About The Role

Novara provides safety, operational risk management, and sustainability software that empowers organizations to identify and resolve issues before they become incidents. Through the Flex and Risk Management Center platforms, Novara helps organizations manage operational risk proactively with a system they can configure to fit their operations, data that unifies risk and safety intelligence, and tools that increase workforce participation. Novara’s combination of software, training, and AI-powered tools put people and safety first while protecting critical operations.

Position Description

Novara is seeking a dynamic and operationally-focused Senior Corporate Counsel. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), you will be the core member of the legal team with the opportunity to build a corporate legal function from the ground up, balancing strategic vision with hands-on execution. You will have the unique opportunity to define key processes and lead the legal department’s strategy. You will drive impactful, scalable growth through innovation and optimization of risk management, and championing a collaborative culture with your key stakeholders.

Experience in substantive areas such as commercial law, software licensing, professional service arrangements, intellectual property, and various business development, distribution and marketing arrangements is necessary, as well as a solid understanding of privacy law. In addition, the successful candidate will have experience with some combination of contract and related business processes, employment law, procurement, patents, insurance, and corporate finance and governance.

Responsibilities

Provide expert legal advice to the CEO, CFO and Board of Directors on all aspects of the business
Draft, review and negotiate a high volume of commercial agreements, including Master Services Agreements (MSAs), SaaS agreements, order forms, SOWs, NDAs, DPAs, vendor agreements, partnership agreements and other commercial contracts
Serve as a primary legal partner to the Sales, CS, and Finance organizations, helping move customer contracts efficiently from initial review through execution
Develop practical negotiating positions and escalation guidelines that appropriately balance legal protection, commercial objectives and speed to close
Partner with Finance and Sales leadership to improve contracting processes, templates, approval thresholds and contract lifecycle management
Partner with Novara’s Information Security team to manage privacy and cybersecurity policies and practices
Build and maintain a database of corporate documents, commercial contracts, and vendor agreements
Review and negotiate agreements with technology providers and other vendors and support Procurement in evaluating contractual and commercial risk
Manage relationship with outside counsel including litigation and disputes
Lead legal due diligence and provide strategic legal advice on mergers, acquisitions, and financing
Collaborate with HR to ensure compliance with labor and employment laws
Continuously identify and mitigate legal and compliance risks
Manage the company’s insurance policies, renewals and relationships
Lead special projects to scale the Legal function and bring a legal lens to other critical cross-functional projects
Provide pragmatic, business-minded guidance on customer and contract-related issues
Champion continuous improvement initiatives across workflows, identifying opportunities for optimization while maintaining the highest standards of legal quality and compliance
Assist with intellectual property matters, including trademarks, licensing and protection of Novara's proprietary technology
Monitor relevant legal and regulatory developments affecting Novara and the SaaS industry
Foster organizational alignment by developing valuable networks through clear communication and delivered value, bringing together internal resources to improve company-wide execution

Knowledge, Experience, Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited U.S. law school and currently admitted and in good standing with a state bar in any jurisdiction
5+ years of legal experience at law firms or in-house with progressive experience in legal operations
3+ years of experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial contracts in a sophisticated environment
Experience providing legal advice to high-growth software companies, preferably within a SaaS environment
Strong negotiation, drafting, and management skills for commercial contracts
Experience in managing privacy and cybersecurity policies
Strong analytical and quantitative skills as well as attention to detail
Excellent verbal and written communication skills with equally good listening, team leadership and excellence in execution
Highly motivated with a mature and positive attitude, a passion for service and strong business acumen
Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a collaborative team environment
Positive attitude and a team player