Associate General Counsel - Space & Defense Group

Moog Inc.; Buffalo (NY); Hybrid; USD 225,000 - 265,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus opportunities

401(k) matching

Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

Tuition Assistance

Healthcare coverage

Flexible paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

Moog Inc. in Buffalo, NY is seeking an Associate General Counsel to support the Space & Defense Group, providing strategic legal guidance across government and commercial programs.

You will translate complex regulatory issues into practical options for SDG leadership, aligning legal strategy with business objectives. You will partner with cross-functional teams, negotiate major agreements, and contribute to enterprise-wide risk mitigation.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school with active bar membership.
• Minimum 10 years of legal experience, with at least 5 years in-house.
• Ability to develop and implement effective legal and business strategies.
• Proven track record of cross-functional collaboration.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.
• Experience in complex business and contract negotiation, including IP agreements.
• Experience in U.S. government contracting and procurement processes.
• Must meet facility and program access requirements and be able to obtain security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive legal support and advise on compliance with laws, regulations, and customer requirements.
• Collaborate with leadership to develop and implement business and legal strategies.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to enhance functional excellence.
• Lead major agreements and negotiations with heightened risk or enterprise scope.
• Support SDG in resolving litigation, disputes and claims.
• Coordinate with Corporate Legal leadership and other Operating Group Contracts leadership.

Skills

Legal experience 10+ years

Senior in-house experience 5+ years

Strategic business partnerships

Negotiation experience

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Regulatory compliance understanding

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction

Job description

Moog is a performance culture that empowers people to achieve great things. Our people enjoy solving interesting technical challenges in a culture where everyone trusts each other to do the right thing. For you, working with us can mean deeper job satisfaction, better rewards, and a great quality of life inside and outside of work.

Job Title

Associate General Counsel - Space & Defense Group

Reporting To

SVP, General Counsel

Work Schedule

Hybrid – Buffalo, NY

Moog is looking for Associate General Counsel to support our Space & Defense Operating Group.

In this role, you will be responsible for providing full legal support to Space & Defense Group (SDG). Reporting to Moog’s General Counsel, you will play a key role in developing business and legal strategies, enabling growth, and mitigating legal and commercial risks in a highly regulated customer environment. You will provide strategic legal counsel across SDG’s space and defense portfolios, including U.S. Government programs at multiple tiers and commercial programs, spanning space systems and exploration.

As Associate General Counsel, you will be a trusted advisor and business partner to SDG Executive Leadership, translating complex legal and regulatory considerations into clear options and recommendations that enable timely, well-informed decisions. In partnership with SDG cross-functional stakeholders, you will align legal strategy with SDG business objectives, support consistent approaches on major agreements, and coordinate broader alignment when matters span multiple operating groups or have enterprise-wide impact.

• The ideal candidate will live local to Buffalo, NY to work onsite at our East Aurora facility, however a hybrid-travel work situation may be considered for the right candidate.

To qualify for the Associate General Counsel role, here is what we would expect you to bring to Moog…

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school with active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• A minimum of 10 years of legal experience, with over five (5) years in a senior in-house role with a large corporation or at a large law firm.
• Ability to develop and implement effective legal and business strategies and partnerships.
• Proven track record of working with stakeholders across the organization to resolve matters and implement initiatives.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build trusted strategic relationships.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with the ability to assess complex legal issues and provide practical, business-oriented solutions.
• Experience in complex business and contract negotiation, including IP agreements.
• Experience in U.S. government contracting and procurement processes.
• Experience in identifying and mitigating legal and business risks.
• Must meet facility and program access requirements, including U.S. Person status, and be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance if required by program needs.

As the Associate General Counsel to SDG, you will have the following responsibilities…

• Provide comprehensive legal support and advise on compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and customer requirements.
• Collaborate with leadership to develop and implement business and legal strategies.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to enhance functional excellence.
• Foster a collaborative environment as you engage with other legal professionals.
• Contribute to strategic legal plans and decision-making processes.
• Develop trusted relationships with leadership.
• Formulate tactics and strategies to advance group goals.
• Bring industry expertise to support strategic business objectives.
• Influence P&Ls through creative legal solutions and decisions.
• Mitigate and eliminate risks with substantial monetary implications.
• Coordinate with the Corporate Legal leadership team and other Operating Group Contracts leadership as appropriate.
• Collaborate with Group Leadership (Programs, Contracts, etc.) on negotiations with external parties as appropriate.
• Negotiate agreements with external parties.
• Lead legal strategy and negotiations for SDG major agreements and other matters with heightened risk, complexity, or enterprise scope, in partnership with SDG Contracts and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Support SDG in resolving litigation, disputes and claims.
• Support the Legal Department in implementing new programs and initiatives across the organization.

How We Care For You

• Financial Rewards: great compensation package, bonus opportunities, matching 401k, and the ability to participate in Employee Stock Purchase Plan (select locations), Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts
• Work/Life Balance: Flexible paid time off, holidays and parental leave program.
• Health & Welfare: Comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, Employee Assistance Plan (“EAP”) and other supplemental benefit coverages.
• Professional Skills Development: Tuition Assistance, mentorship and coaching opportunities, leadership development and other personal growth programs
• Culture: Warm, respectful, family-like environment driven by our 12 core values. Multiple Employee Resource Groups led by our employees, open and welcoming to all.

Salary Range Transparency

Buffalo, NY $225,000.00–$265,000.00 Annually

Salary Range Disclaimer

The base salary range represents the low and high end of the Moog salary range for this position in the given work location. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to location, experience, and performance. The range(s) listed is just one component of Moog's total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, employee stock purchase plan, an open paid time off policy, and many region-specific benefits.

This position requires access to U.S. export-controlled information.

Moog offers an inclusive workplace, and, as such, affirms the right of every person to participate in all aspects of employment based on merit without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. If you are interested in applying for employment and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply for a posted position, contact our Human Resources department via phone at 844-367-5787.

No unsolicited agency submittals please. Agency partners must be invited to participate in a search by our Talent Acquisition Team and have signed terms in place prior to any submittal. Absent compliance with these pre-conditions resumes submitted directly to any Moog Inc. employee or affiliate will not qualify for fee payment, and therefore become the property of Moog Inc.