Assistant General Counsel, Corporate Services

Company Overview

Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM), headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, and Bridgestone Europe, Middle East and Africa (BSEMEA), headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, operate collectively as a “Bridgestone West” strategic region. This region services the strategic business needs of teams across the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa. BSAM and BSEMEA are subsidiaries of Bridgestone Corporation, globally headquartered in Japan. Bridgestone and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand products and solutions to address the needs of a broad range of customers and industries.

Legal, Compliance & Audit

As the lead legal support for BSAM's Procurement, Manufacturing, and Finance functions, you'll manage a wide array of commercial agreements and collaborate closely with clients, including senior leaders. You'll also contribute to strategic initiatives and projects related to BSAM's West and Global Procurement activities, all while working within a talented and collaborative legal team. This role empowers you to establish efficient processes for daily vendor agreements, allowing you to focus on strategic, high-value, and high-risk projects, with the support of a capable and process-oriented paralegal.

• Serving as lead legal counsel for BSAM’s Procurement, Manufacturing and Finance functions, as well as supporting contracting needs of BSAM’s HR, Corporate Security and Audit functions.
• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a wide variety of commercial contracts, ranging from simple to complex. Interpreting contract terms and conditions, and advising clients as to contractual obligations, remedies and options.
• Establishing and implementing processes for efficient support of vendor contracts, including through the use of BSAM’s legal shared service center.
• Supporting significant tax and treasury matters, including federal and state audits, tax credit purchases, and credit facility agreements.
• Providing general legal advice to client groups.
• Evaluating the needs and goals of clients with respect to a variety of issues, identifying risks, balancing clients’ needs and goals against risk, and devising a business-practical, creative solution for achieving clients’ goals while minimizing risk.
• Independently handling and keeping track of a large and fluctuating number of matters/projects. Must have experience handling projects on a time sensitive basis.
• Advising clients regarding the pre-litigation resolution of disputes with suppliers and service providers including interpreting applicable contract terms and conditions,
• assessing vendor failures, developing a creative strategy for addressing disputes, advising clients as to options and assisting clients in negotiating a resolution with the third party.
• Efficiently and effectively consulting with and managing outside counsel on issues requiring outside expertise, in a cost-effective manner.
• Coordinating with BSAM’s Information Security and Risk Management teams, Privacy Officer, and other subject matter experts on privacy, information security, intellectual property, and other issues that arise in connection with vendor agreements.
• Conducting education and training of functional units and other BSAM teammates/employees on a variety of topics, including legal processes and procedures, best practices in contract negotiating, and compliance.
• Delegating work to, and managing the work of, a dedicated paralegal in the Corporate Services Group, including providing guidance and direction to the paralegal while allowing them independence.

A person has been identified as a preferred candidate for this role. While all applications will be reviewed, the hiring manager may choose not to hold interviews and select the preferred candidate. In this case, all internal applicants will be notified of the decision. 

• Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree; or 6 years and a master’s degree; or a PhD with 3 years of experience; or equivalent work experience
• J.D. from an ABA accredited law school.
• License to practice law and in good standing in any U.S. state and eligible to be admitted to practice law in the State of Tennessee.
• Seven or more years of professional law practice experience, with experience in drafting, negotiating and providing general advice regarding commercial agreements.

Competencies and Characteristics:

The Corporate Services Group interacts with almost every department and functional group of BSAM and, therefore, we believe that “how” we accomplish our work is as important as “what” we accomplish. Accordingly, the ideal candidate will exhibit the following competencies and characteristics:

• Humility, patience and diplomacy: the ability to work, communicate and build relationships with BSAM teammates/employees at all levels, ranging from senior leadership to individual contributors.
• · An appropriate balance of independence and collaboration: the ability to work independently but recognizing the need to consult others and escalate issues when appropriate.
• Process-minded, with the ability to assess the level of risk associated with a given matter and identify the appropriate level of legal support needed.
• An ability to quickly learn new areas and develop new skills in an independent manner.
• The ability to effectively manage client expectations and prioritize demands.
• Solid judgment, including comfort with ambiguity, uncertainty and reasonable risk.
• Flexibility, creativity: the ability to tailor strategies and contract terms to meet the needs of the clients and to address the risks at issue; a desire to be flexible and creative in addressing issues
• Team player: exhibiting trust in members of the team, communicating and working well with members of the team, sharing in responsibilities of the team, an innate sense of responsibility to those on the team, and commitment to the overall success of the group and BSAM.
• Resourcefulness: an ability and willingness to figure things out, an eagerness to learn about BSAM.
• Business acumen and the ability to measure legal risk, balance risks with business needs, and apply practical legal solutions.

At Bridgestone, you are Free to Be

We believe people can only provide superior service and quality to others when they bring their whole self to work. We believe in championing all perspectives, individuals and teams because we understand the importance of seeing the world and our business through many different lenses. We are building a team as diverse as the world we serve. So, show us what you are made of, because who you are is what we need.

What we offer

At Bridgestone, what really matters is to foster co-creation opportunities and empowering you to be creative and curious to make mobility safer, more efficient, and more sustainable for future generations. Whatever role you fill, when you represent Bridgestone, you are a valued teammate, and part of our larger mission to “Serve Society with Superior Quality”, for that, we offer you more than just a competitive compensation; we will provide you:

• A supportive and engaging onboarding experience to ensure a smooth transition into our team.
• The opportunity to develop and grow, through training and regular mentorship.
• Corporate Social Responsibility activities.
• A truly global, dynamic and challenging work environment.
• Agility and work/life effectiveness and your long-term well-being.
• A diverse and inclusive team.

Bridgestone is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is our policy to consider for employment all individuals regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Employment Eligibility

If hired, a Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification must be completed at the start of employment. Temporary work authorization or the need for sponsorship may disqualify you from employment.