Description:

Role Overview:
Azure Standard is a mission-driven, family-owned organization committed to inspiring healthy and abundant living. We are seeking a Director of Legal & Risk Management to serve as a strategic advisor and steward of legal integrity across the enterprise.

This role exists to protect Azure's people, relationships, brand, and long-term sustainability, while enabling responsible growth. The Director of Legal & Risk Management partners closely with Executive Leadership to proactively manage legal risk, compliance, and governance in a way that aligns with Azure's mission, vision, and core values.

This is not a reactive legal role. It is a trusted, values-centered leadership position designed to bring clarity, structure, and discernment to complex legal and risk-based decisions.

Key Responsibilities:
Corporate, Commercial & Contract Law

Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of contracts including vendor agreements, distribution agreements, NDAs, licensing agreements, broker agreements, franchise-adjacent documents, technology agreements, and professional services contracts
Support Sales, Purchasing, Operations, and Executive teams with practical legal guidance that enables growth while mitigating risk
Establish and maintain standardized contract templates and approval workflows

Organizational Structure & Corporate Governance

Advise Executive Leadership on corporate structure, subsidiaries, affiliates, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships
Support governance best practices, including corporate resolutions, board support, and entity compliance
Maintain corporate records, filings, and entity documentation across states and jurisdictions
Provide legal insight during mergers, acquisitions, expansions, or restructures

Intellectual Property & Brand Protection

Manage and protect Azure's trademarks, copyrights, and proprietary brand assets
Oversee trademark filings, renewals, monitoring, and enforcement
Partner with CX, Brand, Marketing, and Product teams to ensure compliant and protected brand usage
Support licensing agreements and intellectual property strategy for proprietary brands

Employment, HR & Workforce Legal Support

Partner with Employee Services (HR) on employment law matters, including policies & investigations, and workers' compensation
Advise on wage and hour compliance, multi-state employment laws, and workforce regulations
Support response to claims, complaints, audits, or agency inquiries (e.g., EEOC, state labor agencies)

Risk Management & Insurance Oversight

Identify, assess, and mitigate enterprise-level legal and operational risk
Partner with Finance and Operations to oversee insurance programs, including general liability, product liability, workers' compensation, auto, cyber, and D&O insurance
Review claims, manage loss trends, and collaborate with brokers and carriers
Support incident response and risk mitigation strategies across facilities, logistics, and customer-facing operations

Licensing, Permits & Regulatory Compliance

Oversee business licenses, permits, and registrations across local, state, and federal jurisdictions
Ensure compliance related to food distribution, manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, and e-commerce operations
Monitor regulatory changes impacting Azure's business and proactively advise leadership
Coordinate with outside counsel or regulatory agencies as needed

General Legal

Take the lead on legal research for any legal matter that arises across the organization, ensuring accurate, timely, and practical guidance for leadership
Identify when specialized legal expertise is required and procure, manage, and coordinate outside specialists as needed, ensuring alignment with Azure's values, risk tolerance, and cost stewardship

Privacy, Data Protection & Technology Risk

Advise on data privacy, consumer protection, and cybersecurity obligations
Partner with Technology, CX, and Marketing teams on privacy policies, terms of service, consent practices, and data governance
Support incident response planning for data breaches or technology-related risks

Compliance, Ethics & Internal Controls

Support development and maintenance of internal policies and compliance frameworks
Provide guidance on ethical business practices aligned with Azure's values
Assist in internal investigations and risk assessments
Support training and education for leaders on legal and compliance topics

Litigation & Outside Counsel Management

Manage and coordinate outside legal counsel, ensuring cost-effective and values-aligned representation
Oversee litigation strategy, settlements, and dispute resolution when necessary
Serve as internal point of accountability for legal spend and outcomes

Values-Centered Legal Leadership

Serve as a strategic advisor to the C-suite, providing clear legal insight, risk assessment, and well-reasoned recommendations that support informed business decisions
Enable leaders to move forward confidently by outlining legal considerations, options, and trade-offs; rather than simply identifying constraints
Balance legal risk with business opportunity, helping leadership understand what is possible, what is prudent, and what is required
Support decision-making that aligns with Azure's mission, vision, and core values while protecting the long-term health of the organization
Communicate legal guidance in a practical, grounded, and accessible way that empowers leaders across the company
Partner collaboratively with executive leadership to navigate complex or sensitive matters with wisdom, discernment, and integrity

Requirements:
Qualifications:

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school
Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, Oregon strongly preferred
8+ years of relevant legal experience (in-house and/or law firm), preferably supporting multi-state or regulated operations
Strong experience in contracts, employment law, risk management, and corporate governance
Demonstrated ability to partner cross-functionally with senior leaders
Practical, solutions-oriented approach with sound judgment

What Success Looks Like in This Role