Senior Contracts Counsel

Trystar•Burnsville, MN

15h•$145,000 - $185,000

About The Position

Trystar is seeking a Senior Contracts Counsel to support its growing commercial and operational needs by leading the development, review, negotiation, and management of contracts across the organization. The role has primary responsibility for customer-facing contracts and nondisclosure agreements, and also supports sourcing and supplier agreements in collaboration with Legal, Sales, Sourcing, and Operations. This is a senior, judgment-driven position requiring independent legal and commercial decision-making, strong negotiation skills, and effective partnership with business leaders. The Senior Contracts Counsel helps enable revenue, manage risk, improve contracting efficiency, and use contract management technology and AI-assisted review tools to enhance speed, consistency, and risk identification. The role leads development and maintenance of standard contract templates, negotiation playbooks, clause libraries, and fallback positions. It independently reviews, drafts, and negotiates complex customer contracts and NDAs; advises on sourcing and supplier agreements; and provides practical, business-oriented guidance on legal, commercial, and operational risks. The position serves as a primary legal contact for contract-related questions from Sales and other business teams. The Senior Contracts Counsel partners with Sales, Sourcing, Finance, Operations, and Project Management leadership to facilitate timely contract execution, trains internal stakeholders, and escalates significant legal or risk issues to the Chief Legal Officer with recommendations. The role also improves contracting processes and approval workflows, oversees contract tracking and obligations, contributes to legal technology and AI tool implementation, monitors relevant legal and commercial developments, and supports special projects assigned by the Chief Legal Officer.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
Active bar admission in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
At least 3 years of experience reviewing, drafting, and negotiating commercial contracts, with significant experience in customer-facing agreements and nondisclosure agreements.
Demonstrated experience exercising independent legal and commercial judgment in a business environment.
Experience with contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems and AI-assisted contract review or legal technology solutions.
Proven ability to partner with senior business stakeholders and influence outcomes.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate legal risk into practical business guidance.
Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
High integrity and sound legal judgment.
Business-oriented, pragmatic approach to risk.
Advanced negotiation and problem-solving skills.
Comfort applying legal judgment alongside AI-driven insights and technology.
Ability to operate independently while collaborating effectively with leadership and cross-functional teams.
Strong alignment with Trystar’s values of safety, integrity, customer focus, and teamwork.

Nice To Haves

Experience in manufacturing, engineered products, or industrial environments.
Familiarity with sourcing, supplier, or procurement-related agreements.
Experience leading or mentoring others on contracting standards, playbooks, or negotiation practices.

Responsibilities

Lead development, maintenance, and continuous improvement of standard contract templates, including customer agreements, NDAs, and related addenda.
Establish and maintain negotiation playbooks, clause libraries, and fallback positions aligned with company risk tolerance and business objectives.
Ensure contract standards reflect current business practices, legal requirements, risk levels, and market conditions.
Independently review, draft, and negotiate complex customer contracts, including master agreements, terms and conditions, and related commercial documents.
Review and negotiate nondisclosure agreements with customers, suppliers, and other third parties.
Support and advise on the review and negotiation of sourcing and supplier agreements in coordination with Sourcing and Operations.
Identify legal, commercial, and operational risks and provide clear, business-oriented guidance and solutions.
Serve as a primary legal point of contact for contract-related questions from Sales and other business teams.
Use CLM systems and AI-assisted contract review tools to identify risks, deviations from standard terms, and efficiency opportunities.
Partner with Sales, Sourcing, Finance, Operations, and Project Management leadership to facilitate timely and commercially sound contract execution.
Provide internal stakeholders with practical training and guidance on contracting processes, contract terms, negotiation strategy, and risk awareness.
Escalate significant legal or risk issues to the Chief Legal Officer, with clear recommendations.
Improve contracting processes, governance, and approval workflows to increase speed, consistency, and transparency.
Oversee contract tracking, key terms, and obligations to support compliance, audits, and business visibility.
Contribute to the selection, implementation, and optimization of legal technology and AI-enabled contract review tools.
Monitor developments in contract law, commercial practices, and legal technology relevant to the business.
Support special projects and broader legal or commercial initiatives as assigned by the Chief Legal Officer.