Assistant General Counsel, Contracts

Valley Bank•Morristown, NJ

20h

About The Position

This role involves drafting, negotiating, and advising on a broad range of technology and commercial contracts. The Assistant General Counsel will partner with Privacy and Information Security teams to manage contractual provisions related to data protection, security, and risk. Additionally, the role focuses on process improvement, developing contract templates and playbooks, and providing internal training. The position also requires serving as a primary legal point of contact for assigned business units and managing outside counsel.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (in good standing).
5--10 years of relevant legal experience with substantial focus on technology transactions and commercial contracting, gained in-house and/or at a law firm.
Strong command of market contract positions and negotiation strategy on: Indemnification (IP, data/security, third-party claims), Limitation of liability (caps, carve-outs, exclusions), SLAs/service credits, uptime commitments, and remedies, IP rights and ownership of deliverables and custom developments, Security requirements, audit rights, and incident response obligations, Term/renewal, termination assistance, and transition services.
Excellent writing, issue-spotting, and communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders.
Business judgment & pragmatism: balances legal risk with operational needs and deal momentum.
Negotiation strength: confidently negotiates complex deals with internal and external stakeholders.
Ownership & responsiveness: drives matters to closure with excellent follow-through and prioritization.
Collaboration: strong cross-functional partner; solution-oriented and approachable.
Analytical rigor: identifies key issues quickly; escalates appropriately; proposes options.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience in a regulated industry (financial services, healthcare, insurance, energy, etc.).
Familiarity with privacy/security frameworks and contractual controls (e.g., vendor security exhibits, SOC reports, audit standards).
Experience supporting procurement and vendor governance programs, including third-party risk management concepts.
Comfort with technology and product concepts (APIs, integrations, hosting models, data flows, AI/ML provisions, etc.).
Experience implementing or optimizing CLM systems, templates, or contracting playbooks.

Responsibilities

Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on a broad range of technology and commercial contracts, including SaaS/Cloud Services Agreements, Software Licenses, Consulting & Professional Services Agreements, Data Agreements, and Vendor/Partner Agreements.
Provide pragmatic counsel on contract structure and key negotiation points, including scope, pricing, indemnities, limitations of liability, warranties, IP ownership, confidentiality, security obligations, and termination rights.
Translate legal concepts into clear, actionable guidance for business partners and help drive deals to closure efficiently.
Partner with Privacy and Information Security teams to evaluate and negotiate contractual provisions regarding data protection, privacy requirements, security controls, incident notification, audit rights, vendor governance, subprocessors, cross-border considerations, and data retention/destruction.
Support third-party risk management processes by ensuring contracts align with internal policies and controls.
Identify recurring legal risks and recommend playbooks, fallback positions, and process improvements.
Develop and maintain contract templates, clause libraries, playbooks, and training materials for stakeholders.
Drive improvements in contracting workflows, including partnership with procurement and CLM tools.
Provide internal training for business clients on key contract terms, negotiation strategy, and risk awareness.
Serve as the primary legal point of contact for assigned business units and build trusted relationships with leaders and cross-functional teams.
Manage outside counsel as needed for specialized matters, including cost control and quality oversight.