Senior Counsel, Procurement

Eastman; Kingsport (TN); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Eastman, a global specialty materials company based in Kingsport, TN, seeks a Senior Counsel, Commercial (Procurement) to lead legal support for procurement and supplier contracting across direct and indirect materials, capital projects, and services. You will shape contracting strategy and governance while guiding business leaders on risk and deal outcomes.

The role requires substantial in-house or equivalent experience, strong negotiation and leadership skills, and the ability to drive process

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• Typically 10+ years of progressively responsible legal experience in procurement, sourcing, or commercial contracting.
• Ability to independently negotiate and manage complex agreements and enterprise risk.
• Experience leading contracting initiatives, governance programs, or business transformation.
• Strong writing, analytical, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple matters with discretion and confidentiality.
• Prior experience coaching or supervising others is valued.

Responsibilities

• Lead legal support for complex procurement and sourcing matters across materials, capital projects, logistics, and services.
• Advise on key supplier arrangements, risk, warranties, insurance, and dispute positioning.
• Manage supplier disputes and claims with business teams to preserve value.
• Modernize procurement contracting via governance, templates, and CLM implementations.
• Counsel executives on procurement risk, strategy, and governance matters.
• Manage outside counsel and align with Eastman objectives and budgets.
• Develop training, playbooks, and knowledge resources for procurement contracting.

Skills

Procurement contracting

Commercial contracting

Contract negotiation

Risk management

Legal leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Supplier relationships

Education

Juris Doctor

Tools

CLM systems

Templates & playbooks

Legal technology / AI tools

Job description

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Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive company, Eastman employs approximately 13,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2025 revenue of approximately $8.8 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visitwww.eastman.com .

Location

This U.S.-based role operates in a hybrid work arrangement located in Kingsport, TN.

Responsibilities

The Senior Counsel, Commercial (Procurement) will serve as Eastman’s primary global legal partner for procurement and sourcing matters, providing senior legal leadership across the full procurement spectrum while helping shape Eastman’s procurement contracting strategy, governance framework, and contracting transformation roadmap. Reporting to the VP, Corporate and Commercial Legal, this role will provide practical, business-oriented legal support across supplier contracting for chemicals, energy, raw materials, capital projects, site services, logistics, contractor services, consulting, technology-enabled procurement, and related supplier arrangements.

This is a senior, high-impact role for an experienced attorney who can independently advise procurement and business leaders, manage complex contract and supplier risk, and provide clear guidance on matters with operational, financial, or enterprise-level significance. This role will also play a key leadership role in shaping procurement contracting strategy, process modernization, governance, and adoption of scalable contracting solutions across the enterprise.

Key Responsibilities

• Procurement and Supplier Contracting: Lead legal support for complex procurement and sourcing matters across direct and indirect materials, capital projects, logistics, contractor and consulting services, and other supplier arrangements. Draft, review, and negotiate procurement agreements and provide practical legal advice that balances risk, operational needs, cost, and business objectives.
• Direct Procurement, Capital Projects, and Supply Risk: Advise on key supply arrangements, capital procurement, construction, maintenance, contractor relationships, supply continuity risks, allocation concerns, change notification issues, warranties, insurance, indemnities, and dispute positioning. Help procurement and business leaders identify legal risk early, evaluate practical options, and elevate significant matters appropriately, including where supplier performance may affect operations or customer commitments.
• Supplier Disputes and Claims Management: Manage and help resolve supplier, contractor, logistics, and procurement-related disputes before escalation to litigation. Partner with business teams to preserve value, reduce disruption, and document outcomes.
• Procurement Governance and Process Improvement: Serve as a strategic legal leader in modernizing Eastman’s procurement contracting ecosystem. Partner with Procurement, Legal Operations, Finance, Risk, Compliance, and IT to design and implement scalable contracting processes, governance frameworks, approval workflows, templates, clause libraries, and enabling technologies that improve speed, consistency, risk management, and user experience. Lead and partner with Procurement team in adoption and change-management efforts associated with procurement contracting transformation initiatives.
• Cross-Functional Counseling and Executive Support: Serve as a trusted legal advisor on procurement strategy, contract risk, negotiation strategy, supplier escalation, governance matters, and executive communications. Guide senior leaders regarding procurement risk and contracting decisions with enterprise-wide implications.
• Outside Counsel and Legal Spend Management: Manage outside counsel on assigned procurement matters, including strategy, work quality, budgets, and alignment with Eastman objectives.
• Training, Knowledge Sharing, and Legal Technology: Develop and deliver training, negotiation frameworks, playbooks, and procurement contracting standards. Support legal technology, AI-enabled tools, contract lifecycle management systems, and knowledge resources that improve speed, consistency, and scalability.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• Typically 10+ years of progressively responsible legal experience, including substantial experience advising on complex procurement, sourcing, supply chain, logistics, construction, technology, or commercial contracting matters.
• Demonstrated ability to independently negotiate and manage complex commercial or procurement agreements and enterprise risk matters.
• Meaningful experience leading major contracting initiatives, governance programs, process improvements, or business transformation efforts.
• Experience advising business stakeholders on contract risk, supplier relationships, dispute resolution, and commercial tradeoffs.
• Strong judgment, writing, analytical, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent matters under time-sensitive conditions while maintaining confidentiality, professionalism, and a business-practical mindset.
• Prior experience coaching, developing, or supervising others is highly valued.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior in-house experience or comparable law firm experience supporting multinational manufacturing, industrial, chemical, energy, or supply-chain-intensive environment.
• Experience modernizing contract templates, playbooks, approval matrices, CLM systems, or contracting processes.
• Experience leading cross-functional process improvement and change-management initiatives.

Your total rewards go far beyond a competitive salary. When you join Eastman, you gain access to an exceptional suite of programs designed to protect your health, grow your wealth, and fuel your career.

Compensation & Incentives

• Base pay plus performance-based incentive opportunities that let you share in our success.

Health & Wellness

• Comprehensive medical, prescription-drug, and dental coverage—paired with a Health Savings Account option to help you save tax-free dollars for care today or in the future.
• A robust menu of voluntary benefits—including vision, optional life, critical-illness protection, and more—so you can tailor coverage to fit your life.
• Holistic wellness support: financial-planning tools, family-building assistance (adoption, pregnancy, and fertility resources), parental leave, and confidential Employee Assistance Program counseling.

Retirement & Financial Strategies

• 401(k) with a company match—plus an additional annual retirement contribution from Eastman to accelerate your long-term savings.

Time Away

• Eleven paid holidays, one personal day, paid time off, and paid vacation to recharge, celebrate, or handle life’s moments.

Growth & Development

• Access to mentorship, learning resources, and leadership programs that empower you to thrive in your current role and chart the next steps in your career.

At Eastman, we invest in the whole you—so you can bring your best self to work every day and build a future you’re proud of.

Eastman Chemical Company is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, pregnancy, veteran status or any other protected classes as designated by law.

Eastman is committed to creating a powerfully engaged工作place, where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential each day.

Nearest Major Market:

Asheville

Nearest Secondary Market:

Knoxville