Intellectual Property & Legal Manager

Job Title: Intellectual Property & Legal Manager

Location: Conyers, GA

What we're looking for:

The Intellectual Property & Legal Manager supports Dover Food Retail's Legal and Compliance function with primary responsibility for the coordination, administration, and strategic support of DFR's intellectual property program. The role combines hands-on administration of DFR's intellectual property portfolio with responsibility for supporting intellectual property strategy, working with inventors and business stakeholders, coordinating with outside counsel, and managing key IP processes and initiatives.

In addition to intellectual property responsibilities, this position will provide broader legal and compliance support under the direction of DFR Legal, including contract administration, legal matter management, document and records management, litigation and claims support, compliance initiatives, and other legal projects as assigned.

The successful candidate must be capable of operating at both a strategic and tactical level, independently managing detailed administrative processes and deadlines while also working cross-functionally with Legal, Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, Finance, HR, and other business stakeholders.

What you'll be responsible for in this role:

Intellectual Property Administration and Portfolio Management

• Administer DFR's invention disclosure process, including receiving and reviewing invention disclosures for completeness, maintaining appropriate records and tracking numbers, gathering required supporting information, and preparing matters for review by the appropriate IP Approval Committee.
• Coordinate periodic and ad hoc IP Approval Committee meetings, including scheduling, preparation of materials, coordination of inventor presentations, gathering stakeholder input, documenting decisions, and communicating required follow-up.
• Maintain accurate and timely information regarding DFR's intellectual property portfolio, including invention disclosures, patent applications, issued patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, renewal decisions, matter numbers, approvals, and related records.
• Administer patent renewal and maintenance processes, including preparation and distribution of renewal reports, DOA documentation, supporting materials, approval records, and instructions regarding renewal or abandonment.
• Coordinate with outside patent counsel and third-party intellectual property service providers regarding patent filings, renewals, annuity payments, abandonments, portfolio records, and related administrative matters.
• Maintain the DFR patent library and applicable SharePoint, IP management system, and Legal repository records.
• Maintain decision logs, approval records, payment documentation, patent files, and other intellectual property documentation.
• Monitor and coordinate intellectual property deadlines and ensure appropriate stakeholders are notified sufficiently in advance of required decisions or actions.
• Track intellectual property expenses and support Legal and Finance with outside counsel spend, budget preparation, invoice administration, cost reporting, and related financial analysis.

Intellectual Property Incentive Program

• Administer DFR's intellectual property incentive and inventor recognition processes.
• Maintain accurate inventor, invention, patent, and award information required to determine eligibility for applicable incentive awards.
• Prepare supporting documentation associated with incentive awards and coordinate with Legal, Engineering, HR, Finance, and other stakeholders regarding required approvals and processing.
• Maintain accurate records of approved and processed intellectual property awards and proactively follow up on outstanding items.
• This expressly addresses Neel Gupte's concern that ownership of the incentive program and tactical IP processes needs to be clearly assigned.
• Intellectual Property Strategy and Business Support
• Work with Legal, Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, and other business stakeholders to evaluate inventions and innovations and support decisions regarding whether intellectual property protection should be pursued.
• Assist inventors in developing invention disclosures and gathering technical and business information necessary to support intellectual property decisions.
• Coordinate patentability, freedom-to-operate, right-to-use, and state-of-the-art patent searches in conjunction with Legal and outside intellectual property counsel.
• Liaise with outside counsel regarding preparation, filing, prosecution, maintenance, and management of patent applications and related intellectual property matters.
• Support evaluation of patent continuation and international filing strategies based on business priorities and applicable intellectual property considerations.
• Support DFR's trademark and copyright portfolio, including coordination with Marketing and outside counsel regarding trademark clearance, filings, maintenance, and enforcement matters.
• Support identification, documentation, and protection of DFR trade secrets and other confidential intellectual property.
• Support competitive intellectual property analysis, patent marking activities, and monitoring of potentially conflicting patent and trademark activity.
• Assist Legal with preliminary intellectual property infringement matters, including information gathering, document preservation, and coordination with outside counsel.
• Support intellectual property-related due diligence associated with licensing, acquisitions, divestitures, technology arrangements, and other business transactions.
• Assist in developing, documenting, and implementing DFR intellectual property policies, processes, procedures, and training.
• These responsibilities preserve the substantive IP-management elements contained in the broader Updated Job Description.msg, rather than reducing the position to a purely administrative position.

