Director of Intellectual Property, Risk Management & Compliance

Warn Industries believes that each employee makes a significant contribution to our success. That contribution should not be limited by the assigned responsibilities. Therefore, this position description is designed to outline primary duties, qualifications and job scope, but not limit the individual nor the organization to just the work identified. It is our expectation that each employee will offer his/her services wherever and whenever necessary to ensure the success of our endeavors.

Position Summary:

The Director of Intellectual Property, Risk Management and Compliance will be responsible for overseeing and managing the organization's intellectual property ("IP") portfolio, monitoring and mitigating company risk at an enterprise level and overseeing corporate compliance, including, but not limited to, parent company corporate requirements and government product compliance requirements. This position plays a critical role in matters related to product liability claims, including gathering/providing information to our claims adjusters and attorneys, providing general guidance on claims, attending claim inspections with our attorney(s) and potentially participating in depositions and or trial activities regarding these claims. This role is also our first line review of legal documents moving through our business and is our liaison to attorneys, both parent company legal and outside counsel.

From a special projects perspective, as time permits, this role will also participate in managing productivity and system improvement projects in the plant. This position will also be involved in M&A activities as it relates to IP and risk issues and onboarding acquisitions into the areas of responsibility, Intellectual Property, Risk and Compliance.

Essential Functions:

1. Maintain the ledger and records of Company owned Intellectual property.
2. Work with engineering and product marketing to identify technologies and designs suitable for IP protection and make recommendations to senior leadership ("SLT") including cost/benefit information. Coordinate with engineering, product marketing and outside counsel to file for IP protection. Manage the process to obtain such protection.
3. Working with our outside service bureau, manage IP renewals, annuities, and expirations. Work with product marketing and engineering to determine whether to renew or let them expire.
4. Working with team members and partners to investigate potential infringements of Company IP. Provide findings to SLT and recommend next steps, if any, including cost/benefit of such actions. Coordinate with internal resources and outside counsel to support any actions taken. Provide periodic assessments to SLT on the progress of such actions, including go/no-go recommendations including cost/benefit analyses.
5. Accountable for implementing/managing an effective enterprise risk management process for the organization, including processes for identifying, measuring and mitigating risks throughout our business, including, but not limited to product liability, health & safety, supply chain, environmental, manufacturing and compliance risks.
6. Responsibilities include the identification of risks throughout the organization, developing, reporting and monitoring formats on risk management issues and developing methodologies for the assessment of risks, including cost vs. benefits of such actions. Review and analyze risk data and assess the effectiveness of current mitigation measures and determine if changes to those measures are necessary.
7. Partner with SLT and other leaders to integrate risk management activities at Warn Industries.
8. Manage activities related to reported accidents involving Company products. Gather incident information, product history and engineering/design data required to support internal and potential insurance/legal investigations. Coordinate insurance organizations and attorneys for product liability claims and lawsuits. This effort may require deposition or trial activity.
9. Participate in product liability inspections as necessary that includes travel to incident site and/or product evaluation site. Observe and provide our insurance/legal team with insight/observations.
10. Monitors compliance with all Warn Industries Corporate responsibilities, product liability, legislation, industry practice and market requirements involving Warn Industries' products.
11. Collaborates with leaders responsible for safety, HR, finance, international sales and others as appropriate to meet compliance requirements in these areas.
12. Working with HR partners, investigates alleged violations of rules, regulations, policies, procedures and standards of conduct by evaluating information available and providing leadership with an assessment of the event(s) and recommendations for next steps (if any).
13. Monitors, and as necessary, coordinates compliance activities of other departments to remain abreast of the status of all compliance activities.
14. Identifies potential areas of compliance vulnerability and risk; develops/implements corrective action plans for resolution of problematic issues and provides general guidance on how to avoid or deal with similar situations in the future.
15. Provides communication, advice, and assistance to the VP of Finance and other Senior Management on matters involving risk and compliance.
16. Occasional travel may be required.
17. Accountable for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance in assigned area, if any, as communicated by the finance department.
18. Responsible for developing licensing objectives, policies and programs, initiating proposals, and negotiations for the acquisition of licensing opportunities and technologies for Warn Industries intellectual property.
19. Contract, agreement and other legal document management through Contract Book. Support the business by being the preliminary resource for legal document review, identifying potential areas of concern and recommended next steps, sign, correct, adjust or escalate to SLT and/or outside counsel.
20. Work safely and without injury.

Required Education and/or Experience:

1. Bachelor's Degrees required. MBA or JD or Risk Management Degree desirable.
2. Prior management experience running a business or division, preferably in manufacturing company environment.
3. Eight or more years of experience in manufacturing, engineering, purchasing, production planning, or project management preferably with an automotive or technical consumer products company.
4. Experience with two-tier distribution systems and knowledge of international commerce is preferred.
5. Previous experience in risk management functions in a manufacturing environment and familiar with appropriate tools, techniques, and processes.
6. Three or more years experience developing proprietary products including development of intellectual property work product, patents, trademarks, etc.

Required Qualifications:

1. Must have career history demonstrating stability in employment and success in assignments.
2. Must possess strong oral and written communication skills to effectively present ideas and document activities in a professional and helpful manner while simultaneously building credibility and rapport.
3. Knowledge of the automotive industry and market sufficient to provide guidance in evaluation activities. Product knowledge is highly desirable.
4. Working knowledge of commonly used business software products such as spreadsheets, word processing and database management.
5. Must have history of impeccable integrity, ethics and fair play.
6. Must be enthusiastic about adopting Warn Industries' PROUD behaviors, Passionate about the brand, Respectful of others, Ownership of our actions, United as a team and Determined to succeed.
7. Ability to work collaboratively and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, customers and visitors.
8. Ability to effectively solve problems and lead problem-solving efforts.
9. Excellent communication, interpersonal and customer service skills.
10. Ability to effectively handle stressful situations.

Language Skills:

Ability to read, write, verbalize and comprehend instructions and correspondence at the highest levels in the English language. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and group situations to customers, clients, and other team members. Conflict resolution skills. Excellent interpersonal skills. Excellent verbal and customer service skills.

Mathematical Skills:

Must have mathematical skills equivalent to those required under degree requirements.

Physical and Visual Activities:

Standing, Walking, Sitting, Lifting, Carrying, Balancing, Stooping, Reaching, Handling, Feeling, Acuity-Far, Acuity-Near, Depth Perception, and Field of Vision.

Physical Demands:

May require a combination of sitting, standing, and walking. May require lifting up to 50 pounds with assistance. Must be able to travel by automobile or plane.

Environment/Atmospheric Conditions:

Must be able to work in a shop environment as well as a usual office environment. If working in the plant or while visiting inspection sites, you may be exposed to loud operating machinery, cold temperatures, chemicals, and vapors that would require the appropriate PPE.

Machines, Tools Equipment, Software:

Personal computer, fax machine, copy machine, other office equipment, Microsoft Office, PowerPoint.

The characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties that may be required for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this or similar positions and additional duties may be assigned.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER