About the Role
W. L. Gore & Associates is seeking an Operating Company General Counsel to serve as the senior legal leader for Gore Performance Solutions (GPS) and a member of its Operating Company Leadership Team. This strategic leadership role combines business partnership with hands-on legal counsel, supporting a global, multi-market industrial enterprise.
The successful candidate will lead a team of nine legal professionals, provide counsel across GPS's worldwide businesses, and oversee compliance and data privacy programs. As a trusted advisor to senior leaders and partner to the Enterprise General Counsel, this individual will help shape legal strategy, support business growth, and drive enterprise-wide legal initiatives across Gore. Ideal candidates bring strong business judgment, a collaborative leadership style, and the ability to deliver practical legal advice in a dynamic global environment. This role is based in Newark, Delaware, and operates on a hybrid schedule.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a trusted advisor andmember of the GPS Operating Company Leadership Team, contributing to business strategy, growth initiatives, M&A, and major commercial decisions.
- Translate compleex legal and regulatory issues into clear, actionable business guidance for senior leaders across business lines.
- Partner with commercial, product, R&D, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to enable business objectives and manage legal risk.
- Lead, develop, and mentor a global team of nine legal professionals.
- Build organizational capability, allocate resources across market segments and geographies, and foster a lean, high-performing, business-oriented legal function.
- Oversee matters related to commercial contracting, intellectual property, product liability, regulatory affairs, and employment across global operations.
- Advise on international trade, export controls, and cross-border transactions relevant to industrial, electronics, automotive, aerospace, and clean energy markets.
- Strengthen and own Gore Performance Solutions compliance and data privacy program; adhering to applicable laws and regulations across all operational jurisdictions.
- Serve on the Enterprise Legal Leadership Team and contribute to the strategic direction of W.L. Gore's global legal function while sharing best practices across all Operating Companies.
- Champion Lean and continuous improvement approaches in legal processes; including simplifying contracting practices, reducing unnecessary complexity, improving standard work, and eliminating delays.
Required Qualifications
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school, active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, and ability to practice as in-house counsel.
- Significant legal experience (12+years), including in-house roles supporting global industrial, manufacturing, materials, or technology businesses, demonstrating increasing leadership within a legal department.
- Demonstrated experience leading and developing global legal teams.
- Substantive expertise across commercial law, employment, compliance, and data privacy; experience with IP, regulatory, and international trade matters.
- Experience advising on matters relevant to industrial, electronics, automotive, aerospace, or clean energy sectors.
- Strong business acumen with a track record of serving as a strategic partner to senior operating leadership.
- Excellent communication, collaboration, and influencing skills, with experience partnering across global teams and advising senior leadership.
- Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally ~10%.
Desired Qualifications
- Relevant legal experience supporting technology-focused or regulated industries such as electronics, automotive, or aerospace and defense.
- Broad exposure to legal disciplines such as intellectual property, regulatory, and compliance matters relevant to technology-focused or regulated businesses.
- Proven ability to drive operational excellence through process simplification, technology adoption, and innovative ways of working.
