Associate Director - Legal

GEP; Clark (NJ); On-site; USD 180,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

GEP seeks an Associate Director – Legal to lead the Global Contracts Team, owning strategy, structure, and performance of the commercial contracting function.

This executive will handle the most complex, high-value enterprise deals while building a high-performing global team and engaging directly with C-suite and senior client counterparts worldwide.

Qualifications

• J.D. from ABA-accredited law school and bar membership in NJ or eligibility for in-house NJ registration.
• 12–15+ years of post-bar legal experience in commercial or technology practice, incl. in-house leadership.

Responsibilities

• Own vision and performance of Global Contracts Team to align with revenue growth.
• Mentor and develop a high-performing global legal team with clear career paths.
• Drive adoption of CLM platforms and AI tools for scale and consistency.
• Manage contract template library, playbooks, and approval matrices.
• Lead and close the most complex enterprise agreements (MSAs, SOWs, SaaS).
• Escalate material risk items and serve as senior escalation point for global deals.
• Represent GEP in high-stakes negotiations with client GC/CPOs and outside counsel.
• Partner with CEO, CFO, and Sales to structure enterprise agreements.

Skills

Executive leadership

Contract negotiation

Global contracts management

Commercial judgment

Communications skills

AI governance

Education

J.D. from ABA-accredited law school

Tools

CLM platforms

AI-assisted contract review tools

Job description

GEP Clark, Clark, New Jersey, United States

Full Time

Job Description

GEP is a ~$500M global technology and consulting firm at theforefront of AI-driven innovation across procurement, supply chain, andenterprise transformation. With a global footprint spanning North America,Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East, GEP partners with Fortune 500companies to modernize procurement and supply chain functions through itsproprietary AI-powered platform (GEP SMART™), managed services, and strategicconsulting. GEP is targeting $1B in revenue over the next 4–5 years — and the legalfunction is a critical enabler of that growth.

POSITION OVERVIEW

GEP is seeking a seasoned Associate Director – Legal to leadits Global Contracts Team. This executive will own the strategy, structure, andperformance of GEP’s commercial contracting function — personally handling themost complex, high-value enterprise deals while building and managing ahigh-performing global legal team. The role demands executive presence, deepcommercial judgment, and the ability to engage directly with GEP’s C-suite,board advisors, and senior client legal counterparts worldwide.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own the vision, strategy, and performance of theGlobal Contracts Team — setting priorities, managing team capacity, and scalingthe function alongside GEP’s revenue growth.
• Build, develop, and retain a high-performingteam of legal professionals; provide mentorship, performance management, andclear career pathways.
• Drive adoption of CLM platforms, AI-assistedreview tools, and workflow automation to achieve scale and consistency acrossthe global pipeline.
• Own GEP’s contract template library, playbooks,fallback positions, escalation frameworks, and approval matrices.
• Personally lead and close the most complex,high-value commercial agreements — MSAs, SOWs, enterprise SaaS deals,AI-powered services agreements, reseller/channel partner arrangements, andstrategic alliances.
• Serve as the definitive senior escalation pointfor all non-standard positions and material risk items across the team’s globaldeal pipeline.
• Act as GEP’s most senior legal representative inhigh-stakes negotiations, engaging directly with client General Counsels, ChiefProcurement Officers, and outside counsel.
• Partner with CEO, CFO, and Sales leadership tostructure enterprise agreements that advance GEP’s strategic and commercialobjectives.

3. AI,Technology, Data Privacy & IP

• Serve as GEP’s senior authority on AIgovernance, responsible AI frameworks, and the evolving global regulatorylandscape (EU AI Act, U.S. state AI guidance, sector-specific mandates).
• Set enterprise-wide positions on AI-specificcontract provisions — data rights, model training restrictions, outputliability, responsible AI obligations — and ensure consistent applicationacross all agreements.
• Lead legal strategy for data processingagreements, cross-border data transfer mechanisms (SCCs, BCRs), and global dataprivacy compliance (GDPR, CCPA/CPRA).
• Own GEP’s IP posture in commercial agreements,including proprietary software protection and AI model governance.

4. RegulatoryCompliance & Risk Governance

• Own the regulatory compliance posture of GEP’scommercial contracting function across all operating jurisdictions (exportcontrols, FCPA, UK Bribery Act, supply chain compliance).
• Maintain GEP’s legal risk governance framework,including escalation thresholds, executive risk reporting, and board-levelvisibility into material legal exposures.
• Monitor regulatory developments in AI, dataprivacy, and technology procurement and translate them into actionablecontracting positions for the business.

