Senior Counsel, Transactions & Market Compliance

Ford Motor Company • Topeka, KS • 5d ago

The Senior Counsel, Transactions and Market Compliance will serve as a senior legal expert, strategic advisor, and trusted partner to Ford Corporate Development, Supply Chain, Product Development, Finance, and other departments, as well as to Ford senior business leadership and operational teams. This role is principally focused on leading the provision of proactive legal advice and counseling regarding major U.S. and cross-border transactions --- complex commercial arrangements, strategic alliances, as well as mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures - across our automotive and adjacent businesses.

This role involves hands-on transaction strategy and planning, as well as negotiation, drafting, and execution with counterparties around the world, requiring a lawyer with demonstrated experience independently leading significant, complex, cross-functional commercial transactions. The successful candidate must also have demonstrated experience in a senior legal role leading, evaluating, managing, and developing a team of attorneys and legal professionals. The candidate must possess extensive experience negotiating and drafting a wide range of complex commercial agreements, including strategic transaction documents, commercial arrangements, supply, services, manufacturing, technology, and other business-critical agreements. The ideal candidate will prioritize proactive counseling and leadership while delivering real-time, practical guidance that aligns with Ford's strategic business objectives and values.

You Will...

Lead and manage the legal workstream on domestic and international mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, carve-outs, minority investments, collaborations, and joint ventures from strategy and diligence through negotiation, signing, closing, and post-closing integration. Lead the legal workstream to draft, structure, and negotiate a wide range of complex commercial agreements and transaction documents, including purchase agreements, joint venture and shareholder agreements, supply, service, manufacturing, technology, strategic collaboration, licensing, and other business-critical agreements. Lead complex commercial transactions involving Ford's global supply chain, engineering, and manufacturing teams. Participate in senior level planning and strategy development, and negotiate directly with counterparties and joint venture partners worldwide Demonstrate strong strategic thinking, communication, people-leadership, and project management skills. Balance legal risks with business goals, demonstrating a strong ability to find creative, compliant pathways to achieve business objectives (finding the "yes" through risk-calibrated solutions). Counsel senior management, including officers and business unit leadership, on transaction risk, deal alternatives, governance, and execution strategy; prepare and present recommendations to executive leadership. Identify and champion responsible uses of artificial intelligence, automation, and legal technology to improve the speed, efficiency, consistency, and quality of transaction execution and legal service delivery, while maintaining sound legal judgment, confidentiality, privilege, compliance, and appropriate human oversight. Lead, manage, mentor, evaluate, and develop attorneys, paralegals, and other legal professionals, including by setting priorities, providing practical guidance, and fostering strong team performance. Coordinate cross-functional legal teams worldwide. Oversee outside counsel, including scope, staffing, budgets, and work product quality, with disciplined cost management. Develop and improve templates, playbooks, and precedent libraries to increase the speed, consistency, and quality of transaction execution. Support enterprise initiatives in areas such as electrification, software and connectivity, energy, autonomy, and government or defense-related programs.

You'll Have...

Education: Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school. Bar Admission: Active member in good standing of at least one U.S. State Bar (with the ability to register as in-house counsel if relocating). Experience: Minimum of 15 years of demonstrated and deep leadership experience in the negotiation and drafting of a wide range of significant complex commercial agreements and U.S. and global mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, collaborations. Supply Chain Transactions: Substantial experience leading complex commercial transactions relating to a global supply chain for manufacturing. Global Reach: Demonstrated experience negotiating and closing transactions with counterparties located outside the United States. Executive Counseling: Demonstrated experience working with and advising senior company management on significant legal and business matters. Team Leadership: Demonstrated experience in a senior legal role leading, managing, mentoring, and developing a team of attorneys and legal professionals, including responsibility for team priorities, performance, work allocation, and professional development. Legal Expertise: Exceptional drafting, negotiation, and business judgment. Communication Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, actionable, and business-friendly advice. Executive Presence: Strong interpersonal skills and the professional maturity to advise, influence, and build trust with senior executives and stakeholders. Travel: Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally as business necessities require.

You May also Have...

Industry Experience: Experience providing legal support within the automotive or energy sectors. Dual Experience: A combination of rigorous training at a major law firm and subsequent in-house corporate legal experience.

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