Senior Corporate & Commercial Counsel

Novanta Inc.; Tennessee; On-site; USD 207,000 - 310,000; Full time

Job summary

Novanta Inc. in the United States seeks a Senior Corporate & Commercial Counsel to partner with business units on contracting, corporate and securities matters.

This role focuses on complex negotiations, refining contracting processes with AI tools, and ensuring SEC and Nasdaq compliance across the organization. Reporting to the General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, you will support Tax, Treasury and Finance while driving efficient contract workflows and strategic business growth in

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and a member in good standing of at least one state bar.
• 8+ years corporate legal experience.
• In-house or law-firm corporate experience supporting multinational manufacturing or high-tech organizations.
• Proven experience developing and managing commercial contracting processes.
• Experience with SEC and Nasdaq compliance and related corporate matters.
• Ability to leverage AI tools and contract technology to drive efficiency and modernize processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead commercial contract negotiation and support for key customer and vendor contracts and related agreements.
• Refine and support contracting management processes and implement AI/tools in workflows.
• Develop cross-functional relationships to promote best practices and process improvements.
• Support securities compliance, disclosures, reporting, and filing with finance teams.
• Provide legal support to Tax, Treasury, and Finance departments.
• Maintain compliance with quality, environmental and health & safety regulations as applicable.

Skills

Contract management

Negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

AI tools in contracting

Business acumen

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Tools

SEC compliance tools

Nasdaq compliance knowledge

Job description

Build a career powered by innovations that matter! At Novanta, our innovations power technology products that are transforming healthcare and advanced manufacturing—improving productivity, enhancing people’s lives and redefining what’s possible. We create for our global customers engineered components and sub-systems that deliver extreme precision and performance for a range of mission-critical applications—from minimally invasive surgery to robotics to 3D metal printing.

Novanta is one global team with over 26 offices located in The Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Looking for a great place to work? You have found it with a culture that embraces teamwork, collaboration and empowerment. Come explore Novanta.

Summary

This position reports directly to the General Counsel & Corporate Secretary and will be an integral member of Novanta’s Legal Team. Novanta’s Legal Team plays an important role in executing the company’s strategic mission and operations and works closely with all Novanta business units and corporate functions to support operating initiatives contributing to the organization’s success.

This is a high-visibility, broad-scope role for a commercially-minded lawyer who wants meaningful impact at a growing, acquisitive public company. The Senior Corporate & Commercial Counsel role serves as a business partner for the company’s businesses in their contracting activities and supports the company’s corporate functions. The successful candidate will possess strong business acumen and a desire to understand and impact business growth through partnership with internal clients in the medical and industrial markets and in the company’s shared services platforms. The candidate will support the client groups in a wide variety of corporate, finance and securities matters and key contracts, including customer, vendor and operational contracts.

Primary Responsibilities

• The primary function of this role will focus on commercial contract negotiation and support. Working with lead counsel for the company’s business groups, the role will provide to the Company’s business units professional legal advice in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating key customer and vendor contracts, as well as other key contracts in support of operational functions at a corporate level (e.g., IT and G&A contracts), ensuring management of contractual risk consistent with company risk appetite and operational needs.
• The role will take the lead in refining and supporting the contracts management process and policies and procedures for contract review, including the use of technology and AI tools in these processes.
• Develop cross-functional relationships to build consensus, promote best practices and implement process improvements in contracting and other key areas.
• In close coordination with the General Counsel and the finance and accounting team, the role will also support compliance with securities laws and securities exchange disclosure, reporting, and filing requirements.
• Provide legal support to the Tax, Treasury, and Finance departments.

General Tasks

• Maintain strict compliance with the quality, environmental and occupational health and safety regulations and implementation of the instructions of the quality, environmental management and/or occupational health and safety officer.

Required Experience, Education, Skills, Training and Competencies

• J.D. from an accredited law school and a member in good standing of at least one state bar.
• 8+ years corporate legal experience.
• Prior in-house or law-firm corporate legal experience supporting multinational manufacturing or high-tech organizations handling commercial legal and corporate/ securities laws matters.
• Proven experience in developing and managing commercial contracting processes.
• Experience with SEC and Nasdaq compliance, as well as general corporate and transactional matters.
• High integrity and ethical standards.
• Demonstrated interest in and experience leveraging AI tools, contract technology platforms, and legal operations technology to drive efficiency, improve contract workflows, and modernize legal department processes; a track record of identifying and implementing tools that transform how a legal team works.
• Hands on, roll‑up‑your‑sleeves’ mentality, with a strong attention to detail; ability and willingness to work with minimal administrative support.
• Ability to analyze complex issues and provide practical and sensible recommendations for solutions.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and excellent communication and interpersonal skills to partner, communicate and negotiate complicated issues with various levels of seniority within the company and with external entities and individuals.
• Demonstrated business acumen, judgment and initiative and a desire to learn about the company’s business and expand areas of expertise.
• Proven capability to set priorities, drive results and act efficiently and effectively while devising innovative solutions to challenging legal problems within a complex business environment.
• Ability to work independently and prioritize and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
  

Travel Requirements

• Infrequently
  

Physical Requirements

• Lifting up to 50 pounds, Standing long periods of time
  

Compensation

• The salary for this role will range from 207,020.00 - 309,500.00 USD annual based on full-time employment. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including but not limited to location, relevant skills, training, experience, education, etc.
• Certain roles may be eligible for performance-based incentive compensation and/or long-term incentives. Incentives could be discretionary or non-discretionary depending on the plan.
• Novanta supports all aspects of your life’s needs. This position provides a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits to make your quality of life better.

Novanta is proud to be an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action workplace. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, military and veteran status, disability, genetics, or any other category protected by federal law or Novanta policy.

Please call [phone] if you need a disability accommodation for any part of the employment process.