Sr. Counsel, Commercial Contracts & Vendor Management

General Mills, Inc.; Minneapolis (MN); Sur place; USD 150 000 - 249 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Wellness programs

Employee benefits

Résumé du poste

General Mills, Inc. seeks a Senior Counsel to lead Commercial Contracts & Vendor Management in Minneapolis.

You will structure, negotiate, and advise on complex agreements across indirect and direct materials, software, IP licensing, and logistics, while supporting an enterprise vendor management program. The role demands a JD with 7+ years of experience in commercial contracting, strong dispute resolution skills, and the ability to navigate a global, matrixed organization.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Active bar admission in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (Minnesota preferred).
• 7+ years of post-J.D. experience in commercial contracting across indirect/direct materials and supply chain.
• Proven dispute resolution experience and negotiation skills.
• Ability to operate in a large multinational, matrixed organization.

Responsabilités

• Prepare contracting approach; draft and negotiate a broad range of complex commercial agreements.
• Provide key legal support for indirect contracts (software licensing, SaaS, tech services, marketing/IP licensing).
• Draft and negotiate direct materials contracts for ingredients and packaging.
• Structure and negotiate external supply chain contracts (manufacturing, warehousing, transport).
• Develop templates, playbooks, and AI tools to drive efficiency in procurement legal function.
• Identify legal risks and escalate significant issues to senior leadership; advise cross-functional partners.

Connaissances

Drafting & negotiations

Analytical skills

Business judgment

Dispute resolution

Self-starter / workload management

Formation

J.D. from an accredited law school

Description du poste

**Senior Counsel, Commercial Contracts & Vendor Management** General Mills is seeking a **Director, Commercial Contracts & Vendor Management** to join its Legal Department in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This attorney will serve as a trusted legal advisor to the company’s procurement and supply chain organizations, providing sophisticated counsel on a broad portfolio of complex commercial agreements while also delivering critical legal support to a newly established enterprise vendor management function. This is a high-impact, business-facing role for an experienced transactional attorney who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and is energized by the opportunity to shape legal strategy across a wide range of commercial relationships. The ideal candidate combines deep contracting expertise with the business judgment and dispute resolution skills needed to protect the company’s interests and drive value across its vendor ecosystem. **Key Responsibilities** **Commercial Contracting*** Prepare contracting approach for, draft, and negotiate a broad range of complex commercial agreements in support of General Mills’ global Sourcing processes and Supply Chain operations* Provide key legal support for indirect contracts, including software licensing agreements, SaaS and technology services agreements, professional and consulting services agreements, marketing and advertising agreements, and intellectual property licensing agreements (both inbound and outbound)* Draft and negotiate direct materials contracts for the procurement of ingredients, raw materials, and packaging materials used in the manufacture of General Mills’ consumer packaged goods products* Structure and negotiate external supply chain contracts, including contract manufacturing agreements (co-manufacturing/co-packing), warehousing and distribution agreements, transportation and freight agreements, and other logistics and supply chain services agreements* Develop, maintain, and leverage template agreements, playbooks, contracting guidelines and artificial intelligence tools to drive efficiency and consistency across the procurement legal function* Identify and assess legal risks and propose risk-mitigating approaches across the commercial contracting portfolio, escalating significant issues to senior leadership as appropriate* Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders including Sourcing, Supply Chain, Finance, Digital & Technology, marketing, and business and operating unit leadership to deliver practical, business-oriented legal advice **Enterprise Vendor Management Support*** Provide significant legal support to a new enterprise vendor management function housed within the Sourcing organization* Review existing vendor agreements to identify, catalog, and assess General Mills’ contractual rights, obligations, and remedies* Develop negotiating positions and legal strategies to resolve vendor disputes, including disputes related to service levels, pricing, intellectual property, indemnification, and breach of contract* Engage directly with vendors and their counsel to resolve disputes through negotiation, mediation, or other dispute resolution mechanisms* Document the resolution of vendor disputes, including drafting settlement agreements, amendments, and related correspondence* Advise the vendor management team on contract interpretation questions and the exercise of contractual remedies as well as contract renewals, amendments, and terminations* Collaborate with litigation counsel as needed when vendor disputes escalate beyond informal resolution **Minimum Qualifications*** J.D. from an accredited law school* Active bar admission in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (Minnesota bar admission or eligibility for admission preferred)* 7+ years of post-J.D. experience in commercial contracting, with substantial hands-on experience across multiple categories of complex commercial agreements (indirect procurement, direct materials, and supply chain/logistics)* Demonstrated dispute resolution experience, including developing legal strategies and negotiating positions to resolve complex commercial disputes* Proven ability to work effectively in a large, multinational, matrixed organization with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities* Strong drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills with meticulous attention to detail* Excellent business judgment and the ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, actionable guidance for business partners* Self-starter with the ability to manage a high-volume workload, prioritize effectively, and exercise sound independent judgment **Preferred Qualifications*** Prior in-house experience at, or significant advisory work for, a multinational consumer or manufacturing company* Commercial contract litigation experience* Experience supporting vendor management, supplier relationship management, or procurement governance programs* Familiarity with contract lifecycle management (CLM) tools and legal technology platforms, including AI-based tools (e.g., Harvey.AI)* Experience mentoring sourcing or procurement professionals regarding contract issues and dispute resolution techniques**薪资范围**此职位的薪资范围为:$149,500 - $249,300 Annual在通用磨坊,我们致力于确保员工在整个职业生涯各个阶段的薪酬,均能如实反映其当前职位所需的经验积累、绩效表现与专业技能。 本职位所列薪资范围,综合考量了招聘决策中的诸多因素,包括但不限于学历背景、专业技能、工作经验、专业证书等。因此,最终录用人员的实际薪酬将处于该范围内。 除基本薪资外,通用磨坊还提供具有竞争力的全面薪酬福利方案,全方位关注您的整体福祉。 我们引以为傲的基础保障涵盖:健康福利、退休储蓄与财务安全计划、休假制度、身心关怀支持及各类员工福利。 具体福利内容可能因职位、工作国家、所在地区、工会身份及其他雇佣状态因素而有所差异。 您也可能有资格参加年度激励奖金计划。 激励奖金(如有)将依据多重因素综合评定,包括个人绩效与公司业绩表现。