Associate General Counsel - US BU Counsel

Associate General Counsel – US BU Counsel
Location: Chicago, IL or Pittsburgh, PA | Department: North America Legal | Reports To: VP, Legal – US Commercial, Food Law & Regulatory

About the role:
Kraft Heinz is seeking a highly competent, detail-oriented, and proactive leader and team player to serve as Associate General Counsel – US BU Counsel. This newly created role will provide primary legal support for two U.S. Business Units, serving as a trusted business partner to BU leadership and teams while enabling business objectives through timely, effective, practical, and creative legal advice.

Reporting to the VP, Legal – US Commercial, Food Law & Regulatory, this role will partner closely with subject-matter experts across Legal, Regulatory, Government Affairs, and Communications. The Associate General Counsel will advise on a broad range of matters, including innovation, product claims, consumer and customer insights, marketing, advertising, partnerships, category management, sales, pricing, operations, manufacturing, and supply chain-related activities.

What You'll Do:

• Serve as the primary legal advisor to assigned U.S. Business Units, providing day-to-day legal guidance that supports business priorities and mitigates legal, regulatory, reputational, and operational risk.
• Analyze and negotiate complex commercial transactions, including sales, supply, customer, retailer, marketing, advertising, promotions, social media, influencer, and partnership agreements.
• Advise on advertising, marketing communications, product claims, packaging, and claims substantiation to ensure materials are truthful, accurate, and compliant with applicable federal and state regulations and voluntary standards.
• Partner with Legal, Regulatory, Government Affairs, Communications, Supply Chain, Procurement, IS, and other functions to deliver clear, consistent, business-oriented guidance.
• Support product commercialization activities by partnering with Regulatory to ensure compliance with laws and policies governing the production, labeling, and distribution of food.
• Develop and implement strategies that support legally compliant commercial relationships and proactive risk management.
• Manage outside counsel, as needed, to ensure practical, business-focused, and cost-effective legal support.
• Lead or support matters involving competitor claims, NAD or other self-regulatory proceedings, and related commercial claims issues.
• Develop and deliver training and capability-building tools on relevant legal topics for business stakeholders.
• Maintain an external focus by monitoring emerging legal, regulatory, and industry issues and seeking outside perspectives to inform business guidance.
• Travel occasionally, primarily within North America, to support Kraft Heinz locations, clients, and facilities.

Key Relationships:
This role works closely with BU Presidents and leadership teams, brand teams, sales teams, supply chain and operations teams, Corporate Affairs, Regulatory, Government Affairs, Communications, and other executives. External relationships may include ad agencies, promotions agencies, customers, licensing partners, outside counsel, regulators, government officials, and select trade associations.

What We're Looking For:

• Exceptional communicator with the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, practical, business-oriented advice.
• Proven ability to facilitate challenging business discussions, build consensus, challenge the status quo, and drive resolution.
• Strong commercial judgment and business acumen, including a working understanding of financial metrics, P&L fundamentals, and budget management.
• Self-starter who can operate independently while collaborating effectively across an interdisciplinary legal team and cross-functional stakeholder groups.
• Strong research, analytical, negotiation, presentation, relationship-building, and advocacy skills.
• Ability to inspire trust and confidence with senior stakeholders and build strong relationships across the organization.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to prioritize effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Committed to compliance, integrity, confidentiality, and continuous professional development.
• Respectful of individual differences and able to seek out, value, and incorporate diverse viewpoints.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and Juris Doctor (J.D.) or equivalent credential from an accredited law school required.
• Member of a state bar in good standing required.
• Ability to obtain admission or appropriate corporate counsel license in the state of the candidate's work location, as applicable.
• 10+ years of relevant legal experience, including law firm and in-house experience.
• Extensive experience counseling, drafting, and negotiating a wide range of commercial agreements, including sales, supply, marketing, advertising, promotions, social media, retail, trade, and partnership agreements.
• Experience supporting marketing/advertising, corporate and retail sales, operations/supply chain, intellectual property, and/or regulatory matters.
• Experience with FDA, USDA, FTC, and antitrust regulations is critical.
• Experience negotiating commercial agreements with customers, retailers, suppliers, and marketing-related vendors or partners, including joint promotions, advertising, partnerships, and social media influencers.
• Experience in risk evaluation, management, mitigation, and remediation.
• Experience in a food and/or consumer-packaged goods company is preferred.

Our Culture:
At Kraft Heinz, we are driven by ownership, collaboration, and a commitment to delivering meaningful impact. We look for leaders who bring practical judgment, curiosity, humility, and a passion for helping the business move with speed, discipline, and integrity.