Corporate Governance & Securities Counsel Director - Contractor

Job Description

Job Description

Description

We are seeking an experienced legal professional to serve as Corporate Governance & Securities Counsel, Director , based at Align's headquarters in Tempe, Arizona.

 

This role will serve as a key partner to the Vice President, Associate General Counsel, Corporate Securities and Public Affairs, with responsibility for leading critical aspects of Align's corporate governance, public company compliance, securities reporting, governance transformation, financing arrangement, and subsidiary governance initiatives.

 

The role combines responsibility for Board governance, SEC reporting and disclosure processes, securities compliance, enterprise governance initiatives, subsidiary governance, and digital modernization of governance and legal operations. The successful candidate will act as a trusted advisor across Legal, Finance, Investor Relations, Tax, Treasury, HR, Executive Compensation, and executive leadership teams while helping ensure Align maintains best-in-class governance practices as a global public company.

 

This position is an individual contributor role requiring strong strategic judgment, executive presence, exceptional collaboration and organization skills, and the ability to independently lead complex governance, securities, and transformation initiatives. The ideal candidate embraces Align’s core values of agility, accountability and customer-centricity, operates with urgency, drives continuous improvement, embraces innovation and AI-enabled ways of working, and thrives in a fast-paced, global environment.

Role expectations

Corporate Governance Leadership

• Lead governance processes supporting the Board of Directors and its committees.
• Drive continuous improvement of Align's corporate governance framework and governance best practices.
• Advise executive leadership on governance matters and emerging governance trends.
• Lead preparation and review of Board and committee agendas, materials, resolutions, minutes, and annual shareholder meeting documentation.
• Ensure compliance with corporate governing documents, committee charters, governance guidelines, and Board policies.
• Develop and implement governance policies, procedures, and operating standards that enhance Board effectiveness and organizational efficiency.
• Conduct governance research and prepare briefing materials, recommendations, and resolutions for executive leadership, the Board and its committees.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Board members, executive leadership, external counsel, auditors, and regulatory bodies.

Securities and Public Company Compliance

• Lead and coordinate significant aspects of SEC reporting and disclosure processes, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, S-8, Proxy Statements, and other required filings.
• Oversee insider trading compliance programs, including policy administration, Section 16 reporting, Rule 144 matters, and 10b5-1 trading plan reviews.
• Monitor and assess new and proposed securities laws, SEC regulations, Nasdaq listing requirements, and governance developments impacting Align.
• Develop recommendations and implementation plans to address regulatory changes, governance trends, and disclosure obligations.
• Partner with executive leadership and subject matter experts to strengthen disclosure controls, governance controls, and compliance processes.
• Partner with Finance, Investor Relations, and executive leadership on earnings preparation activities, including disclosure reviews, executive scripts, earnings releases, and investor-facing communications.
• Oversee management and negotiation of investments, borrowing and lending agreements, bond issuances and other financial instruments along with Business Development, Tax, Treasury and other departments.

Strategic Business Partnership

• Partner closely with Finance, Treasury, Tax, Investor Relations, Human Resources, Executive Compensation, and Corporate Communications on governance, disclosure, and compliance matters.
• Partner on strategic transactions, entity restructurings, due diligence efforts, and other corporate initiatives.
• Advise on governance implications associated with organizational changes, strategic priorities, and emerging risks.
• Support equity plan administration and governance related to executive compensation and stock programs.

Subsidiary Governance Leadership

• Oversee Align's global subsidiary framework. 
• Develop policies, standards, and processes for entity formation, maintenance, governance compliance, and dissolution activities. Conduct periodic governance reviews and compliance assessments across domestic and international entities. 
• Lead entity organizational transformation, simplification, and process improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, compliance, risk management, and operational effectiveness. 
• Develop governance reporting, dashboards, metrics, and management processes to improve visibility, decision-making, and executive oversight. 
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to strengthen entity governance practices, support strategic priorities, and ensure Align remains aligned with evolving regulatory, governance, and public company requirements.

AI, Digital Transformation & Operational Excellence

• Lead governance and securities modernization initiatives that leverage AI, automation, and digital technologies to improve effectiveness, scalability, and compliance. 
• Drive process simplification and operational excellence across Board governance, SEC reporting, and entity management activities. 
• Serve as a change leader who champions innovation, continuous improvement, and adoption of new ways of working across Legal and corporate functions.

What we're looking for

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school and active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction. 
• 12+ years of corporate legal experience within a sophisticated law firm and/or publicly traded company legal department. 
• Significant experience supporting SEC reporting, securities law compliance, corporate governance, Board matters, financing arrangements, and public company obligations. 
• Strong knowledge of SEC regulations, Nasdaq listing standards, SOX, Dodd-Frank requirements, insider trading regulations, and corporate governance best practices. 
• Proven ability to advise executive leadership and influence decisions on complex governance, disclosure, and compliance matters. 
• Experience partnering across Finance, Treasury, Investor Relations, Tax, Human Resources, Executive Compensation, and senior leadership teams. 
• Experience overseeing and managing outside counsel activities and budgets.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives through influence, driving process improvement, and delivering operational excellence. 
• Experience leveraging technology, automation, AI, or digital solutions to improve governance, compliance, or reporting processes. 
• Excellent business judgment, executive presence, written communication, organizational and project management skills. 
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, global environment while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and ethics. 
• Experience supporting subsidiary governance, proxy statements, annual shareholder meetings, and related public company governance activities required. 
• Familiarity with Intelligize, Workiva/Wdesk or similar research, governance and reporting platforms preferred.