Associate General Counsel

Please ensure your internet browser is updated to the latest version.  Candidates have experienced issues with submitting applications from older browser versions.

Department: Legal

Reports To: Vice President Human Resources & General Counsel

Travel Required: Up to 15%

Work Type: On site

Why Join Community Coffee?

At Community Coffee, every cup tells a story. As America's #1 family-owned and operated retail coffee brand, we blend cherished traditions with innovative thinking to create a dynamic, fast-paced environment that's as energizing as our coffee. Here, you'll thrive in a setting that challenges you to grow professionally while making a meaningful impact every day. Join our family and transform your passion for coffee into a rewarding career—where every day is an opportunity to craft exceptional experiences and build lasting connections.

Position Overview

The Associate General Counsel provides strategic legal guidance and operational oversight to advance Community Coffee's business goals while ensuring compliance and effective governance across the enterprise. This role partners closely with the General Counsel, executive leadership, and cross-functional teams to manage legal matters, corporate governance, compliance, intellectual property, employment law, real estate, and commercial transactions.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Strategy & Counsel

• Serve as a trusted legal and strategic advisor to senior leadership, aligning legal strategy with organizational objectives while balancing risk and business opportunity.
• Anticipate emerging legal, regulatory, and compliance issues affecting the coffee and CPG industries, offering forward-looking counsel that supports growth and innovation.
• Provide legal guidance and risk assessment for business initiatives, commercial agreements, and company policies.
• Draft, review, and negotiate complex contracts, including vendor, supply, distribution, licensing, and service agreements.
• Advise on corporate structure, entity management, and governance matters.
• Support the General Counsel in ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Foster collaboration across departments to embed legal and governance considerations early in decision-making.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Develop and implement policies, training, and programs to promote a culture of ethics and compliance across the organization.
• Provide counsel on employment-related matters, including investigations, terminations, and policy development in partnership with Human Resources.
• Advise on real estate transactions, leases, and property-related matters.
• Support the protection of intellectual property assets, including trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.
• Oversee management of outside counsel to ensure efficient, high-quality legal representation.

Corporate Transactions

• Assist with mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and other corporate transactions as needed.
• Support due diligence, risk evaluation, and transactional execution to facilitate strategic growth.

Leadership & Culture

• Model integrity, discretion, and professionalism in all interactions.
• Build trusted relationships across the organization by providing timely, practical, and business-oriented legal counsel.
• Champion Community Coffee's values of Champion People, Inspire Creativity, Wow Our Customers, Serve Our Communities, and Win Together.
• Foster a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement within the Legal function.

*May be asked to perform additional duties as necessary

Position Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school required.
• Active bar membership in good standing; Louisiana bar admission strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 8 years of progressive legal experience, with a combination of law firm and in-house counsel experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior leadership on corporate governance, compliance, and enterprise risk management.
• Proven expertise in commercial transactions, including drafting and negotiating complex contracts (vendor, supply, distribution, licensing, and services).
• Experience supporting Board of Directors and committee governance, including preparation of agendas, minutes, resolutions, and maintenance of corporate records.
• Strong working knowledge of employment law, with experience partnering with Human Resources on employee relations, investigations, and policy development.
• Experience managing outside counsel and legal spend effectively.
• Exposure to real estate transactions, intellectual property protection, and regulatory compliance preferred.
• Industry experience in CPG, manufacturing, distribution, or food & beverage strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to apply business judgment and deliver practical, solution-oriented legal advice in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and build trust across all levels of the organization.
• High ethical standards, sound judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities with discretion and attention to detail.

Foundational Competencies

• Builds Trust
• Continuous Learner
• Customer Centric
• Effective Communication
• Integrity
• Results Oriented

Additional Competencies

• Enterprise Perspective
• Influence
• Manages Uncertainty
• Stakeholder management

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to do the following:

• Frequently required to sit
• Occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls and reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear
• Regularly required to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus

Our Values

Champion People

Inspire Creativity

Wow Our Customers

Serve Our Communities

Win Together

Community Coffee Company offers a competitive salary and benefits package including health, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k), short- and long-term disability, paid time off and employee assistance program.
 

Community Coffee Company and its subsidiary companies will provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to an applicant's or employee's race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, gender, genetic information, uniformed service, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, pregnancy, or any other status protected by federal or state law. Community Coffee Company will provide reasonable accommodations to allow an applicant to participate in the hiring process (e.g., accommodations for a test or job interview) if so requested. When completing this application, you may exclude information that would disclose or otherwise reference your race, religion, age, sex, genetic, veteran status, disability or any other status protected by federal or state law. Community Coffee Company will also provide reasonable accommodations to allow an employee to perform the essential functions of a position, as required by applicable law.  This application is considered current for sixty (60) days only. At the end of this period, if you are still interested in employment, it will be necessary for you to reapply by completing a new application.