Senior Director, Senior Counsel - Mergers & Acquisitions

This role requires the ability to work lawfully in the U.S. without employment-based immigration sponsorship, now or in the future.
This position is part of the Corporate Legal team that oversees mergers and acquisitions ("M&A"), joint ventures and investments. A primary focus of this position is to support other, more senior professionals, in providing legal advice and recommendations for action to executives and management. Research legal principles and precedents and apply knowledge of one or more legal specialties. Gather relevant matter-related information and draft legal documents. Counsel and advise senior leaders and management on legal matters and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Provide work guidance to paraprofessionals and support staff in developing solutions to problems presented.

This role can be based at either our corporate office in St. Louis MO, or our corporate office in Stamford CT.

How You'll Make an Impact

• Actively and consistently support all efforts to simplify and enhance the customer experience.
• Gather relevant related information and draft, negotiate, and prepare transaction documents on complex legal issues with no or very limited direction
• Organize the development of plans related to the assigned area and provide direction to attorneys, paralegals, legal staff, and internal clients
• Support various business units by assessing legal risk and providing legal solutions to business issues
• Meet with business clients and third parties
• Advise management on legal matters and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations
• Provide legal advice and counsel for complex matters to the assigned business unit senior leadership or other client groups as needed
• Provide work guidance to support staff in developing solutions to problems presented
• Research and draft summaries of complex legal issues
• Prepare analysis on topics related to assigned areas and present it to leadership
• Coordinate and manage outside counsel
• Research and interpret legal principles and precedents and draft plans and/or agreements to resolve matters by applying knowledge of one or more legal specialties
• Interact regularly with internal clients and understand the interworking, challenges, and goals of the business unit
• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts and other legal documents to ensure the company's full legal rights have been met
• Evaluate existing policies, procedures, and applicable training for the Company including related areas of legal/business practices
• Work with attorneys in other legal practice areas and business units to proactively identify and address key legal issues for management
• Keep informed of industry-specific regulations and ensure that appropriate risk management strategies are in place
• Provides employees with business knowledge and context
• Prepare and present compliance and legal briefings to management
• Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate a dedicated legal staff comprised of attorneys, paralegals, and administrative personnel
• Demonstrate a commitment to personal and professional development and ensures the team feels supported to do likewise
• Proactively builds talent and fills existing capability gaps
• Advocate on behalf of the team for resources and opportunities
• Remove systemic barriers to team performance by leveraging appropriate information, relationships and resources
• Seek opportunities that will produce substantial, long-term improvements
• Perform other duties as requested

• Office environment
• Willingness and ability to travel up to and sometimes exceed an estimated 25% of the time

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school
• Admission to the State Bar in which Attorney practices

• 7+ years of legal practice experience
• 7+ years in designated area of expertise

• Ability to read, write, speak and understand English
• Proven leadership and mentoring skills
• Proven verbal and communication skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with all levels within the organization
• Proven knowledge and understanding of corporate law
• Proven ability to think strategically and anticipate future trends, needs, and expectations
• Proven business planning and forecasting skills
• Demonstrated experience in creating legal defensive and proactive strategies
• Demonstrated leadership in interpersonal relationship-building and decision-making skills with all levels within the organization
• Proven experience in supporting geographically diverse stakeholders and direct reports
• Demonstrated strategic planning skills in a fast-paced/high-performing and changing environment
• Proven analytic, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated ability in team building, inclusion, accountability, and creating a culture of collaboration
• Advanced Microsoft Office Suite computer skills
• Proven experience in budgeting and forecasting