Vice President, Legal

Hayward Holdings. (NYSE "HAYW") is a leading global designer and manufacturer of pool and outdoor living technology. With a mission to deliver exceptional products, outstanding services, and innovative solutions to transform the experience of water, Hayward offers a full line of energy-efficient and sustainable residential and commercial pool equipment including pumps, heaters, sanitizers, filters, LED lighting, water features, and cleaners all digitally connected through Hayward’s intuitive IoT-enabled SmartPad™.

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Hayward has production facilities in North Carolina, Tennessee, Arizona, Rhode Island, Georgia, Spain, and China; and distribution facilities in France, Canada, and Arizona. In 2025, we’re celebrating one-hundred years of enhancing pool ownership by manufacturing cutting-edge, advanced pool and spa equipment. As a mission-based company we deliver exceptional products, outstanding service and innovative technology to transform the experience of water.

About the Role

Hayward seeks a motivated, collaborative, pragmatic and business-minded attorney who identifies, analyzes, and mitigates legal, regulatory and public reputation risks to join our high-performing global legal team. This in-the-headquarters-office position reports directly to the SVP, Chief Legal Officer and drives commercial business legal strategy and activities globally while seamlessly collaborating with team members and business partners. In addition, this role leads the department’s efforts to partner across the global Human Resources function, including employee relations, benefits and litigation. This leader will be a self-starter, motivated by partnering with the front-line through to senior leadership team, with the ability to operate independently and effectively, and collaborate and communicate cross-functionally. This role has one direct report, a senior corporate paralegal, so exceptional people management skills are required.

Your Impact

Commercial Matters

· Partner with business teams to review, negotiate and draft a variety of commercial agreements including sales, procurement, supplier, license, software, strategic, non-disclosure and other agreements

· Manage and collaborate with business partners on all stages of the contract life-cycle, including driving efficiency and effectiveness of contracts process with the legal department

· Provide day-to-day proactive and reactive advice, including negotiating strategy, risks and mitigators, to a broad range of departments, including Sales, Marketing, Customer Care, Corporate Development, IT and HR.

· Manage resolution of legal issues and contract interpretation matters that arise in existing commercial relationships, disputes and litigation.

· Assist in creating and improving our standard form agreements, draft new templates for complex partnerships, revise playbooks, and streamline legal processes to drive business growth.

· Develop proactive trainings to internal business partners in wide variety of subject matters to drive ethics and compliance programs, including contracts, pricing and promotions, careful communications, privacy, anti-bribery/anti-corruption, global economic sanctions and trade restrictions, and other commercial compliance matters and company policies.

Human Resources – Legal Matters

· Lead the employment law efforts of Hayward, which encompasses multiple geographies, providing strategic guidance on employment law issues relevant to Hayward’s global workforce

· Navigate complex employment legal matters, including hiring, terminations, workplace policies, investigations, compliance, workforce restructuring, while driving alignment with Hayward’s culture and values

· Maintain employment related privacy policies and other employment related privacy matters, in general

· Partner closely with HR and business leaders to develop policies, guidelines, training programs that align with Hayward’s business and culture

· Oversee and manage employments related litigation, working with in-house colleagues and external counsel to drive data-driven insights and strategic decision-making

· Support Hayward’s inorganic growth expansion advising on employment law

· Lead legal review of ethics matters and investigations, globally

General Corporate Matters

· Advise in the preparation of Board materials, minutes, and authorizations.

· Participate in strategic development projects, transactions, and initiatives, including due diligence and purchase agreements

· Draft and review letters of intent for the sale or purchase of any real estate or facilities

Qualifications

· 15+ years of relevant legal experience in-house and/or law firm, with a particular focus on the manufacturing sector

· Juris Doctorate, admitted to the bar and in good standing or otherwise authorized to practice law in North Carolina

· Significant experience in drafting, negotiating and managing commercial agreements.

· Excellent negotiating skills, keen analytical abilities, a pragmatic approach to problem-solving, as well as a track record of success in handling complex business and legal issues in a fast-paced, agile and growth-oriented business environment

· Collaborative, positive, business-friendly and service-minded

· Background in privacy and data protection, particularly GDPR is a plus

· Strong oral and written communication and interpersonal/relationship-building skills, including the ability to communicate legal considerations to non-lawyers

· Flexibility to handle periods of heavy work demand and juggle priorities

· Ability to influence and provide timely and effective legal and business advice, support and training at all organizational levels

· Good business judgment and sound decision-making

This role is an opportunity to make a significant impact in a values-based company dedicated to our mission and vision. If you are a seasoned commercial and employment legal leader who thrives in a fast-moving, responsibility–laden environment, we invite you to join Hayward and be part of our vision to inspire happiness and well-being through safe, smart and sustainable solutions. We are Better Together!