Senior Commercial Counsel

Relativity Space; Ashington; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision coverage

Wellness stipend

Equity

Holidays & PTO

Meal events and offsites

Fertility/adoption stipend

Learning stipend

Training and conferences

Job summary

Relativity Space is seeking a Senior Commercial Counsel to provide strategic legal counsel for buy-side commercial transactions and disputes. You will collaborate across departments to structure and lead negotiations for technology development, manufacturing, commodities, and capex leases.

You will establish standards and playbooks for contract management, risk mitigation, and dispute resolution to support rapid growth and scalable processes.

Qualifications

• 5+ years post-JD experience, including 2+ years at a law firm
• Experience with supplier contracts, technology agreements, and manufacturing agreements
• Experience handling commercial disputes and pre-litigation, arbitration, or litigation

Responsibilities

• Advise on buy-side commercial transactions and disputes
• Lead negotiation of technology development, manufacturing, commodities, capex purchase and lease agreements
• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of contracts and transaction documents
• Develop standards and playbooks for negotiation, risk mitigation, and dispute resolution
• Manage post-contract execution risks and disputes with business stakeholders

Skills

Commercial law

Contract negotiation

Strategic thinking

Cross-functional leadership

Team leadership

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) or equiv.

Active bar membership (US state)

Tools

Contract lifecycle management (CLM)

Job description

• Relativity Space’s Legal team is nimble, entrepreneurial, and deeply collaborative. Unique to Relativity’s fast-paced, high-growth environment, the team works across many departments to support Relativity’s ambitious goals
• The company is in a formative phase, with enough structure to build from and still plenty of room for you to define what’s next
• The Senior Commercial Counsel will serve as strategic legal counsel supporting Relativity’s buy-side commercial transactions and disputes
• You will partner cross-functionally to structure and lead negotiation of agreements for technology development, scalable manufacturing, commodities, rocket parts and components, capex purchase and lease arrangements
• The role will be responsible for creating a foundation of standards and practices that enable effective and sound scaling of the contract management function to support the company’s rapid growth
• Structure and negotiate transactions that enable maturity of technology and manufacturing, ensuring alignment with company objectives, financial plans, and legal positions. Lead high-stakes negotiations for significant transactions, providing strategic counsel on commercial terms, risk allocation, financial implications, and executive alignment
• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of contracts and transaction documents, including agreements for technology development, rocket parts, manufacturing services, commodities, and capex purchase and lease arrangements
• Provide strategic counsel that empowers leadership and cross-functional teams to make practical, well-informed decisions by translating legal complexity into clear business guidance
• Develop, implement, and scale strategies, standards, and playbooks for negotiation, risk mitigation, and dispute resolution for buy-side commercial transactions
• Manage post-contract execution risks and disputes in close partnership with business stakeholders

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision coverage
• Additional stipend for employee wellness
• 401(k)
• Equity
• 11 company holidays & generous PTO
• Monthly lunches, game nights, holiday celebrations, and offsite events
• Generous parental leave and provide a $10,000 stipend for fertility, adoption, and other family-building benefits
• $2,000 annual learning stipend
• Constant training opportunities, company Lunch and Learns, and access to industry conferences

Strong commercial judgment, and the ability to develop strategic approaches and lead novel, high-stakes negotiations. Not merely review routine contracts or apply standard playbooksJD from an accredited law school, active bar membership in at least one U.S. state, and 5+ years of post-JD experience (including 2+ years at a law firm)Depth in commercial transactions, such as supplier contracts, technology agreements, equipment purchase and lease, manufacturing agreements, or service agreementsSystems thinker who thrives in a fast-paced, innovative environment and can design scalable processesExperience handling commercial disputes and pre-litigation matters, arbitration, and litigation, including developing resolution strategy and balancing legal risk against business objectivesMotivated self-starter who can lead cross-functional projects independently and thrive in ambiguous, fast-changing environmentsExperience with supply chain legal issues, tariffs, and international transactionsKnowledge of financial analysis and ability to evaluate commercial terms from a financial perspectiveExperience implementing contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems and legal technology tools