Build your career with Alto Ingredients!  Earn a competitive salary, eligibility for annual cash incentive and stock-based incentive, benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance and 401k with a company dollar-for-dollar match up to 6%, a Wellness program, a stipend for fitness center expenses, a generous paid time off (PTO) program, and service awards for career longevity.  Alto Ingredients values the communities where we work and live, and offers an extra 8 hours of paid leave for employees who volunteer their time and talents in their community.

Environment:  Alto Ingredients, Inc. (ALTO), formerly known as Pacific Ethanol, Inc., is a leading producer of specialty alcohols and essential ingredients. The company is focused on products for four key markets: Health, Home & Beauty; Food & Beverage; Essential Ingredients; and Renewable Fuels. The company’s customers include major food and beverage companies and consumer products companies. For more information, please visit www.altoingredients.com.

Our Pekin campus produces products destined for Health, Food and Beverage, and Industrial markets.  All personnel are responsible for the safety of these products, which includes participation in training, following cGMP and food safety requirements in the facility, and reviewing and following SOPs for incoming ingredients and outgoing products. 

Job Purpose:   The candidate will be the second lawyer in a small legal department that has accountability for all legal and governance matters arising within the Company.  These include:  contract drafting and negotiation, contract management, UCC commodities sales, M&A, SEC compliance, legal risk assessment, management of claims and litigation, records, employment and labor, corporate governance and standard operating procedures, management of outside counsel and budgeting for legal expenditures, and management of special projects. Special projects may include providing support for M&A transactions and joint ventures, including working on deal structure and LOI terms, planning and assisting in due diligence, drafting and negotiating deal agreements, and actively managing deal process and execution.

The following is a list of major duties and responsibilities for this position along with certain supportive duties.  It is not all-inclusive.  Other duties and responsibilities may be added as needed and in addition; and, management may modify this job description as needed.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• The areas of responsibility of the Legal Department’s include: contract drafting and negotiation, contract management, UCC commodities sales, M&A, SEC compliance, legal risk assessment, management of claims and litigation, records, employment and labor, corporate governance and standard operating procedures, management of outside counsel and budgeting for legal expenditures, and management of special projects. Special projects may include providing support for M&A transactions and joint ventures, including working on deal structure and LOI terms, planning and assisting in due diligence, drafting and negotiating deal agreements, and actively managing deal process and execution. 
• The candidate need not have direct experience in all of these areas, but must be able to assume primary responsibility for several aspects of the department's work, and have the aptitude to develop additional areas of expertise.
• Keep informed of risk factors and opportunities affecting business operations and our industry in general and recommend modifications to standard practices, contracting forms and the like.
• Stay up-to-date and keep the legal team advised on external governance trends, general legal issues and best practices. The candidate may also be called upon to provide legal training to members of management and business partners.
• Provide guidance and mentoring to the contract management team.
• Other tasks as may be assigned.

Education/Experience

• J.D. Degree. Must be a member of good standing of the Illinois Bar or qualify for Rule 716 limited admission.
• Strong academic credentials. 5+ years of experience in relevant areas of law practice, with at least 3 years at a law firm. In-house experience at a public company is a significant plus. Also experience in representing manufacturers, interacting at senior level with business management, background in 33 Act and 34 Act compliance, as well as M&A.

Qualifications

• Team attitude that no job is too big or too small. Thrives in an environment where you need to roll-up your sleeves and own outcomes.
• Ability to strike sensible and practical balance between legal risks and the need to do business.
• Adept at working in a fast-paced, high activity environment with smart and creative people.
• Strong ability to influence, provide point of view and to listen. Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively work with various departments and levels within firm (including senior management) and manage cross functional teams, including finance, IR and PR.
• Excellent judgment, attention to detail and ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.
• Ability to handle ambiguity, juggle many matters at once and quickly shift from one situation or task to another. Solution oriented. Talent for thinking outside of the box in confronting new issues and pursuing novel approaches to old problems.
• Sense of humor and fun.
• Preference for candidates who reside near enough to Peoria, Illinois to allow for frequent face to face interaction with the department’s clients located at our Pekin campus. Telecommuting part time is permitted.

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements of this job are consistent with the typical office job.  This may include long periods of sitting while using a computer or phone.

Alto Ingredients participates in E-Verify; Criminal background check and drug screen required.