Senior Vice President of Legal & Deputy General Counsel

Job description

Creating a world where pets live longer, healthier lives, from their very first meal. ### [Learn more about our brands.](https://goldenpetbrands.com/our-brands) **We’re Looking For A(n):** Senior Vice President of Legal & Deputy General Counsel **Location:** Hybrid (El Segundo, CA and/or Burbank/North Hollywood, CA) **What You’ll Be Doing:** The Senior Vice President or Legal & Deputy General Counsel (SVP & DGC) will be responsible for leading the company's legal strategy and management in alignment with business objectives. As a key member of the executive leadership team, the SVP & DGC will drive legal excellence, risk management, corporate governance, and compliance across the enterprise. This role requires a leader who can balance pragmatic, business-first counsel with the rigor, governance, and transparency required of a sophisticated, high-growth organization. An ideal candidate would have previous public company experience as a General Counsel or 5+ years of experience as Deputy General Counsel with proven SEC and Board/C-Suite management interaction. This role reports to the current GC/CLO with the intention of becoming the GC/CLO for the company after an interim period and demonstrated success in the company. Must be located in Los Angeles and have the required experience listed below. Executive Leadership & Strategy - Partner with the CEO, CFO and Board of Directors on governance matters, risk oversight, and strategic initiatives - Develop and execute a comprehensive legal strategy aligned with long-term business goals and investor expectations - Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on corporate structure, M&A, commercial transactions, and enterprise risk - Build and lead a high-performing legal function that operates as a true business partner across the organization Corporate Governance & Compliance - Design and maintain a robust corporate governance framework, including Board and committee charters, policies, and reporting cadences - Oversee compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulatory requirements - Partner with Finance and the Board on governance disclosures, reporting obligations, and fiduciary responsibilities - Implement and manage internal controls related to legal and compliance processes in alignment with best-in-class governance standards - Advise on equity plan administration, capitalization table matters, and investor-related agreements Commercial & Transactional Legal - Lead all M&A activity, including due diligence, structuring, negotiation, and integration - Oversee commercial contracting across procurement, sales, licensing, co-manufacturing, and distribution - Manage and optimize the company's use of outside counsel to ensure cost-effective, high-quality legal support - Provide legal support for financing transactions, including debt, equity, and strategic partnerships Regulatory, IP & Litigation - Oversee the company's intellectual property portfolio, including trademarks, trade secrets, and licensing agreements - Manage all litigation, regulatory proceedings, and dispute resolution strategy - Ensure compliance with food safety, labeling, and pet product regulatory requirements (FDA, - AAFCO, FTC, etc.) - Monitor legislative and regulatory developments affecting the business and proactively advise leadership Risk Management & Ethics - Develop and lead an enterprise-wide risk management framework - Own the company's Code of Conduct, ethics hotline, and compliance training programs - Partner with HR and Finance on employment matters, executive compensation, and benefits-related legal issues - Lead data privacy and cybersecurity legal strategy, including compliance with CCPA and applicable data protection laws **Qualifications (Note: We strongly encourage you to apply even if you don’t tick ALL of these boxes.):** - 15+ years of legal experience, with 5+ in-house at a corporate legal function in a public company - Proven public company track record in corporate governance, M&A, SEC, and commercial legal areas, including advertising, regulatory (FDA/FTC), ERISA/benefits, and intellectual property - Corporate legal experience with organizations having complex corporate/ownership structures - Deep expertise in SEC law, corporate governance, commercial transactions, and Board/C-suite engagement is particularly critical for this role - Demonstrated success in building, managing, and scaling legal operations in a high-growth company - Exceptional executive presence, communication, and stakeholder management skills - Prior experience as General Counsel or Deputy General Counsel in a public company - Required Education:U.S. law degree (JD) - Preferred Education: Top U.S. law school - Preferred Experience: Deep in SEC law and associated public company governance including managing and planning public Board meetings and associated governance with management. - Preferred Licensure/Certification: California Bar - Required Licensure/Certification: Admitted to the California Bar **Golden Perks & Benefits:** - Comprehensive healthcare coverage – We cover **100% of premiums** for medical, dental, and vision plans for employee-only plans. - Annual bonus - We match up to**3.5% of your 401k contributions**, ensuring your retirement savings grow alongside your career. - **6 paid sick and mental health days,** an Employee Assistance Program, free weekly yoga and meditation classes, and additional mental health benefits, because we take a holistic approach to your well-being. - Invest in your future with our **Employee Stock Ownership Plan**, where company contributions fund your retirement plan with company stock. [Learn more.](https://www.goldenhippo.com/esop) - **Reimbursements for a portion of personal cell phone and internet usage** for eligible employees. - **Professional development** **opportunities** with mentorship, continuous learning programs, and performance-based pay increases, empowering you to progress and excel in your career. - Through our charity sponsorships, you can make a positive impact on communities worldwide. We’ve donated over **$9 million** to date. - Potential for quarterly KPI bonuses. The base salary range is $320,000-$400,000, plus bonus potential. The posted salary range in this job posting reflects data based on California's cost of labor analysis. This salary range is subject to change per state; please click [here](https://www.golden-careers.com/Nationwide-Salary-Transparency) to find the pay differential in your state of residence if the role is remote. Salary is based on a wide range of factors that include relevant experience, knowledge, skills, other job-related qualifications, and geographical location. We will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law. **A Note to Recruiting Agencies:** At Golden Pet Brands, we handle all hiring through our internal Talent Acquisition team. Occasionally, we might use staffing or recruiting agencies to support our internal team in finding the right candidates. Agencies are *not* authorized to contact our hiring teams directly to present candidates. Our internal Talent Acquisition team is responsible for all candidate presentations to our hiring managers. Golden Pet Brands will need written approval and a signed agreement before submitting any candidate info for a specific job opening. Without this, we won’t pay any fees for placements. Thank you for your understanding. **Candidate Safety:** The safety of our candidates is our highest priority. When looking for a job, please be aware of cyber criminals, fake domains, and fraudulent job offers. Golden Pet Brands recruiters will **only** contact applicants from our official company e-mail domain, ([NAME@GOLDENPETBRANDS.COM](mailto:NAME@GOLDENPETBRANDS.COM)) or through our internal Applicant Tracking System, Greenhouse. In addition, Golden Pet Brands recruiters will **never**send you checks, or ask you to disclose personal financial details. [Click here to learn more about general internet safety and our hiring practices.](https://www.goldenhippo.com/internet-safety)