Sr. Counsel, Commercial Contracts & Vendor Management
General MillsCOMPANY 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 l…