Director, Senior Attorney

Intro

Are you ready to explore a world of possibilities, both at work and during your time off? Join our American Airlines family, and you’ll travel the world, grow your expertise and become the best version of you. As you embark on a new journey, you’ll tackle challenges with flexibility and grace, learning new skills and advancing your career while having the time of your life. Feel free to enrich both your personal and work life and hop on board!

Why you'll love this job

As a member of the American Airlines in-house legal team, the Director, Senior Attorney – Commercial will provide strategic legal counsel, advice, and support primarily to the Information Technology and Digital Procurement organization on a wide range of complex technology-related commercial transactions. This role will also support the Sustainability team on legal matters and assist Corporate Development with sustainability-related investments, initiatives, and strategic transactions, as well as provide legal support for alliances, partnerships, and other strategic commercial arrangements across the enterprise.

What you'll do

As noted above, this list is intended to reflect the current job but there may be additional essential functions (and certainly non-essential job functions) that are not referenced.  Management will modify the job or require other tasks be performed whenever it is deemed appropriate to do so, observing, of course, any legal obligations including any collective bargaining obligations.

• Provide strategic legal support on IT and technology procurement, including artificial intelligence, software licensing, cloud services, hardware, infrastructure and emerging technologies
• Draft, negotiate, and advise on a high volume of complex commercial agreements
• Serve as senior legal advisor to IT Procurement leadership
• Provide legal support for alliances, partnerships, and other strategic commercial arrangements
• Support the Sustainability team on sustainability-related commercial agreements, environmental attributes, and emissions reduction initiatives
• Assist Corporate Development on sustainability-focused investments, partnerships, pilot programs, and strategic transactions
• Strategically and in a cost-effective manner, partner with outside counsel to identify relevant issues and help the business effectively navigate legal risks

All you'll need for success

Minimum Qualifications – Education & Prior Job Experience

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school, excellent academic record, and active member in good standing in at least one State bar
• 7 years of experience at one or more top law firms, corporations, or government agencies advising clients on commercial law matters 
• Significant experience negotiating complex commercial contracts, preferably IT and technology procurement agreements, with sophisticated counterparties
• Experience with procurement, sustainability matters, or technology heavy contracting, aviation‑related commercial agreements, aviation suppliers, or operationally complex industries preferred 

Preferred Qualifications – Education & Prior Job Experience 

• Prior in-house experience supporting technology, procurement, sustainability, or operational business units preferred
• Experience working collaboratively with senior leaders across Finance, Procurement, Sustainability and Corporate Development

Skills, Licenses, and Certifications

• Demonstrates the highest standards of ethics and integrity
• Excellent business acumen with the judgment and ability to advise on diverse and highly technical commercial portfolios
• Ability to render persuasive, diplomatic, practical, and legally compliant advice in a timely fashion
• Superior problem solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills, with ability to be highly meticulous and detail-oriented
• Ability to influence through outstanding interpersonal skills, collaboration, and negotiation skills
• Ability to thrive under pressure in a fast-paced, changing, and complex environment
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible in rapidly changing conditions and priorities
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion and the ability to build and facilitate long-term relationships at all levels, both internally and externally
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills with ability to handle complex topics comfortably and to interact effectively with all levels and colleagues across internal departments, both verbally and written
• Ability to relocate, if not currently residing in the Dallas/Fort Worth area
• Ability to travel independently, including overnight trips of varying duration, domestically and internationally, and ability to hold a passport allowing unrestricted travel

What you'll get

Feel free to take advantage of all that American Airlines has to offer: 

• Travel Perks: Ready to explore the world? You, your family and your friends can reach 365 destinations on more than 6,800 daily flights across our global network.
• Health Benefits: On day one, you’ll have access to your health, dental, prescription and vision benefits to help you stay well. And that’s just the start, we also offer virtual doctor visits, flexible spending accounts and more. 
• Wellness Programs: We want you to be the best version of yourself – that’s why our wellness programs provide you with all the right tools, resources and support you need.
• 401(k) Program: Available upon hire and, depending on the workgroup, employer contributions to your 401(k) program are available after one year.
• Additional Benefits: Other great benefits include our Employee Assistance Program, pet insurance and discounts on hotels, cars, cruises and more

Feel free to be yourself at American

From the team members we hire to the customers we serve, inclusion and diversity are the foundation of the dynamic workforce at American Airlines. Our 20+ Employee Business Resource Groups are focused on connecting our team members to our customers, suppliers, communities and shareholders, helping team members reach their full potential and creating an inclusive work environment to meet and exceed the needs of our diverse world.

Are you ready to feel a tremendous sense of pride and satisfaction as you do your part to keep the largest airline in the world running smoothly as we care for people on life’s journey? Feel free to be yourself at American.