Director, Legal Counsel, Customer – North America

Job description

Job Description Summary: At The Coca‑Cola Company, every customer partnership is an opportunity to fuel growth, protect our brands, and enable innovation across our expansive portfólio. Legais plays a critical role in making this happen by unlocking commercial possibilities that maximize value while managing risk in a dynamic, highly regulated environment. The Director, Legal Counsel, Customer – North America is a senior member of the Customer Legal team, advising on complex, high-value customer relationships and initiatives across multiple channels. This includes leading negotiations for strategic commercial agreements, supporting digital commerce initiatives, and partnering with business leaders to advance Coca‑Cola’s market objectives. If you are a strategic, solutions-oriented lawyer with a passion for translating complexity into clear, actionable guidance—and thrive in roles that combine contract excellence with enterprise collaboration—this opportunity offers a unique chance to shape customer relationships that drive business and brand growth across North America. What You’ll Do for Us Commercial Agreements & Strategic Transactions Lead drafting and negotiation of sophisticated, high-value customer contracts with major retail and foodservice partners, ensuring agreements reflect both commercial ambition and legal integrity . Provide actionable, risk-informed legal advice for strategic customer initiatives, digital commerce platforms , loyalty programs, and integrated marketing activations. Assess legal risk in business plans and present clear alternatives, practical mitigations, and commercially aligned solutions . Cross-Functional Legal Integration Collaborate with Regulatory, Privacy, Antitrust, Marketing & IP, and Compliance colleagues to address multidimensional issues, including those arising from emerging digital models. Act as a key legal contributor for enterprise projects ensuring alignment with corporate standards and governance principles. Build cross-functional alignment among business and legal stakeholders to enable seamless delivery of advice. Process Optimization & Technology Enablement Partner with Sales and Legal teams to improve contract process efficiency through playbooks, templates, and automation efforts. Champion adoption of digital tools and workflow enhancements that simplify contracting while maintaining compliance controls . Leadership & Talent Development Mentor legal team members and conduct training programs for business colleagues on regulatory updates, risk awareness, and best practices in commercial dealings. Foster a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and continuous improvement within the legal organization. Qualifications & Requirements Law degree (JD or equivalent) and qualified to practice in Georgia or another U.S. jurisdiction . Minimum 5+ years of experience in commercial law, with a strong track record handling complex agreements; exposure to digital commerce or highly regulated industries a plus. Experience gained at a leading law firm and/or an international in-house legal department . Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and build consensus on high-value, strategic decisions. Strong business acumen and ability to translate legal complexity into practical, actionable guidance . Excellent negotiation, drafting, and analytical skills with a proactive mindset for issue-spotting and risk assessment. Willingness to travel 10–15% (domestic/international) as needed. What We’ll Do for You Impact at Scale: Support long-term partnerships with some of Coca‑Cola’s largest and most strategic customers. Dynamic Work: Operate at the intersection of commerce, law, and technology , enabling digital and experiential transformations in customer engagement. Inclusive Growth Environment: Join a collaborative legal network committed to unlocking opportunities and fostering continuous development. World-Class Brand Portfolio: Advise on initiatives that shape the future of iconic and innovative beverages loved by billions of consumers globally. The Coca-Cola Company will not offer sponsorship for employment status (including, but not limited to, H1-B visa status and other employment-based nonimmigrant visas) for this position. Accordingly, all applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis and must not require The Coca-Cola Company's sponsorship to continue to work legally in the United States. Skills: Commercial Contract Negotiations, Contract Agreements, Contractual Drafting, Corporate Governance, Digital Commerce, Legal Strategies, Policy Governance Pay Range: United States: 170,000 - 200,000 USD Base pay offered may vary depending on geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position, is offered. Annual Incentive Reference Value Percentage: 30 Annual Incentive reference value is a market-based competitive value for your role. It falls in the middle of the range for your role, indicating performance at target. Location(s): United States of America City/Cities: Atlanta Travel Required: 00% - 25% Relocation Provided: No Job Posting End Date: September 22, 2026 Our Purpose and Growth Culture: We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Vision to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class. 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