Senior Contract Lead

Overview

This role involves managing complex contract negotiations to secure agreements on terms that are acceptable and efficient. The position is a senior individual contributor role focused on driving deals to signature without delays, handling contract redlines end to end, drafting language, and managing order form details. It reports to the Manager of the Deal Desk and collaborates with Legal only when necessary.

Responsibilities

• Own contract redlines from initial review to final version for Master Service Agreements (MSAs), order forms, Data Processing Agreements (DPAs), Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), security and privacy exhibits, and amendments.
• Draft contract language, including fallback and compromise positions, rather than only identifying issues.
• Manage order form specifics such as scope, product definitions, term and renewal mechanics, payment and invoicing terms, usage and overage definitions, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), service credits, and exhibit cross-references.
• Negotiate directly with customer counsel, procurement, and third-party risk teams through calls and document revisions.
• Make decisions within delegated authority and escalate to Legal only for genuinely novel or materially risky issues.
• Coordinate directly with Security, Finance, Product, and other stakeholders without Legal as an intermediary.
• Exercise sound judgment on escalation decisions and own the outcomes.
• Maintain a durable record of negotiation positions and rationale to streamline future negotiations.
• Provide Sales with clear, plain-English explanations of contract terms and their implications.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience negotiating commercial technology agreements, with significant enterprise SaaS vendor-side experience.
• Deep knowledge of clauses that commonly stall deals, including limitation of liability, indemnification, intellectual property and data ownership, data security and privacy exhibits, audit rights, insurance, termination for convenience, most-favored-nation and benchmarking clauses, source code escrow, and assignment.
• Strong drafting skills capable of creating clauses that solve commercial problems.
• Demonstrated autonomy in managing deals from start to finish.
• Ability to maintain composure and throughput during high-pressure periods such as quarter-end.
• Juris Doctor (JD) degree or senior paralegal/contract manager background.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience contracting with banks, credit unions, mortgage lenders, or other regulated financial institutions, including familiarity with third-party risk and vendor management processes.
• Familiarity with Salesforce, contract lifecycle management (CLM) tools such as Ironclad, and e-signature platforms.
• Prior experience as General Counsel, Associate General Counsel, or head of commercial legal, with a preference for candidates who want to focus on negotiation rather than management or traditional legal practice.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary Range: $112,000 – $132,000 (final offer depends on function, level, location, knowledge, skills, and experience).
• Bonus eligibility contingent on company performance and individual objectives.
• Meaningful Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) in publicly traded stock.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with generous employer contributions.
• Company-paid life, short-term, and long-term disability coverage.
• Generous paid time off, holidays, and parental leave.
• Employee Assistance Program covering mental health, legal, childcare, eldercare, financial planning, and more.
• Voluntary benefits including accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, identity theft, and legal insurance.
• Monthly wellness stipend for fitness, mental health, and well-being.
• Additional perks such as pet insurance, paid volunteer time off, and Milk Stork support.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Pre-tax savings options including healthcare and dependent care FSAs, Limited Purpose FSA, and Health Savings Account (HSA).

Location

This role is open to candidates based in the United States. Specific geographic location and work authorization requirements will be considered during the hiring process.