Contract and Legal Support

• Support DFR Legal with the administration and coordination of non-disclosure agreements, intellectual property agreements, joint development agreements, IP assignments, and other routine agreements as assigned.
• Assist with initial intake, tracking, document collection, routing, execution, and recordkeeping associated with contracts and other legal matters.
• Coordinate with Legal, Engineering, and business stakeholders regarding agreements involving confidential information, intellectual property rights, technology development, and third-party collaboration.
• Maintain Legal Department matter files, contract records, trackers, repositories, deadlines, and related documentation as assigned.
• Assist Legal Counsel with gathering and organizing documents and information in connection with litigation, claims, investigations, subpoenas, audits, regulatory matters, and other legal requests.
• Support legal holds, preservation activities, document collection, and related matter-management activities under the direction of Legal Counsel.
• Assist with outside counsel administration, including matter coordination, information requests, invoices, budgets, and supporting documentation.
• Provide project management and administrative support for Legal and Compliance initiatives.
• Assist with preparation of reports, presentations, correspondence, policies, training materials, and other Legal and Compliance materials.
• Perform other legal, compliance, intellectual property, and administrative duties as assigned by DFR Legal.

General Responsibilities

• Serve as a central point of coordination among DFR Legal, inventors, Engineering, Product Management, Marketing, Finance, HR, outside counsel, and other stakeholders for assigned intellectual property matters.
• Manage multiple matters and projects simultaneously, including recurring IP processes, time-sensitive deadlines, and ad hoc Legal and Compliance requests.
• Maintain strong document-control practices and accurate, complete, and accessible records.
• Facilitate effective communication between outside counsel and internal stakeholders while seeking efficient use of outside legal resources.
• Support and facilitate DFR IP Committee meetings and associated follow-up.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships across DFR and with Dover legal resources and outside counsel.
• Identify opportunities to improve intellectual property and Legal Department processes, including through standardization, technology, and improved workflow management.
• Exercise appropriate discretion and maintain confidentiality regarding privileged, proprietary, employee, litigation, and other sensitive information.

What are the basic qualifications?

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Applied Sciences, Business, Legal Studies, or a related field.
• 4 to 6 years of relevant experience involving intellectual property administration, legal operations, patent portfolio management, legal support, contracts, or related responsibilities.

What are the preferred qualifications?

• Paralegal certification or related legal training.Bachelor's or advanced degree in Engineering, Applied Sciences, or another technical discipline.Registered Patent Agent in good standing before the USPTO.
• Experience administering a corporate patent or intellectual property portfolio.
• Experience with IP management and docketing systems such as IPFolio, FoundationIP, or comparable platforms.
• Experience coordinating with patent counsel, intellectual property service providers, inventors, Engineering, Product Management, Finance, HR, and Legal.
• Experience with contracts, litigation or claims administration, legal holds, compliance programs, or corporate legal operations.
• Experience in HVAC/R, refrigeration, manufacturing, engineering, or another technology-driven industrial environment.

To be a great fit for the role:

• Be equally comfortable managing detailed administrative processes and contributing to strategic initiatives.
• Take ownership of matters and proactively drive them toward completion rather than simply tracking assignments.
• Have the organizational discipline necessary to manage intellectual property deadlines, records, approvals, and recurring processes.
• Exercise sound judgment regarding when matters should be elevated to Legal Counsel.Communicate effectively with inventors, engineers, attorneys, senior business leaders, and outside counsel.
• Be comfortable shifting priorities between intellectual property responsibilities and other Legal and Compliance matters based on business needs.
• Approach the position as a member of the Legal and Compliance function with primary responsibility for supporting DFR's intellectual property program.
• Experience managing critical and time-sensitive documents, deadlines, and correspondence.
• Experience working with attorneys, engineers, technical personnel, business stakeholders, or outside counsel.
• Strong analytical, organizational, project-management, and critical-thinking skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and independently follow matters through completion.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and demonstrated recordkeeping and documentation discipline.
• Ability to communicate effectively regarding technical and legal matters with stakeholders at different levels of the organization.

How We Define Our Values and Why You Should Join Our Team:

The backbone behind our collection of outstanding businesses is a team of dedicated employees who protect and enhance our valued reputation for quality and delivering what we promise. It's our values that define Dover to all of our key audiences: our shareholders, customers, prospective employees and especially to ourselves.

These values must be expressed in our work and embody our actions, as they form the basis by which we do our jobs, make decisions and measure our performance. It's our unwavering commitment to maintaining our values that defines who we are as a Company.

• Collaborative Entrepreneurial Spirit
• Winning Through Customers
• Respects and Values People
• Expectations for Results
• High Ethical Standards, Openness, and Trust

What's in it for you? (Comprehensive Benefit Package)

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• 401k Retirement Plan
• Flexible Spending
• Paid Holidays

#LI-JW2