Job Description
At SanMar, the work you do makes a difference.
What’s the Short Version?
The Associate General Counsel serves as a strategic legal advisor to business leaders across the company, providing practical guidance on complex commercial, operational, and regulatory matters. This role requires substantial independent judgment to manage significant legal projects, lead high-value negotiations and cross-functional initiatives, develop scalable legal processes, and partner closely with executive leadership to support business growth while managing commercial, financial, operational, and reputational risk.
What Will You Be Doing?
- Draft, review, and negotiate complex commercial agreements (partnerships, licensing, manufacturing, distribution, MSAs, technology, vendor/supplier arrangements, leases, and capital improvement and operational services contracts), independently managing high-value matters from inception through resolution.
- Serve as a trusted legal advisor to business units and senior leadership, partnering cross-functionally to identify risks, develop practical solutions, and support strategic initiatives.
- Advise on domestic and international operations, including sourcing, supply chain, logistics, freight and shipping, manufacturing, distribution, cross-border trade, import/export compliance, and government relations.
- Provide legal counsel on domestic and international strategic business transactions, including investments, financings, joint ventures, acquisitions, and corporate restructurings, from initial evaluation and due diligence through execution, coordinating with outside counsel as needed.
- Lead complex cross-functional projects such as new market entry, product launches, and operational expansions, coordinating legal input across subject areas.
- Manage disputes, investigations, claims, and pre-litigation matters; oversee outside counsel relationships, legal budgets, and efficient use of legal resources.
- Advise on employment and labor matters, including employee relations, workplace policies, wage and hour compliance, leave administration, employment-related disputes, and management of employment litigation and agency proceedings.
- Advise on commercial credit operations, including customer credit policies, risk assessment frameworks, secured transactions, and management of collections and recovery matters.
- Oversee corporate governance, entity formation and maintenance, subsidiary management, and organizational structuring matters.
- Advise on intellectual property, branding, marketing, advertising, and product commercialization initiatives, as well as data privacy, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and other technology-related matters.
- Advise on product safety and regulatory compliance across federal, state, and international requirements, and monitor relevant legal developments.
- Build and maintain contract templates, negotiation playbooks, legal policies, and operational best practices; lead process improvement initiatives and deliver training designed to improve scalability, efficiency, and risk management across the organization.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Comply with all policies and standards.
What Are We Looking For?
- Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing
- 7-9 years of corporate legal experience
- Licensed Attorney (varies by state)
- Strong foundation in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex commercial agreements, including licensing, manufacturing, distribution, and technology arrangements
- Experience managing disputes, investigations, and outside counsel relationships
- Familiarity with employment and labor law, including employee relations, workplace investigations, and employment-related disputes
- Background in corporate governance and entity management
- Track record of building scalable legal processes, templates, playbooks, or training programs is preferred
- Experience with international operations, cross-border transactions, trade compliance, customs, import/export regulations, supply chain, government relations, or cross-border regulatory matters is a meaningful plus.
- Ability to translate complex legal issues into practical business guidance
- Comfortable working independently, exercising substantial judgment on high-value matters, and managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Strong communicator who builds trust with business partners across all levels of the organization
- Experience in the apparel, retail, wholesale, or consumer products industry is preferred but not required. Exposure to intellectual property, data privacy, technology transactions, product regulatory matters, or corporate transactions (M&A, investments, restructurings) is a plus
What’s Our Offer?
Salary Range: You`ll earn between $220,000 - $270,000 annually, depending on experience.
Bonus: You`ll be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus up to 20% of base salary.
Paid Time Off: You`ll accrue paid time off on a bi-weekly basis based on hours worked up to 152 hours per year to start. Employees also receive 8 paid holidays and 1 paid family day off.
Additional Benefits:
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits
- 401k plan and matches $1 for $1 up to 4% of earnings, matched & vested at every pay cycle
- Life insurance
- Short/long-term disability coverage
- Paid maternity/paternity leave
- Pet insurance
What Should You Expect?
Remote: Our standard working hours are 8:00-5:00 PST. Periodic travel may be required. The employee is regularly required to sit for extended periods while working on a computer and participating in virtual and in-person meetings. Frequent use of hands for keyboarding and standard office equipment is required. Occasional standing, walking, and reaching may be needed to attend meetings or collaborate in an office setting. The role requires the ability to perform close visual work on a computer for extended periods. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 10–15 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
Why Work at SanMar?
Our people are at the heart of everything we do. They bring their talent, passion and dedication to work with them every day. Their hard work inspires us and gives us purpose. We love working here together.
Whether you work in our headquarters, from your home or in one of our distribution centers across North America, we believe that investing in you is just the right thing to do. Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to support your health and well-being, life balance, career growth and (eventually) retirement.
SanMar works with brands you already know, like Nike, The North Face and Brooks Brothers, as well as providing industry-leading private label apparel and accessories. Our people come to work excited to do their part, providing clothing that helps people feel that they’re a part of something special.
Here’s your chance to be a part of this story. If you’re ready to work in a place where your participation matters and your growth is a priority, we’re ready for you.
SanMar is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, whoever you love or follow in faith, whatever your disability or superpower status, whichever ethnicity or gender you identify with, you are welcome at SanMar.
SanMar participates in E-Verify.
