General Counsel & Head of Quality (Chicago)

Our client is seeking a commercially-minded General Counsel to join its executive leadership team during an exciting period of growth.

This is not a traditional General Counsel role. We're looking for a business leader who happens to practice law, not a lawyer who occasionally advises the business.

If your instinct is to ask, How can we make this work?, before saying, Here's why we can't, you'll likely thrive in this role.

The ideal candidate is the executive who naturally gets invited into important business discussions because they improve decisions, accelerate growth, and help leadership navigate complex challenges, not simply because they're the lawyer.

Reporting directly to the CEO, this executive will serve as the company's principal legal advisor while providing executive oversight of its Quality organization. Approximately 80% of the role is focused on legal strategy, including commercial contracts, regulatory interpretation, employment matters, litigation oversight, and executive counsel. The remaining 20% focuses on leading the Quality organization through an experienced leadership team.

The successful executive will partner closely with ownership and the executive team to help the business achieve its objectives while appropriately managing legal and regulatory risk. This role requires someone who combines exceptional business judgment with legal expertise and can balance commercial growth with disciplined compliance.

The position will oversee the Quality organization, including an established leadership team led by the EVP of Quality, while continuing to build the company's internal legal capabilities and strategically manage outside counsel. This individual will become a trusted advisor to leadership, helping shape strategic decisions across contracts, operations, regulatory matters, and future business initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the company's chief legal advisor, providing counsel on commercial contracts, employment matters, litigation, regulatory issues, corporate governance, and strategic business initiatives.
• Lead the Quality organization through an experienced leadership team, providing executive oversight and ensuring continued regulatory compliance.
• Negotiate, review, and structure customer, vendor, and strategic commercial agreements that balance business objectives with appropriate legal protections.
• Manage outside legal counsel, determining when specialized expertise is required while building greater internal legal capability and reducing external legal spend.
• Partner with ownership and executive leadership to evaluate business opportunities, regulatory changes, operational risks, and strategic initiatives, providing commercially sound recommendations.
• Build scalable legal and quality frameworks that support company growth while maintaining appropriate regulatory oversight.

Success in This Role

• Establish a scalable in-house legal function that supports the company's continued growth.
• Provide practical legal counsel that enables sound business decisions while appropriately managing risk.
• Lead executive oversight of the Quality organization through an experienced leadership team.
• Optimize legal operations by strengthening internal capabilities and strategically leveraging outside counsel.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) required.
• 10+ years of progressive legal leadership experience across commercial contracts, corporate governance, regulatory matters, employment, litigation, and business counseling.
• Proven ability to balance legal risk with commercial objectives by delivering practical, business-oriented solutions.
• Experience serving as in-house counsel or advising executive leadership in industries such as healthcare, medical products, healthcare distribution, pharmacy services, medical devices, consumer health, or other highly regulated operating environments.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing teams, outside counsel, and cross-functional business relationships (in a fast-paced operating company).
• Executive presence with the ability to influence senior leadership, build credibility across Operations and Quality, and thrive in an entrepreneurial, growth-oriented organization.

Compensation

Target base salary is $250K-$300K, complemented by an annual incentive opportunity.

• Benefits include health, dental, vision, and paid holidays.

Qualified applicants will be responded to as quickly as possible.

Our client is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected status.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check, drug screening, and verification of required licensure.

*Candidates currently located within Chicago, IL are strongly preferred. This is not a remote or hybrid opportunity and will require significant on-site presence. Relocation is not offered at this time.

Please note: Applicants for employment in the U.S. must possess work authorization that does not require sponsorship for a visa now or in the future.