Associate General Counsel

IPC Systems; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

IPC Systems is seeking an Associate General Counsel for AMERS based in New York City. This senior in-house lawyer will lead complex customer and vendor negotiations, advise internal stakeholders on legal risk, and help maintain consistent standards across the Americas.

The role requires a JD and NY bar admission, 7+ years of in-house experience in technology/fintech, and strong contract lifecycle management with the ability to influence outcomes across cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• JD and active admission to the bar in New York or another U.S. state, with ability to practice in New York.
• 7+ years of in-house legal experience in technology/fintech or complex B2B environments.
• Strong commercial-contracting experience, including customer and vendor negotiations and contract lifecycle management.
• Ability to work independently with high volume matters, prioritization, accuracy and urgency.
• Ability to develop practical solutions and communicate advice clearly to legal and non-legal audiences.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder-management skills, with the confidence to influence outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead on complex customer and vendor negotiations and advise on legal risk.
• Maintain consistent legal standards and processes across the Americas.
• Support creation and amendment of Legal department processes, templates and playbooks.
• Build relationships with outside counsel and manage external advice as needed.
• Collaborate with Sales, Commercial Operations, Finance and Compliance to enable revenue while protecting IPC’s interests.

Skills

In-house experience

Contract negotiation

Regulatory risk

Stakeholder management

Education

Juris Doctor

Tools

Summize

Wordsmith

Job description

REPORTING TO: SVP, General Counsel & Transformation Manager

OFFICE LOCATION: New York City, New York

ROLE TYPE: Hybrid, Full-time

IPC is a global fintech company that puts people at the center of innovation. With a strong global footprint, we empower financial institutions and capital markets with advanced cloud-based trading communications and managed connectivity solutions.

Through our portfolio of communications and connectivity solutions, we help clients address business challenges and adapt to regulatory change across fast-paced global financial markets.

Overview of the Team

The global Legal team provides strategic and practical support across commercial, corporate, regulatory and operational matters. The team partners closely with Sales, Commercial Operations, Finance, Compliance, HR and senior leadership to enable growth while managing legal and contractual risk.

Role Overview

The Associate General Counsel, AMERS is a senior individual contributor responsible for providing high-quality commercial and corporate legal support across the Americas, and to the wider organisation. Based in New York City, the role will lead on complex customer and vendor negotiations, advise internal stakeholders on legal and contractual risk, and help maintain consistent legal standards and processes across the region.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Contracting & Business Partnership:

• Negotiate, draft and advise on complex customer agreements, including SaaS, software licence, hardware subscription, voice services, maintenance, managed services, connectivity and related technology agreements.
• Negotiate and advise on vendor and supplier agreements, including inbound licence, technology, professional services and other commercial arrangements.
• Provide practical, business-oriented legal advice to Sales, Commercial Operations, Finance and other stakeholders, balancing commercial objectives with appropriate risk management.
• Advise on the legal aspects of requests for proposal, tenders and customer due diligence responses.
• Support contract interpretation, dispute avoidance, enforcement and resolution of commercial issues as required.
• Promote consistent drafting standards, contractual positions that balance the needs of the customer whilst appropriately protecting IPC’s business.
• Apply and help embed IPC-approved positions on key commercial terms, ensuring material deviations on commercials have approval behind them, and escape risks to the General Counsel.
• Ensure significant deals are executed expeditiously, and that executed agreements, drafts and redlines are maintained in Summize / Wordsmith or other designated systems.
• Identify recurring legal or contractual risks and recommend practical improvements to templates, guidance and processes.
• Maintain high standards of legal accuracy, professional judgment, confidentiality and ethical conduct.

Corporate & Operational Legal Support:

• Support the creation, implementation, review and amendment of Legal department processes, templates and playbooks.
• Contribute to legal projects, regulatory assessments and operational initiatives.
• Build effective working relationships with outside counsel and support the efficient management of external legal advice where engaged.

How You Will Make an Impact:

• Understand IPC's business. The successful candidate will need to understand the products and services sold by IPC, including our contractual structure, and be able to execute appropriate drafting, whether on IPC or customer paper, and be able to negotiate contracts to closure in a structured and efficient manner to meet deadlines for contract execution.
• Establish a good working relationship with the Sales organisation to partner and ensure they are supported well in their activities to bring revenue into the organisation.
• Be able to analyse contracts to be able to provide advice on the options available to the business to continue to evolve IPC's relationship with existing customers.
• Be able to use but not be dependent on Legal Tech to streamline activity. The successful lawyer will be able to use technology to speed up analyses, and enable prompt drafting, whilst also understanding the rationale of clauses to be able to successfully negotiate to execution by finding a mutually acceptable position.
• Be hard working and determined. Aside from a good work ethos, the successful lawyer will demonstrate a can do attitude and persistence to ensure contract negotiations do not drag on.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Juris Doctor degree and active admission, in good standing, to the bar of New York or another U.S. state, with the ability to practise in the role’s location as required.
• Substantial in-house legal experience, ideally 7+ years, within a technology, financial services, fintech, telecommunications or other complex B2B environment.
• Strong commercial-contracting experience, including complex customer and vendor negotiations, risk analysis and contract lifecycle management.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage a high volume of matters with sound prioritisation, accuracy and urgency.
• Ability to develop practical solutions to complex legal and business issues and communicate advice clearly to legal and non-legal audiences.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder-management skills, with the confidence to influence outcomes without formal authority.
• High integrity, sound judgment and commitment to supporting colleagues and internal and external clients.

Desired Skills and Experience

• Experience supporting multinational or cross-border commercial matters.
• Familiarity with contract management tools and legal technology platforms, including Summize and Wordsmith.
• Experience leading complex legal matters without direct people-management responsibility.

Additional Information

At IPC, hybrid working is designed to support collaboration, flexibility and strong performance. Employees generally spend around 60% of their time in the office and around 40% working remotely, although business, client or role requirements may require additional time in the office or at client sites.

IPC’s Work Culture

IPC fosters an inclusive environment that prioritises innovation and maximises potential. Our strength is the sum of our different backgrounds, perspectives, skills and geographies, supported by constructive dialogue, open-mindedness and a commitment to excellence.