Corporate Counsel, IT Procurement

Role Description

Zoetis is seeking an experienced IT Procurement Attorney to provide strategic legal counsel on technology procurement, vendor contracts, licensing agreements, and regulatory compliance. This role requires deep expertise in structuring, drafting and negotiating complex IT transactions, ensuring compliance with intellectual property laws, data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) and cybersecurity standards.

The Attorney will be a key legal partner to the Indirect Procurement and Technology & Digital teams, as well as other business units within the organization. This position provides an opportunity to work in a fast-paced, global environment, engaging in cutting-edge technology transactions while contributing to policy development, risk mitigation, and process improvements.

This position reports to the Deputy Chief Counsel, Global Manufacturing and Supply, Indirect Procurement and Canada commercial operations.

Responsibilities

Contract Drafting, Negotiation & Legal Advisory

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of IT procurement agreements (including software licensing, SaaS agreements, hardware purchases, cloud service agreements, and IT outsourcing contracts) and other indirect procurement contracts.
• Advise on technology transactions, ensuring compliance with intellectual property laws, data privacy regulations, and cybersecurity laws.
• Assess and mitigate legal risks in IT procurement deals, identifying potential liabilities and ensuring contract terms align with corporate policies.
• Provide strategic guidance on vendor risk management, third-party integrations, and licensing models.
• Manage contract disputes, offering counsel on enforcement, remedies, and terminations when necessary.

Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with industry regulations, corporate governance standards, and internal policies for IT procurement.
• Monitor emerging legal trends affecting IT procurement, including open-source software usage, AI-driven technologies, and blockchain-based contracts
• Support cross-functional initiatives related to data protection, cybersecurity, and enterprise-wide technology adoption.

Training, Policy Development & Process Improvement

• Develop and refine contract templates, policies, and best practices for IT procurement.
• Educate business teams on procurement compliance, negotiation strategies, and risk assessment.
• Partner with finance, IT, and procurement teams to optimize contract management processes.

Education and Experience

• J.D. degree from an accredited law school, demonstrated academic achievement and active bar membership in good standing
• Minimum 8-10 years of legal experience, ideally in a combination of law firms and corporate in-house roles.
• Strong background in IT procurement, technology transactions, and complex vendor negotiations.
• Experience advising on AI, blockchain, and emerging technologies procurement.
• Understanding of open-source software, cybersecurity frameworks, and regulatory compliance in IT contracts.
• CIPP, CISSP, or other relevant data privacy or cybersecurity certifications are a plus.

Technical Skill Requirements

• Expertise in contract drafting & negotiation, particularly in IT procurement agreements.
• Strong business acumen, balancing legal risks with strategic objectives.
• Proactive, solution-oriented mindset, with the ability to manage complex transactions independently.
• Exceptional communication & stakeholder management skills, working and collaborating across senior leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize in a fast-paced, global environment.

Physical Position Requirements

• Work with global teams located in multiple time zones.
• Hybrid working environment, with approximately 50% of time (2-3 work days per week) required on-site at the company's headquarters office in Parsippany, NJ.

Any unsolicited resumes sent to Zoetis from a third party, such as an Agency recruiter, including unsolicited resumes sent to a Zoetis mailing address, fax machine or email address, directly to Zoetis employees, or to Zoetis resume database will be considered Zoetis property. Zoetis will NOT pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume.

Zoetis will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees. This includes any Agency that is an approved/engaged vendor but does not have the appropriate approvals to be engaged on a search.