Counsel I, Commercial Law

Join Ecolab as Counsel I, providing legal counsel and services supporting Ecolab's growth in its Food and Beverage division (a major division of Ecolab focusing on cleaning and sanitation products and services), to protect and advance the company's competitive position and shareholder value through proactive, cost effective and value-added legal services in the role's specialized areas of law.

This position has a significant role in the shaping of company transactions and conforming them to applicable legal requirements and advising business leadership and the Sales function as further detailed below. The position requires building and maintaining collaborative relationships with legal and business colleagues and subject matter experts globally, and with executives in Naperville and Ecolab’s headquarters in St. Paul, MN.

This position is located at Ecolab’s offices located in Naperville, IL and reports to the Associate General Counsel responsible for law support to Ecolab’s Food and Beverage division or one of the Associate General Counsel’s direct reports. This position may require occasional travel as necessary.

What’s in it For You:

• The opportunity to take on some of the world’s most meaningful challenges, helping customers achieve clean water, safe food and healthy environments
• The ability to make an impact and shape your career with a company that is passionate about growth
• The support of an organization that believes it is vital to include and engage diverse people, perspectives and ideas to achieve our best

What You Will Do:

Commercial Transactions and Contracts

• Review, negotiate and draft a variety of commercial/business contracts and transactions, including sales contracts, master services agreements, engineering, procurement and construction contracts, design, build, own, operate and maintenance agreements, licensing agreements, equipment lease agreements, distributor and agency agreements, confidentiality agreements, manufacturing and tolling agreements SAAS agreements and other commercial contracts involving commitments between the Company and its customers, suppliers and other parties.

Legal Guidance and Counseling

• This position will provide strategic and tactical legal advice to Ecolab leadership and members of the of Food and Beverage business including supporting new ventures, growth initiatives, risk mitigation, providing advice and resolution of business disputes/claims, and conducting training as necessary regarding legal policies and matters. This position will also provide support for Food and Beverage global acquisitions and divestitures under the direction of the Associate General Counsel and others.

Minimum Qualifications:

• JD degree or equivalent from a well-regarded university
• Licensed in good standing to practice law in at least one state, preferably Illinois
• 3+ years of legal experience in commercial transactions, preferably in the sales-support role
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, willingness and enthusiasm to handle a wide range of agreements and contracts from simple to complex
• An ability to analyze, interpret, and present complex legal ideas and concepts in a clear and concise fashion to non-legal audiences
• Commercial awareness and practical approach to negotiating and resolving transactional issues to meet business objectives while managing risk
• Positive client-service attitude with a customer focus
• Capable of successfully managing multiple projects simultaneously and effectively to completion
• Ability to effectively plan and manage a heavy workload meeting tight time constraints
• High degree of accountability and professional motivation with the ability to thrive in a results-oriented culture
• Experience and high degree of competence working with the Microsoft Office suite of tools, particularly Microsoft Word, Teams, Outlook and PowerPoint
• Ability to learn how Ecolab’s products and services are performed at customer sites in an industrial environment and apply that knowledge to document the responsibilities, as between Ecolab and its customers
• No Immigration Sponsorship available for this opportunity

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5+ years’ experience negotiating and drafting complex commercial contracts in multiple commercial contexts and countries
• Experience in-house within a corporation or other large matrixed business structure is very desirable
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong business acumen and working knowledge of corporate organization and administration, as well as company operations and business objectives in an industrial setting
• Ability to provide timely advice and exercise good judgment
• Ability to advise business partners on the implications of their business objectives and suggest strategic legal solutions
• Ability to counsel, influence and collaborate with others inside and outside the company
• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions

The base salary range for this position is $120,500.00 - $180,700.00. This position is eligible for annual bonus pay based on performance, per plan terms. Many factors are taken into consideration when determining compensation, such as experience, education, training, geography, etc. We comply with all minimum wage and overtime laws.

Ecolab strives to provide comprehensive and market-competitive benefits to meet the needs of our associates and their families. Click here to see our benefits. 

If you are viewing this posting on a site other than our Ecolab Career website, view our benefits at jobs.ecolab.com/working-here.