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Reporting to the Deputy General Counsel, Assistant Secretary & Chief Compliance Officer, the Director, Global Trademarks & Patents, leads the company’s worldwide intellectual property portfolio, encompassing trademarks, patents, copyrights, trade secrets, and related assets. This executive is responsible for formulating and executing a comprehensive IP strategy that protects, enforces, and maximizes the value of the company’s innovations and brands, ensuring alignment with business objectives and regulatory requirements. Serving as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, the Director collaborates across functions to advance innovation, drive value creation, mitigate risk, and safeguard the company’s competitive position in the market.
Job Responsibility
Develop and implement strategic plans for the global IP portfolio, ensuring alignment with business goals and innovation priorities
Oversee trademark and patent management activities, including clearance, registration, enforcement, litigation, and anti-counterfeiting initiatives on a worldwide scale
Draft, review, and negotiate complex IP agreements such as technology transfer, licensing, joint development, and research collaborations, ensuring protection of company interests and compliance with legal standards
Advise and support cross-functional teams (e.g., R&D, marketing, product, licensing, engineering) with business-oriented IP guidance, including risk analysis and strategic counseling on innovation and commercialization
Lead and manage the IP legal team and external counsel/vendors, overseeing budget, resource allocation, and team development to ensure effective portfolio management and legal compliance
Direct responsibility for a multi-million-dollar IP portfolio, including prosecution, maintenance, enforcement, and litigation costs
Influence on company-wide innovation, brand, and risk management strategies through leadership in the protection and monetization of IP assets
Requirements
Juris Doctor (JD) and a USPTO bar registration required
Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania or ability to obtain a limited corporate counsel license in Pennsylvania
Minimum 12 years of experience in intellectual property, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets, including in-house legal department experience (preferably at a consumer-packaged goods company) or relevant law firm experience
In-depth knowledge of global IP, trademarks, and patent laws and regulations, especially as they relate to consumer products and processes
Ability to interpret and apply legal frameworks to complex business scenarios and develop innovative solutions to achieve organizational goals
Strong experience in defending IP claims, managing disputes, and providing risk management advice
Excellent oral and written communication, research, and analytical skills
Capacity to operate both autonomously and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary legal and business team environment
Nice to have
Some knowledge of food regulatory and compliance requirements preferred but not required