Senior Legal Counsel, Commercial

Job description

***Please Note:**To conform with the United States Government Space Technology Export Regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., conditional resident, asylee or refugee (protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.* At **CesiumAstro**, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team. We are seeking a **Senior Legal Counsel** to lead and scale our commercial legal operations and serve as a key partner to business, finance, and operations teams. This is a foundational role responsible for developing and enhancing our commercial legal capabilities, from contract frameworks to risk management, while operating as a hands-on contributor. You will report to the Vice President & General Counsel and play a critical role in enabling the company’s growth through pragmatic, business-oriented legal guidance. ### JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - Lead drafting, negotiation, and execution of a wide range of agreements, including customer and revenue-generating contracts, non-disclosure agreements, vendor, supplier, and manufacturing agreements, strategic partnerships, and joint development agreements. - Partner closely with product, business development, and procurement teams to enable efficient deal execution. - Develop scalable contracting processes, templates, and playbooks to accelerate deal velocity. - Provide practical, risk-calibrated legal advice to cross-functional stakeholders. - Translate complex legal concepts into clear business guidance for business leaders and cross-functional stakeholders. - Support new product launches, pricing models, and go-to-market strategies. - Build and implement contracting workflows, approval processes, and legal systems. - Establish and maintain standard templates, clause libraries, and fallback positions. - Improve legal operations to increase efficiency and reduce bottlenecks. - Support corporate governance and entity management. - Assist with employment matters, M&A, and other strategic transactions as needed. - Manage outside counsel effectively across specialty areas. - Support management of the company’s intellectual property portfolio, including strategy, filings, and coordination with outside counsel. - Support legal matters related to international operations, including cross-border compliance, corporate governance, employment matters, and coordination with local counsel. - Identify and proactively manage legal and commercial risks across the business. - Support development of internal policies and compliance programs. - Partner with finance and operations on risk allocation and mitigation strategies. ### JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - Juris Doctor (JD) degree and active license to practice law in the United States. - 10+ years of progressive legal experience supporting commercial transactions within aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, or similarly regulated industries. - Proven success leading contract negotiations on complex commercial transactions. - Experience partnering with senior business leaders and cross-functional stakeholders to support commercial objectives and risk management. - Experience supporting complex commercial deals and cross-functional teams. - Highly pragmatic with strong business judgment. - Ability to balance speed and risk in a fast-paced environment. - Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills. - Hands-on and execution-oriented approach. ### PREFERRED EXPERIENCE - Progressive law firm experience in in technology transactions and/or corporate securities. - Exposure to government contracting. - Experience scaling legal processes at an early-stage company.