Counsel – Food Regulatory/Compliance

McCormack Schreiber Legal Search; Sarasota (FL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Exposure to senior leadership

Collaborative team environment

Job summary

A nationally recognized food manufacturer is seeking an Associate General Counsel to work in Sarasota, Florida. This role involves advising on food manufacturing regulatory compliance and operational legal matters. The position provides an opportunity to engage with senior leadership and contribute to the company's commitment to food safety and quality systems. The ideal candidate will have 5-10+ years of experience in food regulatory issues and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• 5-10+ years of experience in food regulatory and compliance matters.
• Experience with USDA and/or FDA regulatory frameworks.
• Background in a law firm, corporate legal department, or relevant government agency.
• Interest in maintaining a broader generalist practice beyond regulatory work.

Responsibilities

• Advise on regulatory matters involving USDA and FDA.
• Handle commercial contracts and distribution agreements.
• Support compliance and risk management initiatives.

Skills

Food regulatory compliance

Communication skills

Cross-functional teamwork

Job description

A well-known national food manufacturer is seeking an Associate General Counsel to join its legal team in Sarasota, Florida. This role will report directly to the General Counsel and will play a key part in advising the business on food manufacturing regulatory compliance and operational legal matters.

The company has recently invested heavily in strengthening its food safety and compliance infrastructure and is building out its legal capabilities in this area. This role will work closely with senior leadership, including the General Counsel and the company’s Chief Food Safety Officer, to support regulatory compliance and operational legal needs across the organization.

Key Responsibilities

The Associate General Counsel will advise on a range of matters, with a particular focus on food manufacturing regulatory and compliance issues, including:

• Federal regulatory matters involving USDA and FDA
• USDA inspections, compliance reports, and regulatory responses
• Labeling and regulatory compliance for food products
• Plant and facility regulatory issues across manufacturing operations
• Interaction with federal and state regulatory agencies
• Compliance with industry and supply-chain standards

In addition to regulatory work, this attorney will be part of a small, collaborative legal team and will handle a variety of broader in-house matters, including:

• Commercial contracts and distribution agreements
• Real estate matters and leases
• Compliance and risk management initiatives
• Oversight of litigation and outside counsel
• Internal policy development and training

The legal department is intentionally lean, offering the opportunity to work closely with business leadership and gain meaningful exposure to operational decision-making.

Candidate Profile

• 5-10+ years of experience in food regulatory and compliance matters
• Experience with USDA and/or FDA regulatory frameworks, ideally in food manufacturing
• Background in a law firm, corporate legal department, or relevant government agency
• Interest in maintaining a broader generalist practice beyond regulatory work
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work cross-functionally with operational teams

Compensation & Structure

• Location: Sarasota, Florida (relocation assistance available)
• Schedule: In-office role with some travel to manufacturing facilities

Why This Role

This is an opportunity to join a company that is deeply focused on food safety, regulatory excellence, and operational improvement. The organization has recently strengthened its leadership in this area and is investing significantly in compliance and quality systems.

The role offers a rare combination of substantive regulatory work, broad in-house exposure, and direct access to senior leadership within a nationally recognized food brand.