Associate General Counsel

NBT Bank • Utica, NY

92d • $166,136 - $221,507

About The Position

The Associate General Counsel serves as a senior legal advisor supporting enterprise-wide initiatives with a focus on strategic legal matters including Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM), Information Technology (IT), Cybersecurity, and Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A). This role is critical to ensuring legal and regulatory compliance, mitigating risk, and enabling innovation across the institution’s operations. The successful candidate will provide sophisticated legal counsel on vendor relationships, emerging technologies, corporate transactions, and information security matters, while partnering closely with executive leadership and cross-functional teams. This position offers high visibility, strategic influence, and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the institution’s legal, operational, and risk management frameworks.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; ability to obtain in-house counsel registration if required.
• Minimum of 7 years of legal experience, preferably within a large financial institution, major law firm, or regulatory agency.
• Demonstrated expertise in contract negotiation, technology law, and cybersecurity legal frameworks.
• Experience advising public companies and managing external counsel preferred.

Nice To Haves

• Deep understanding of financial services regulations and technology-related legal issues.
• Strong business acumen and ability to balance legal risk with strategic objectives.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Results-oriented, proactive, and capable of engaging with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.

Responsibilities

• Lead legal review and negotiation of high-value and complex third-party service provider agreements, including confidentiality and data protection provisions.
• Collaborate with TPRM teams to ensure contracts align with enterprise risk policies and regulatory expectations.
• Maintain contract screening and review templates to ensure consistency with regulatory standards.
• Advise on legal and regulatory implications of technology initiatives, including cloud services, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence.
• Provide guidance on compliance with applicable laws and regulations (e.g., GLBA, FFIEC).
• Support procurement and implementation of enterprise technology solutions.
• Serve as legal counsel to Cybersecurity and InfoSec teams, including breach notification and regulatory reporting.
• Participate in the institution’s Incident Response Team and advise on legal aspects of cyber risk management.
• Monitor evolving cybersecurity regulations and industry standards to ensure proactive compliance.
• Provide legal advice across business units on matters involving vendor relationships, litigation, and regulatory inquiries.
• Manage relationships with external counsel and oversee litigation and alternative dispute resolution strategy.
• Identify emerging legal risks and contribute to enterprise risk assessments and mitigation strategies.
• Provide legal support for corporate transactions, including due diligence, structuring, negotiation, and integration.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external counsel to assess legal risks and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Draft and review transaction documents.
• Perform additional legal tasks and special projects as directed by the General Counsel or executive leadership.

Benefits

• Generous Paid Time Off: At least 22 days annually, prorated in the year of hire.
• Parental Leave: Six weeks of paid leave at 100% of your salary.
• Comprehensive Medical Coverage: Includes employer contributions to HSA for High Deductible Health Plan participants.
• Dental and Vision Coverage: Ensuring your overall health and well-being.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: For healthcare and dependent care expenses.
• Employer-Paid Disability Coverage: Both short-term and long-term, with an option to purchase additional long-term coverage.
• Life Insurance: Employer-paid basic life insurance, with an option to purchase supplemental coverage.
• Voluntary Benefits: Including hospital, accident, and critical illness coverage.
• Retirement Plans: Benefit from a 401(k) plan with employer matching, an optional Roth 401(k), and a pension plan to help secure your future.
• Adoption Assistance: Supporting your growing family.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Invest in your education and career growth.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Access to support and resources.
• Financial and Banking Services: Various benefits and financial planning assistance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees