Challengemfgcompany2mo ago

Executive General Counsel

Walkermid

OtherCounselExecutive General Counsel

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Quick Summary

Key Responsibilities

Serve as the company’s senior legal executive, leading all legal functions and acting as a trusted advisor to the CEO and executive leadership team on legal risk, governance,

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OtherCounselExecutive General Counsel

Responsibilities

~2 min read

→Serve as the company’s senior legal executive, leading all legal functions and acting as a trusted advisor to the CEO and executive leadership team on legal risk, governance, and strategic business decisions.
→Own and oversee the full litigation portfolio, including commercial disputes, employment litigation, workers’ compensation, regulatory matters, and customer/supplier claims within the OEM/Tier-1 supply chain. Develop enterprise litigation strategy, manage external counsel, drive cost-effective resolution, and where appropriate handle select matters in-house.
→Provide strategic legal counsel across all business functions, including manufacturing, engineering, automation, supply chain, sales, HR, and corporate leadership.
→Lead the development and execution of company-wide risk management and compliance programs aligned with automotive regulatory requirements, customer expectations, and industry standards.
→Draft, review, negotiate, and oversee all major commercial agreements including OEM customer contracts, supplier agreements, tooling agreements, confidentiality agreements, and service contracts.
→Monitor evolving legal and regulatory developments impacting automotive manufacturing, supply chain operations, labor and employment, and commercial relationships, ensuring proactive compliance and governance.
→Establish departmental strategy, operating plans, budgets, and performance metrics aligned with enterprise objectives.
→Build, lead, and develop a high-performing legal team, including talent acquisition, professional development, performance management, and succession planning.
→Partner with executive leadership to support long-term corporate strategy through legal governance, enterprise risk management, and organizational capability development.
→Collaborate with Learning & Development teams to enhance company-wide awareness of legal compliance, litigation readiness, and risk mitigation best practices.

Requirements

~3 min read

Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an ABA-accredited law school with a strong academic record demonstrating excellence in legal research, writing, and analysis (required).
Licensed to practice law in the State of Michigan (or ability to obtain Michigan licensure promptly) with a strong professional standing and clean disciplinary record (required).
15+ years of progressive legal experience, including executive-level responsibility for litigation management, commercial contracting, labor and employment matters, and regulatory compliance within complex business environments (required).
Demonstrated hands-on experience managing commercial and employment litigation, including workers’ compensation matters and labor disputes (required).
Proven experience supporting unionized workforces, including interpretation and administration of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), grievance processes, arbitrations, and labor relations strategy (UAW or similar unions) (required).
Strong working knowledge of contract law, labor and employment law, regulatory compliance, and enterprise risk management principles (required).
Demonstrated ability to serve as a strategic advisor to senior leadership while balancing legal risk, operational realities, and business objectives (required).
Executive-level communication, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills across diverse internal and external audiences (required).
Proven leadership experience managing legal teams, external counsel, departmental budgets, and performance objectives (required).
High standards of integrity, confidentiality, and ethical leadership (required).
Advanced legal education or credentials beyond the JD, such as a Master of Laws (LLM) in Corporate Law, Labor & Employment Law, Compliance, or a related discipline (preferred).
Executive legal leadership or governance programs (e.g., executive education in corporate governance, risk management, or compliance) (preferred).
Legal training or early career experience with a nationally recognized law firm or complex commercial litigation practice (preferred).
Legal leadership experience within OEM, Tier-1, or Tier-2 automotive manufacturing environments, particularly in high-volume, unionized operations (preferred).
Prior in-house counsel experiences supporting complex manufacturing organizations or automotive supply chain operations (preferred).
Deep familiarity with automotive regulatory requirements, OEM customer compliance standards, supplier codes of conduct, and industry governance frameworks (preferred).
Experience handling complex supply chain disputes, customer claims, warranty litigation, and high-value commercial matters (preferred).
Demonstrated experience developing enterprise compliance programs, governance frameworks, and enterprise risk management (ERM) strategies (preferred).
Proven success building, scaling, or modernizing a legal department in a growing or transforming organization (preferred).

What We Offer:
We’re excited to offer a range of awesome benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a Health Savings Account with annual employer contributions, Flexible Spending Accounts, company-paid Short-Term Disability and Basic Life Insurance, Voluntary Life and Long-Term Disability options, an Employer 401k Match, ESOP shares, tuition reimbursement, a Referral Bonus Program, Challenge Incentive Program, and paid time off.

Please note, while these benefits are part of what we offer, they may not all apply to this specific role. The details shared in this job description are intended to give you a general idea, but duties and responsibilities may evolve over time, with or without notice. And of course, we’re happy to provide reasonable accommodations to help individuals with disabilities succeed in their role.