Corporate Vice President, Legal & Real Estate

Ace Retail Group (ARG) is a division of Ace Hardware Corporation, operating several well‑known Ace brands and over 250 neighborhood stores nationwide. ARG is guided by core values of Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility, and Teamwork. General Job Summary ACE Retail Group seeks a highly capable, business‑minded attorney to serve as Director, Legal & Real Estate. This critical leadership role will own all legal advising and activity across the enterprise, drive and execute the company’s real‑estate strategy, and shape the growth trajectory of a multi‑state retail platform. Essential Duties & Responsibilities Serve as the company’s primary in‑house counsel, advising on all legal matters including contracts, real estate, compliance, employment, and corporate governance. Lead and develop the legal function, including oversight of the Director of Legal Services and the internal team. Draft, negotiate, and structure complex commercial agreements and strategic transactions. Manage all external counsel relationships, ensuring efficient, high‑quality legal support. Own enterprise risk management, compliance, and legal strategy. Own the company’s real‑estate function end‑to‑end, leading the Director of Real Estate. Lead new store growth strategy, including market prioritization, site selection, and pipeline development. Structure and negotiate retail leases, acquisitions, renewals, and dispositions. Partner closely with operations and finance to optimize the real‑estate portfolio and capital deployment. Drive a disciplined, data‑informed approach to expanding store count across the United States. Act as a trusted advisor to the President and executive team, influencing key strategic decisions. Provide clear, practical, and commercially grounded legal guidance that enables the business to move quickly and confidently. Balance risk management with growth, ensuring legal oversight accelerates—not inhibits—execution. Play a visible leadership role in shaping company strategy and performance. Other Essential Requirements WINNING – Perform, compete, and have fun; win through people by being helpful. EXCELLENCE – Aspire to the best, continuously improve, and inspire others with the very best effort. LOVE – Love the people, the work, and the results. INTEGRITY – Trust, honesty, reliability, caring, high character, and unquestioned ethics. GRATITUDE – Recognize the privilege of serving others. HUMILITY – Strive for greatness with a humble, modest, and respectful attitude. TEAMWORK – Collaborate and prioritize mutual success over control and credit. Minimum Qualifications, Requirements and Skills Juris Doctor (JD) with active bar admission. 8–15+ years of legal experience, including a combination of law firm and in‑house experience (preferred). Demonstrated experience in commercial real estate and multi‑location retail environments. Proven track record advising on broad business risk, including contracts, employment, regulatory, and operational matters. Elite negotiator with a strong deal‑making mindset. Deep business acumen, linking legal decisions to financial outcomes. Ability to operate strategically while executing at a high level day‑to‑day. Strong leadership presence with confidence when working alongside executive teams. High ownership mentality—comfortable being accountable for outcomes across legal and real estate. Compensation Details $150,000–$170,000 per year. Equal Opportunity Employer Ace Retail Group is committed to a policy of promoting equal employment opportunities and preventing employment discrimination related to race, religion, color, sex (including sexual harassment), gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability, and military discharge. #J-18808-Ljbffr Ace Hardware Corporation