Position Summary and Purpose
The General Counsel serves as VP Racing Fuels’ chief legal advisor and a strategic business partner to each member of the executive and leadership team. The role supports growth and operational execution across fuels, chemicals, manufacturing, and distribution, with particular emphasis on acquisitions and integration, complex regulatory environments, and international business transactions and cross-border operations.
The General Counsel will initially operate as a legal team of one, personally handling core legal work, including drafting and negotiating agreements, advising business leaders, and resolving day-to-day legal issues. The role will strategically select and manage outside counsel and legal service providers for specialized expertise, local jurisdiction requirements, litigation, and additional capacity, while retaining accountability for legal strategy, quality, responsiveness, and cost.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
· Acquisitions and integration. Lead legal work on acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and strategic investments from initial evaluation through diligence, structuring, negotiation, approvals, and closing. Identify regulatory, environmental, commercial, employment, and intellectual property exposures; allocate risk in transaction documents; and partner with functional leaders on post-closing integration, contract transitions, entity governance, and compliance remediation.
· Executive partnership. Work directly with each executive and leadership team member to translate business objectives into practical legal strategies. Partner with Finance on transactions, financing, and risk; Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and quality and safety leaders on operational and regulatory matters; Sales and Marketing on commercial growth and brand protection; Human Resources on workforce matters; and technology leaders on data, systems, and cybersecurity.
· Regulatory and operational compliance. Guide compliance with applicable requirements affecting fuel and chemical formulation, manufacturing, blending, storage, transportation, marketing, and distribution. Advise on environmental obligations, permits, product safety and labeling, safety data sheets, hazardous materials, workplace safety, and fuel quality and emissions requirements. Coordinate with business owners and specialists on compliance programs, audits, corrective actions, and regulatory developments across operating jurisdictions.
· International business. Structure and negotiate cross-border transactions and commercial arrangements, including international supply, distribution, licensing, and strategic partnerships. Advise on market entry, foreign entity operations, customs, import and export controls, sanctions, anti-corruption, and competition requirements, coordinating local counsel and Finance on jurisdictional, tax, and transaction considerations.
· Commercial agreements. Personally draft, review, and negotiate customer, supplier, manufacturing, procurement, distributor, logistics, real estate, technology, licensing, sponsorship, and other material agreements. Support distribution relationships, territory rights, renewals, and terminations; establish clear commercial terms and workable risk allocation.
· Governance and enterprise risk. Advise executive leadership and the board or other governing bodies on governance, fiduciary responsibilities, corporate policies, and material legal risks. Maintain appropriate entity records and approvals; support financing and strategic initiatives; and develop practical ethics, compliance, reporting, and training processes.
· Disputes and incident response. Direct litigation, claims, internal investigations, government inquiries, and dispute resolution. Guide legal responses to product incidents, recalls, environmental matters, and other significant events; preserve privilege and relevant records; and coordinate with leadership, insurers, and outside counsel on response strategy and resolution.
· People and intellectual property. Partner with Human Resources on employment agreements, workplace investigations, labor and employment issues, and organizational changes. Protect trademarks, formulations, trade secrets, and other intellectual property through appropriate ownership, confidentiality, licensing, and enforcement strategies. Advise on privacy and cybersecurity obligations with relevant business leaders.
· Legal operations and external resources. Set priorities and manage the legal budget for a sole-practitioner function. Select outside counsel and legal service providers based on expertise, value, and business needs; define scope and fees, supervise work, and evaluate results. Build proportionate contract templates, playbooks, approval processes, records practices, and legal technology tools that improve speed and consistency.
Qualifications
· Education and licensure. Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar, with the ability to satisfy applicable requirements for in-house practice in the position’s jurisdiction.
· Experience. At least 10 years of progressive legal experience, including substantial in-house corporate experience and direct counsel to senior executives. A combination of law firm and in-house experience is preferred.
· Core capabilities. Demonstrated success leading M&A transactions and post-acquisition integration, negotiating complex commercial agreements, and supporting international transactions and cross-border operations. Strong experience navigating highly regulated businesses, corporate governance, disputes, and enterprise risk, with sound working knowledge of employment and intellectual property matters.
· Operating model and industry fit. Proven ability to deliver core legal work independently and manage specialized outside counsel and budgets. Experience in fuels, chemicals, energy, manufacturing, or distribution is strongly preferred, as is experience establishing a legal function and supporting international supply chains or distributor networks.
Leadership and Competencies
Sound judgment, integrity, and discretion; strong business and financial acumen; clear drafting and communication; and effective negotiation and executive influence. A practical, responsive leader who builds trusted relationships across functions, offers actionable options, distinguishes material risks, and manages competing priorities while remaining directly engaged in detailed legal work.
General Employment Provisions
VP Racing Fuels provides equal employment opportunity without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities in the application process and in performing essential job functions