Director Legal Counsel, Contracts

OneSpan is looking for Director and Senior Legal Counsel, Contracts.  In this role, you will manage a staff of two and are a strategic legal advisor supporting OneSpan's global operations across commercial transactions, regulatory compliance, data protection, and other legal disciplines. This role partners closely with Sales, Procurement, Product, IT, and other stakeholders across business functions worldwide to provide practical, business-oriented legal guidance while protecting the Company's interests.

The successful candidate will possess substantial experience providing legal support to a global organization including coordination of cross-border legal matters and management of local counsel when needed. The candidate will operate with significant autonomy and exercise independent judgement in negotiating commercial terms and managing legal risks, and will be comfortable advising senior executives, leading complex negotiations, managing legal risk across multiple jurisdictions, and developing solutions in emerging areas of law. The role requires intellectual curiosity, adaptability, and a demonstrated willingness to learn and lead in new legal subject areas as business needs evolve.

This position reports to the General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer and provides leadership and mentorship to two contracts professionals supporting the Legal & Compliance function globally handling customer, vendor and indirect channel agreements.

The Director and Senior Legal Counsel, Contracts is an experienced hands-on transactional attorney supporting OneSpan entities worldwide. The role provides strategic advice and efficient execution across a variety of contract types, including complex SaaS, hardware and software agreements with Fortune 500 customers, particularly those in highly regulated industries; distributor, reseller and third-party channel agreements; and strategic vendor/supplier agreements. Demonstrated experience in data privacy, data protection, cybersecurity, information security, artificial intelligence and technology-related contractual matters is required. This person must be experienced in drafting templates and translating legal, regulatory, security, privacy, and compliance requirements into commercially practical contractual provisions applicable across multiple jurisdictions.

You Will: 

• Lead, supervise, mentor and develop a global contracts team consisting of legal and non-legal professionals. Establish departmental priorities, review work product, allocate resources, support professional development, and drive operational excellence within the Legal & Compliance function.
• Lead, structure, draft, review and negotiate varied and complex international agreements, including SaaS, software, hardware, professional services, RFPs, NDAs, reseller, distributor, OEM, referral partner, technology partner, and strategic alliance agreements, as well as complex global procurement and vendor agreements.
• Provide legal support and advice to Sales and other stakeholders in negotiations of non-standard commercial terms, draft new contracts for intended business relationships, and provide advice and contract drafting that balances business goals with legal risks.
• Advise business stakeholders regarding data privacy, cybersecurity, information security, artificial intelligence, regulatory compliance, sanctions, export controls, anti-bribery, anti-corruption requirements, and other legal issues affecting a global technology company.
• Develop and deliver training to internal stakeholders worldwide on various contract matters.
• Develop a thorough understanding of the company business, products, markets, customers and partners to identify trends and formulate effective strategies.
• Responsible for quickly identifying major legal and contractual issues, escalating critical issues to the General Counsel when needed.
• Perform contracts lifecycle management and other contract-related tasks as well as special projects, as assigned. 

You Will Have:

• Minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible legal experience focused on corporate and commercial transactions, including substantial in-house experience supporting a multinational public technology, SaaS, software, cybersecurity, fintech, payments, or other highly regulated technology company operating across multiple jurisdictions.
• Significant experience leading negotiations of complex enterprise technology agreements with global financial institutions, banks, payment providers, insurance companies, and other highly regulated customers, including customer security, privacy, regulatory, operational resilience, audit, and compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated experience in artificial intelligence, data privacy, data protection, cybersecurity, information security, and technology-related contractual matters.
• Significant experience drafting, negotiating and advising on indirect channel relationships, including reseller, distributor, OEM, referral partner, technology partner, systems integrator, and strategic alliance agreements.
• Demonstrated experience supporting cross-border business operations for a global organization, including management of international legal matters and local counsel.
• Familiarity with export controls, sanctions, anti-bribery, anti-corruption, and other international compliance obligations affecting global technology companies.
• Demonstrated intellectual curiosity and willingness to assume responsibility for unfamiliar legal subject matters and rapidly develop expertise in new and evolving areas of law.
• Proven ability to provide practical, risk-based legal advice across multiple legal disciplines in a global business environment.
• Familiarity with revenue recognition issues within the software/technology industry.
• Strong negotiation, leadership, collaboration, communication, and stakeholder-management skills.
• JD from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing.
• Fully remote role with occasional domestic and international travel.
• Eastern or Central time zone preferred.

Salary: $200,000 - $250,000 (depending on experience and qualifications) plus bonus.

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