Counsel, Privacy Compliance and Operations, Americas

As Counsel, Privacy Compliance and Operations, Americas, you will be responsible for ensuring compliance with privacy laws and regulations for the Americas, alongside an accomplished and supportive team of colleagues, on behalf of some of the world’s most beloved and iconic brands. You will make a difference for millions of VF consumers and thousands of VF employees by ensuring that their personal information is responsibly governed and their data privacy rights are respected.   

The primary responsibility of this role is to provide in-house privacy expertise and hands-on support of the Privacy Program, throughout VF and its brands, for the Americas region. The mission of the Privacy Program is to ensure an enterprise-wide approach to consumer and employee privacy that reflects strong data ethics and a commitment to transparency and integrity. The mission is implemented by applying Privacy by Design principles to drive a strong culture of compliance and respect for privacy rights as well as procedural rigor that results in consistency and reliability. This role will work with a wide range of VF teams, including Information Security, Digital Technology, Strategy, Data Insights & Analytics, Ethics & Compliance, Risk Management, and Legal Department colleagues, as well as exciting brands like Vans®, The North Face®, Timberland®, Timberland PRO®, Dickies®, Altra®, Smartwool®, Icebreaker®, JanSport®, Eastpak®, and Kipling® to help shape VF's privacy initiatives and to accelerate its regional implementation.

This role provides legal research, analysis, advice, guidance, training, program management, and other assistance as directed by the Associate General Counsel, Commercial, Americas. This role will have a direct report.

Let’s break down that day-in-the-life a bit more. 

• Serve as an ambassador for Privacy by Design throughout VF and its brands, conducting training sessions and guiding teams on a wide variety of projects involving the processing of consumer or employee personal information.
• Assist in developing and executing policies, workstreams, strategies and tactics for the Privacy Program to best align with rapidly changing legal requirements, best practices, policies, and VF's evolving business models.
• Advance multiple privacy program workstreams and projects at the same time, while managing deadlines and competing priorities. Build strategic partnerships with clients, colleagues, vendors, and counterparties in multiple regions of the world, to ensure early engagement with the Privacy Program team to align business activities with VF policies, legal requirements, and best practices.
• Identify requirements of applicable data protection laws and regulations and coordinate with privacy counsel in EMEA and APAC to ensure proper data processing and transfer between jurisdictions.
• Conduct privacy impact assessments, develop practical risk mitigation strategies, and communicate them to stakeholders.
• Develop privacy program training materials and proactively implement steps to generate privacy awareness throughout all levels of the organization.
• Handle escalations of Data Subject Requests and work with stakeholders to ensure that data registries are updated as new data processing initiatives are implemented.
• Support other attorneys on the Commercial team to facilitate the efficient negotiation of regional/national/global agreements to ensure that the selection of suppliers and services, and the legal terms of the engagement and transactions, meets all of VF's data protection requirements, policies, and practices.
• Develop and deliver internal policies and procedures pertaining to privacy practices.
• Address legal disputes relating to privacy, to include directing the efforts of outside counsel in litigation and mediation proceedings and responding to regulatory investigations regarding privacy.
• Negotiate and advise on privacy and data security in vendor and merchant agreements, service contracts, and marketing agreements.
• Continuously develop skills and knowledge of the compliance landscape and relevant industries through research, due diligence, training, benchmarking and other means.
• Champion a culture of high data ethics standards, proactive identification of issues, problem-solving, and continual progress in order to adapt to a fast-paced environment.
• This role will have 1 direct report

• 8+ years of relevant legal experience
• Juris Doctor (“JD”) degree from an ABA-accredited law school, with a preference for demonstrated academic excellence (top 25% of class) at a top-tier law school 
• Admitted to practice law and in good standing in at least one U.S. state bar/jurisdiction 
• 8+ years of experience with 2+ direct experience in privacy program management in a consumer-facing corporate environment preferred
• Certified Information Privacy Professional - US (CIPP/US) designation from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) is strongly preferred (or similar certification such as CIPT, CIPM, CIPP/C, or CIPP/E).
• Demonstrated knowledge of ecommerce, payment mechanisms, retail POS, social media, mobile apps, and digital marketing, software, cloud computing, and IT infrastructure is preferred
• Strong end-user technology skills are required (including specifically word processing, database, and presentation technologies), as well as the interest and willingness to adopt new technologies rapidly to improve productivity and efficiency 
• Demonstrated knowledge of digital technologies used by retailers, such as ecommerce, payment mechanisms, retail POS, social media, mobile apps, and digital marketing, software, cloud computing, and IT infrastructure is preferred

• Demonstrated organizational, planning and time management skills; a proven record of driving for and achieving results; and the ability to advance multiple projects and competing priorities with multi-horizon deadlines, while exhibiting grace and poise under pressure 
• Proficiency in using clear, concise and effective verbal and written communication skills to influence all levels of the organization with persuasion, empathy, and diplomacy 
• Solid analytical skills and sound professional judgment 
• Strong orientation towards teamwork, collaboration and building strong relationships of trust with colleagues and counterparties around the globe and across cultures 
• A deep commitment to continuously develop skills and knowledge through research, training, collaborating, and self-improvement, and willingness to take responsibility for mistakes (which will happen) and learn and grow from them 
• Experience working with multiple, diverse teams at a global, consumer-focused organization is preferred.

Special Physical and/or Mental Requirements:  

• Travel by air and overnight, as required, up to 10% of the time.    
• Lifting and/or bending, lifting 10 lbs of weight.  
• Ability to work in an open office environment   
• This role is hybrid, with the expectation that you will be in a VF office location (Greensboro, NC Denver, CO; or Costa Mesa, CA) at least three days per week.

Hiring Range:

Incentive Potential: This position is eligible for additional compensation awards that may include an annual incentive plan, sales incentive, or commission potential. Specific details of the additional compensation eligibility for this position will be provided during the recruiting and interview process.

Benefits at VF Corporation: You can review a general overview of each benefit program offered, including this year's medical plan rates on www.MyVFbenefits.com  and by clicking Looking to Join VF? Detailed information on your benefits will be provided during the hiring process.

Please note, our hiring ranges are determined and built from market pay data. In determining the specific compensation for this position, we comply with all local, state, and federal laws.

At VF, we value a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws.  If you are unable to submit your application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at peopleservices@vfc.com. VF will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities to the extent required by applicable law.

Pursuant to all applicable local Fair Chance Ordinance requirements, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, VF will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.