Corporate Vice President, Legal & Real Estate

Ace Retail Group (ARG) is a division of Ace Hardware Corporation that owns and operates several well‑known Ace brands, including Westlake Ace, Great Lakes Ace, Buikema’s Ace, Outer Banks Ace, Dennis Company, and Breed & Company. ARG is one of the largest hardware retailers in the United States, operating more than 250 neighborhood stores nationwide with headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas. ARG’s success is driven by its people and its commitment to core values of Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility, and Teamwork.

General Job Summary

Ace Retail Group is seeking a highly capable, business‑oriented attorney to serve as Director, Legal & Real Estate—a critical leadership role at the center of the Company’s growth strategy. This leader will own all legal advising and activity across the enterprise while also driving and executing the Company’s real estate strategy and new store growth. Acting as the Company’s primary legal advisor and key strategic partner to the President and executive team, the role blends legal expertise with commercial acumen and deal execution, providing an opportunity to shape the growth trajectory of a multi‑state retail platform.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Enterprise Legal Leadership

• 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 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

Real Estate Strategy & Growth

• Own the Company’s real estate function end‑to‑end, including leadership of 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

Executive Leadership & Business Partnership

• 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—rather than inhibits—execution
• Play a visible leadership role in shaping Company strategy and performance

Other Essential Requirements

• WINNING – Perform, compete, and have fun, driving success through people.
• EXCELLENCE – Strive to be the best, continuously improving and inspiring others.
• LOVE – Love the people, the work, and the results.
• INTEGRITY – Trust each other through honesty, reliability, and ethical conduct.
• GRATITUDE – Recognize the privilege of serving others.
• HUMILITY – Approach greatness with humility and respect.
• TEAMWORK – Collaborate and succeed together.

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 with the ability to connect legal decisions to financial outcomes
• Ability to operate strategically while executing at a high level day‑to‑day
• Strong leadership presence with confidence 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. The company recognizes the importance of diversity and the leveraging of skills and talents of all people to the mutual advantage of each individual and the organization. The company is committed to the prevention of employment discrimination related to race, religion, color, sex (including sexual harassment), gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability, and military discharge, or any other action covered by federal or state laws.