ABOUT CIRRUS AIRCRAFT
Cirrus Aircraft is the recognized global leader in personal aviation and the maker of the best-selling SR Series piston aircraft and the Vision Jet™, the worlds first single-engine Personal Jet and recipient of the 2017 Robert J. Collier Trophy. Founded in 1984, the company has redefined performance, comfort, and safety in aviation with innovations like the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System® (CAPS®) – the first FAA-certified whole-airframe parachute safety system included as standard equipment on an aircraft. Worldwide flight time on Cirrus aircraft has passed nine million hours, and over 170 people have returned home safely to their families due to the inclusion of CAPS® as a standard feature on all Cirrus aircraft. The company has three locations in the United States: Duluth, Minnesota; Grand Forks, North Dakota; and Knoxville, Tennessee. Find out more at www.cirrusaircraft.com.
We are seeking a Corporate Counsel, Transitions, in Knoxville, TN. Chosen as the location for our Vision Center Campus, the hub of our customer experience activities, Knoxville is often described as a hidden gem. Surrounded by the Smoky Mountains and home to the rambling Tennessee River, the town offers a plethora of outdoor activities and a vibrant downtown. Very few places feature the opportunity to experience live music, culture, outdoor adventures, and acclaimed cuisine in one location. Its no wonder why Trip Advisor recently named Knoxville as one of the Top 10 Destinations on the Rise.
ABOUT THE JOB
Cirrus Aircraft - a market leader committed to redefining and growing personal aviation -- is looking for a talented Corporate Counsel to join our lean and dynamic legal team. Reporting to the SVP & General Counsel, the Corporate Counsel, Transactions will provide hands-on legal support to the Cirrus Customer Experience Team (“CET”) based in Knoxville, TN, which will include the drafting and negotiating of a wide variety of commercial contracts and transactions matters, including aircraft transactions, real estate, network member agreements, and other areas. In all matters, the successful candidate will not only display legal excellence, but also attention to detail, a proactive and practical approach, an unwavering dedication to customer service, and a collegial and cooperative personal style. Bonus points for a sense of humor and desire to have fun while doing challenging legal work for the leader in personal aviation! Prior experience in-house or with a corporate law firm is required.
- Responsible for navigating and leading commercial transactions and agreements related to the CET business
- Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements and contracts, including aircraft sales and transaction agreements, flight training agreements, maintenance agreements, marketing and sponsorship agreements, business development agreements, etc.
- Support the Companys expanding real estate growth. Draft, review, and negotiate various real estate documents associated with growth projects such as commercial leases, ground leases, licenses, development agreements, and other real estate and corporate related documents and agreements
- Provide high-quality, pragmatic, and proactive legal advice and service with a focus on the general aviation industry, including providing counsel on FAA rules and regulations
- Carry out, in a hands-on fashion, all activities associated with international aircraft transactions, including the review and negotiation of sales and network member agreements
- Provide counsel on escalation matters and other risk management projects
- Organize, enable, and drive other Legal Department generalist duties, compliance initiatives, and projects as needed and with minimal supervision. Must be a person willing to roll up ones sleeves to take on new challenges
- Engage and oversee outside counsel as may be needed, while understanding that the role primarily involves the personal handling of documents for a particular transaction or project
Required Qualifications
- J.D.
- Current attorney licensed and in good standing in at least one State with the ability to become licensed to practice law in Tennessee
- 5+ years of varied experience in corporate transactions, real estate deals, and contracts (preferably a portion of which gained in an in-house corporate setting and, preferably, in the aviation industry but also willing to consider candidates with experience in similar high-end retail industries such as automotive, marine, etc.)
- Proven negotiation, drafting and analytical skills for various types of commercial contracts. Must be a skilled writer and drafter with a steadfast attention-to-detail.
Preferred Experience
- Prior in-house corporate generalist experience
- Prior hands-on aviation and commercial transactional experience
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
- Strong oral and written communications, presentation, and facilitation skills. Must interact confidently, persuasively and diplomatically with all levels of Cirrus organization. Must also be a good listener.
Competencies
Customer Focus: Builds strong customer relationships and delivers customer-centric solutions
Action Oriented: Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusias
Drives Results: Consistently achieves results, even under tough circumstances
Communicates Effectively: Develops and delivers multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences
Situational Adaptability: Adapts approach and demeanor in real time to match shifting demands of different situations
WHY CIRRUS
Benefits: Cirrus offers a competitive benefits package that includes: health, dental, life, short and long-term disability insurance, flexible spending account, 401K retirement savings plan, voluntary vision, Employee Referral Incentive Program, vacation and holiday pay. Additionally, all employees enjoy a discount at the company store and exclusive discounts from our world-class partners, like Garmin, Bose, AT&T, Microsoft, Fastenal and more.
Life At Cirrus: As a leading manufacturer of personal aircraft, Cirrus is dedicated to the advancement of general aviation. The Cirrus Flying Club offers employees and their family members the unique opportunity to obtain their private pilots license in the comfort of a Cirrus or rent a Cirrus for an impromptu adventure at a greatly reduced rate.
At Cirrus, we are committed to investing in the future of our employees and company by offering professional development and career progression opportunities that include onboarding, recurrent and area-specific training, talent acceleration and leadership development, continuing education, and tuition assistance programs.
We also engage employees by offering several employee and family events throughout the year, as well as the opportunity to take part in activity clubs and community events. From holiday and special occasion celebrations, to local runs and barbecues, our team has the opportunity to connect with each other, the community and our customers. We also give back to our communities by providing all employees a paid Community Day each year!
