Sr. Counsel, Commercial Contracts & Vendor Management

General Mills Services, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 150,000 - 249,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Time off programs

Wellbeing support

Job summary

General Mills seeks a Senior Counsel, Commercial Contracts & Vendor Management, to advise the Sourcing and Procurement functions in Minneapolis, MN. The role focuses on high-stakes contracts, dispute resolution, and vendor governance within a fast-paced corporate environment.

The incumbent will negotiate indirect and direct materials contracts, lead contract templates and AI-assisted tooling, and collaborate with Sourcing, Finance, and Digital teams to drive business value.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar in the U.S.
• Minimum 7+ years in commercial contracting across indirect/direct materials
• Proven dispute resolution experience and negotiation capability

Responsibilities

• Prepare, draft, and negotiate a broad range of complex commercial agreements
• Provide legal support for indirect contracts: software, SaaS, IP licensing
• Draft and negotiate direct materials and supply chain contracts
• Develop templates, playbooks, and AI-assisted contracting tools
• Advise cross-functional partners on legal risk and contract interpretation
• Support enterprise vendor management function and resolve disputes

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Active bar admission (Minnesota preferred)

7+ years of post-J.D. commercial contracting experience

Dispute resolution experience

Strong drafting/negotiation/analytic skills

Job description

COMPANY OVERVIEW

We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best — bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one another and grow together. Because becoming the undisputed leader in food means surrounding ourselves with people who are hungry for what’s next.

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 escalates 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

SALARY RANGE

The salary range for this position is: $149,500 - $249,300 Annual

At General Mills we strive for each employee's pay at any point in their career to reflect their experiences performance and skills for their current role. The salary range for this role represents the numerous factors considered in the hiring decisions including, but not limited to, educations, skills, work experience, certifications, etc. As such, pay for the successful candidate(s) could fall anywhere within the stated range. Beyond base salary, General Mills offers a competitive Total Rewards package focusing on your overall well-being. We are proud to offer a foundation of health benefits, retirement and financial wellbeing, time off programs, wellbeing support and perks. Benefits may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors. You may also be eligible to participate in an annual incentive program. An incentive award, if any, depends on various factors, including, individual and organizational performance.

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must meet a minimum 18-year age qualification.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER (EOE)

General Mills is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital or familial status, status regarding public assistance, or membership or activity in a local human rights commission.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUEST

If you need to request an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please fill out our online accommodation request form by following this link: Accommodation Request.

New possibilities. Bold thinking. Real heart. Build remarkable brands with remarkable people. At General Mills, we make food the world loves. Across 100+ markets, we come together to create, innovate and grow. Here, you’ll do meaningful work and help to lead the future of food at a company that stands for good.