Associate Director - Legal Contracts

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

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vis

401(k) with 3% company match

Paid time off and company holidays

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

GEP Worldwide is seeking an Associate Director – Legal to lead its Global Contracts Team. This role owns strategy, structure, and performance of GEP’s commercial contracting function, handling the most complex enterprise deals while building a high-performing global legal team.

The senior leader will engage with the C-suite, board advisors, and external counsel, driving AI governance, data privacy, and cross-border contracting excellence across all jurisdictions.

Qualifications

• J.D. from ABA-accredited law school and active bar membership in NJ or eligibility in NJ.
• 12–15+ years of post-bar legal experience in top-tier firms or global in-house roles.
• Direct leadership of a legal team and proven ability to operate at the C-suite level.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic vision and performance of the Global Contracts Team.
• Close the most complex enterprise agreements and manage global pipeline.
• Drive CLM adoption, AI tools, and process automation across the function.
• Provide executive-level guidance to CEO, CFO, and Sales leadership.
• Oversee regulatory compliance, data privacy, and IP strategy in contracts.

Skills

Executive leadership

C-suite communication

Commercial contracting

AI governance

Education

J.D. from ABA-accredited law school

Bar membership in NJ or eligibility for in-house in NJ

Tools

CLM platforms (Ironclad/Icertis)

AI-assisted review tools

Job description

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

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Strategic Leadership of the Global Contracts Function

• Own the vision, strategy, and performance of the Global Contracts Team — setting priorities, managing team capacity, and scaling the function alongside GEP’s revenue growth.
• Build, develop, and retain a high-performing team of legal professionals; provide mentorship, performance management, and clear career pathways.
• Drive adoption of CLM platforms, AI-assisted review tools, and workflow automation to achieve scale and consistency across the 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, and strategic alliances.
• Serve as the definitive senior escalation point for all non-standard positions and material risk items across the team’s global deal pipeline.
• Act as GEP’s most senior legal representative in high-stakes negotiations, engaging directly with client General Counsels, Chief Procurement Officers, and outside counsel.
• Partner with CEO, CFO, and Sales leadership to structure enterprise agreements that advance GEP’s strategic and commercial objectives.

3. AI, Technology, Data Privacy & IP

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

4. Regulatory Compliance & Risk Governance

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

5. Executive Collaboration & Legal Operations

• Serve as a trusted C-suite legal advisor and strategic thought partner to Sales, Delivery, Technology, Finance, and Executive leadership.
• Oversee legal operations strategy: CLM platform governance, matter management, and legal spend oversight across the global contracts function.
• Build an inclusive, high-performance team culture that attracts top legal talent and develops the next generation of legal leaders within GEP.

REQUIREMENTS:

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

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in the procurement, supply chain, or enterprise B2B SaaS sector.
• Hands-on experience with reseller / designated purchaser / buy-hold-sell structures across EU, UK, APAC, and Middle East jurisdictions.
• Familiarity with CLM platforms such as Ironclad or Icertis and AI-assisted contract review tools, including experience leading adoption within a legal function.
• Prior involvement in AI product commercialization, including AI-specific provisions such as model governance, output warranties, and AI indemnification structures.
• Experience with board-level legal risk reporting and enterprise risk governance frameworks.

THE AI-FORWARD SKILL SET

GEP is an AI-native enterprise. The ideal candidate will bring executive-level fluency with AI-driven technologies alongside deep legal expertise — able to set GEP’s enterprise positions on AI contract risk, advise authoritatively on AI-specific provisions, proactively interpret the evolving global AI regulatory landscape, and champion the adoption of legal technology within the team.

WHY GEP?

This is a rare opportunity to lead a world-class legal function at a company at an inflection point. As Associate Director, you will shape the strategy of GEP’s global contracting organization, work on the most sophisticated enterprise deals in the market, and serve as a trusted executive partner to GEP’s senior leadership. GEP offers a collaborative, high-performance environment where exceptional legal leadership is recognized — and where your contributions will have a direct and measurable impact on the firm’s commercial success and AI innovation agenda.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

GEP is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

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.