Corporate General Counsel

Summary

Join Once Upon a Farm as their Corporate General Counsel, reporting directly to the President & CFO. Lead the legal function during a period of rapid growth and IPO preparation. Oversee all legal, regulatory, and governance matters, focusing on food law compliance, corporate governance, M&A, SEC readiness, and risk management. Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership and the Board. Build and lead a lean legal team, ensuring legal strategies align with the company's mission. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the legal foundation of a fast-growing brand at a pivotal moment. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in the CPG or food industry, including IPOs and public company transitions.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from a top-tier law school; member in good standing with the California Bar, or ability to register as In-House Counsel
• 10-15 years of legal experience, with substantial leadership in CPG, food, or wellness-focused companies, ideally in both public and private environments
• Experience as General Counsel, Chief Legal Officer, or Corporate Secretary in a high-growth, investor-backed company; IPO experience strongly preferred
• Deep understanding of food industry regulations, marketing claim substantiation, supply chain legal frameworks, and ESG governance
• Strong track record managing SEC compliance, M&A transactions, litigation, and commercial contracting
• Adept at navigating ambiguity, building consensus, and providing pragmatic legal guidance at the pace of growth
• Committed to the company’s mission, values, and focus on child health, sustainability, and social impact
• Solid knowledge of Microsoft Suite, Outlook, Slack, and other professional platforms
• Up to 10% travel required: Although this role is a remote work-from-home position, we “Farmers” do meet as a company and/or as a department a few times a year. Anticipate possible travel up to a few times each quarter
• Genuinely passionate about improving childhood nutrition for a healthier and happier planet
• Desire to contribute to a dynamic, high-growth, purpose-driven work environment
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in ambiguity, deeply understand business needs, develop a cohesive strategy, and make decisions requiring a high level of judgment
• Must reside in the United States to be considered for this position
• Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this position

Responsibilities

• Serve as chief legal advisor to the President & CFO, the CEO, the executive leadership, and the Board of Directors on all corporate, regulatory, transactional, and strategic matters
• Lead legal strategy and execution for IPO readiness, including S-1 preparation, SEC filings, governance structuring, disclosure controls, and compliance frameworks
• Ensure full compliance with U.S. and international food industry regulations, including FDA, USDA Organic, FTC, CFIA, California Prop 65, and child-targeted product advertising laws
• Oversee substantiation of product claims, packaging, labeling, and advertising to minimize legal risk and support brand trust
• Act as Corporate Secretary, managing Board and committee governance, charters, resolutions, meeting logistics, and recordkeeping
• Lead and manage all commercial legal matters, including vendor, supply chain, co-manufacturing, distributor, licensing, IP, retail, and influencer agreements
• Direct legal support for M&A, strategic partnerships, and equity/debt transactions, including due diligence, negotiation, integration, and post-close governance
• Design and implement an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework to proactively identify and mitigate operational, financial, and reputational risks
• Oversee company response to litigation, product recalls, regulatory actions, and customer concerns
• Manage outside counsel relationships to ensure quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness across litigation, regulatory, transactional, and specialty matters
• Guide intellectual property strategy, including trademarks and brand protection in domestic and international markets
• Provide legal support on employment matters, internal investigations, executive compensation, and equity plan governance
• Ensure compliance with evolving data privacy and consumer protection laws (e.g., CCPA, GDPR) across digital, DTC, and marketing platforms
• Partner with Finance and ESG leaders on sustainability initiatives, risk disclosures, and regulatory compliance with ESG reporting requirements
• Support investor relations and external communications to ensure consistency in legal disclosures during capital events, earnings, and IPO transition
• Promote ethical leadership and support company-wide compliance training, DEI initiatives, and values-based decision making
• Build, mentor, and scale a high-performing legal and compliance team, fostering a collaborative, mission-aligned legal culture

Preferred Qualifications

• Leadership in companies that scaled from private to public, or through PE ownership and strategic exit, preferred
• Prior involvement in M&A transactions, or legal support for IPOs and related public company transitions, preferred
• Strong relationships with external legal advisors and investor counsel; experience supporting Board of Directors and Audit Committees preferred
• Previous exposure to cross-functional work between Sustainability and Operations preferred

Benefits

• Full-Time, Salaried, Exempt
• The anticipated salary range for this position is $250,000.00 - $325,000.00. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a few factors, including your skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Certain positions are eligible for additional forms of compensation such as bonuses, stipends, equity, and role-specific perks
• Remote-first work environment
• Annual Bonus
• 401(k) program + 4% company match after three months
• New Hire Remote Life Stipend + annual Nourish and Nurture Allowance
• Monthly Cell and Internet Stipend
• Quarterly Farm-to-Fridge home deliveries and Employee Discounts
• New Parents: Up to 18 weeks of paid Parental Leave, Baby Steps Back To Work, 3 months’ supply of Once Upon a Farm products, and breast milk shipping service and support for those who travel after birth for the duration of your breastfeeding journey
• Unlimited Paid Time Off
• Paid Volunteer Time
• Paid Time Off to fulfill civic responsibilities, including jury duty and voting in local, state, and national elections
• Medical Insurance for the employee is covered at 100% on select plans, with additional plan options at a reduced cost to the employee
• Vision and Dental Insurance are covered at 100% for the employee and dependents
• Life insurance
• Flexible spending account (Medical & Dependent Care) and Health Savings Accounts for applicable plans
• Employee assistance program (EAP)
• All other benefits, leaves, and insurance as required by law, based on your specific residence