5. ExecutiveCollaboration & Legal Operations

• Serve as a trusted C-suite legal advisor andstrategic thought partner to Sales, Delivery, Technology, Finance, andExecutive leadership.
• Oversee legal operations strategy: CLM platformgovernance, matter management, and legal spend oversight across the globalcontracts function.
• Build an inclusive, high-performance teamculture that attracts top legal talent and develops the next generation oflegal leaders within GEP.

REQUIREMENTS

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school; activebar membership in New Jersey or another U.S. jurisdiction, or eligibility forin-house counsel registration in New Jersey.
• 12–15+ years of post-bar legal experience,combining law firm commercial transactions or technology practice and seniorin-house counsel roles at a global technology, SaaS, or professional servicesfirm.
• Prior Director-level or above in-house legalleadership experience required, including managing and developing a team oflegal professionals.
• Deep expertise in complex commercialcontracting: consulting / managed services, enterprise SaaS, and AI-poweredservices, with a track record of personally closing high-value cross-borderdeals.
• Proven ability to advise and operate at C-suitelevel; exceptional commercial judgment, executive presence, and communicationskills.
• Sophisticated command of global AI regulation,data privacy (GDPR, CCPA/CPRA), and IP strategy as applied to technology andservices contracting.
• Track record of building legal operations inhigh-growth global environments: CLM platforms, playbook development, andprocess maturity.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in the procurement, supply chain, orenterprise B2B SaaS sector.
• Hands-on experience with reseller / designatedpurchaser / buy-hold-sell structures across EU, UK, APAC, and Middle Eastjurisdictions.
• Familiarity with CLM platforms such as Ironclador Icertis and AI-assisted contract review tools, including experience leadingadoption within a legal function.
• Prior involvement in AI productcommercialization, including AI-specific provisions such as model governance,output warranties, and AI indemnification structures.
• Experience with board-level legal risk reportingand enterprise risk governance frameworks.

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

Visionary Leadership — Sets a compellinglong-term vision for the legal function; builds the strategy, talent, andinfrastructure to achieve it.

Executive Presence — Commanding and persuasiveat the most senior levels; GEP’s definitive legal voice in the highest-stakesglobal negotiations.

Talent Development — A people-first leader whoinvests in team growth, builds successors, and is known for attracting andretaining top legal talent.

Commercial Judgment — Balances legal rigorwith pragmatism; a deal-enabling advisor who makes clear, risk-basedrecommendations that earn business leadership’s trust.

Operational Excellence — Drives measurableimprovement in process, technology, and team capability; holds the function tohigh performance standards.

Integrity & Judgment — Exercisesprincipled judgment in ambiguous, high-stakes situations; sets the ethical tonefor the entire team.

THE AI-FORWARD SKILL SET

GEP is an AI-native enterprise. The ideal candidate willbring executive-level fluency with AI-driven technologies alongside deep legalexpertise — able to set GEP’s enterprise positions on AI contract risk, adviseauthoritatively on AI-specific provisions, proactively interpret the evolvingglobal AI regulatory landscape, and champion the adoption of legal technologywithin the team.

WHY GEP?

This is a rare opportunity to lead a world-class legalfunction at a company at an inflection point. As Associate Director, you willshape the strategy of GEP’s global contracting organization, work on the mostsophisticated enterprise deals in the market, and serve as a trusted executivepartner to GEP’s senior leadership. GEP offers a collaborative, high-performanceenvironment where exceptional legal leadership is recognized — and where yourcontributions will have a direct and measurable impact on the firm’s commercialsuccess and AI innovation agenda.

Salary Range: $180,000 – $210,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications.

Additional Compensation: Eligible for a performance-based bonus tied to individual and company performance.

Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) with a 3% company match, paid time off, company holidays, and professional development opportunities.

GEP’s strength is its people. As a leader in procurement and supply chain solutions, we are committed to providing innovative solutions that create a competitive advantage for enterprises worldwide. Our leadership helps us maintain this focus and drives our commitment to deliver the highest value to our clients.

GEP’s leadership is a collective of some of the most experienced and accomplished professionals in the industry. Blending together strong business acumen with rich technical expertise, they are leading GEP’s global workforce into the future

#WeAreGEP

What makes us really stand out from the crowd?

We value and invest in talent. We respect honesty and individuality. We put our clients and our people first. This is what makes us special, and why GEP is an exceptional place to work.