Contracting Legal Professionals in Accenture’s Corporate Functions organization coordinate and deliver legal, contract and commercial counsel in support of Accenture's business.  They identify and help manage and mitigate risk and ensure ethical behavior and compliance with laws and company policies, while providing guidance and negotiating contracts leveraging commercial and market relevant positions.  
 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

We are an equal opportunity employer.  We have an unwavering commitment to equality for all.  Together, we are acting, we are leading, and we will drive change across the globe.

JOB SUMMARY:

As Contracting Counsel Manager on the Accenture Legal Team aligned to support Avanade’s Americas business, you will mainly partner with Avanade business management, business development executives, delivery executives, and other functions to lead, structure, draft and negotiate complex client transactions in a fast-paced corporate environment.  Formed as a joint venture between Accenture and Microsoft in 2000, Avanade is majority-owned by Accenture and the #1 Microsoft strategic partner globally, allowing Avanade to unlock the value of cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), and drive transformative business outcomes at speed and scale for our clients.  You will play a crucial role in closing deals by negotiating master services agreements, statements of work, service level agreements, licensing agreements, SaaS agreements, data transfer agreements, and agreements involving cloud, AI, Generative AI, blockchain security, automation, systems integration and agile development.  You will advise senior company leadership on legal risks associated with transactions and understanding of the larger market.  You may manage and advise junior legal professionals on transactions and related matters.  You will act, and continuously evolve as, a knowledgeable and relevant advisor on legal and commercial risks associated with transactions while supporting Legal, Business and Sales Leadership in shaping and executing Accenture’s and Avanade’s market-facing strategies.

This position is highly visible within the Avanade aligned Accenture Legal Team and places an emphasis on innovation.  If you have a strong interest in the intersection between commercial deals, AI, and legal matters, a strong sense of curiosity, a passion for technology (particularly AI and Generative AI), and a consulting-oriented and client-centric approach, this role is ideal for you.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead, structure, negotiate and close Avanade’s complex client transactions to be most advantageous from a legal and business perspective. 
• Counsel, guide, train and support junior contracting lawyers. 
• Stay abreast of developments affecting the company, its clients, and industries and synthesize the information to incorporate it into our transactional practices. 
• Educate and advise company executives with respect to legal and risk management issues. 
• Develop subject matter expertise in one or more areas that benefit Legal and/or our business. 
• Participate in developing internal guidelines, toolkits, and packaged knowledge capital on various legal and business issues.  
• Develop internal training, guidelines, toolkits, and packaged knowledge on AI issues.
• Support, promote and implement Legal Group initiatives. 
• Support the adoption efforts of new technologies impacting legal work, in particular AI and Generative AI tools.
• Embrace and evolve to gain expertise in seven contracting attributes, including becoming a pathfinder, architect, business-minded, nonconformist, inspired, relevant and technology enabled contracting professional.  

RELATIONSHIPS:

Reports to: Contracting Lead

Supervises: No direct supervisory responsibility

External Relationships: Avanade client executives and negotiating teams; outside counsels

QUALIFICATIONS:

• JD (or equivalent).
• Authorized and licensed to practice law in at least one jurisdiction.
• Minimum 6 years of transactional experience in digital, consulting, systems integration, and/or outsourcing areas in roles with increasing responsibility, such experience should be in a law firm or in a fast-paced corporate legal/transaction group in a relevant industry.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience negotiating Technology, Intellectual Property and Data Privacy issues preferred.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS:

• Accomplished negotiator with an understanding of principle-based negotiation strategy and tactics including the ability to present alternatives with proposed solutions.
• Proven ability to efficiently manage a large volume of transactions independently.
• Experience negotiating and drafting technology-based agreements.
• Understand basic principles of Finance, Accounting, Marketing, and Management.
• Strong executive presence.
• Good understanding of contracting/risk issues, including IP, as they apply to digital, consulting, and systems integration transactions.
• Curious mindset and a strong interest in exploring the intersection between legal and technology, with particular interest in AI and Generative AI.
• Up-to-date working knowledge of Microsoft products and technology, including Microsoft Copilot.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to speak and present in public.

WORK REQUIREMENTS:

• Travel required.
• Candidates who are currently employed by a client of Accenture or an affiliated Accenture business may not be eligible for consideration.

ABOUT AVANADE:

Avanade leads in providing innovative digital services, business solutions and design-led experiences for its clients, delivered through the power of people and the Microsoft ecosystem.  Avanade has over 60 000 digitally connected people operating across 25 countries, bringing clients the best thinking through a collaborative culture that honours diversity and reflects the communities in which we operate.   

We welcome all and seek talented individuals who can bring their whole self to work, build inclusive teams, and encourage diversity inside and outside the organization.  Learn more at www.avanade.com.

PERMANENT TRANSFER REQUIREMENTS [For Internal Applicants]:

When applying to an open internal position, all employees must meet the Permanent Transfers Requirements in Policy 500 - Permanent Position and Career Model Transfers. A summary of the employee requirements is listed below. See the policy for full information (link to policy is highlighted below). 

·        Employees must meet the requirements for the position, including the minimum and/or basic qualifications and performance requirements.   

·        Employees are expected to be in their current position for a minimum of 12 months before applying for a new position.  

·        If considering a cross-border position, please pay particular attention to the visa and/or work permit requirements. In most cases, employees must already possess the appropriate work authorization for the country where the position is located.  

·        Employees participating in a group program for temporary international transfers, including those in the Global Careers Program (GCP), who are interested in applying to a posted internal position outside of their home location, need to comply with Policy 750 International Temporary Transfers for Groups (link to policy is highlighted below).  

·        Employees applying concurrently for more than one position must make the recruiter aware of the other applications during their first interview. 

Policy 500 - Permanent Position and Career Model Transfers

Policy 750 - International Temporary Transfers for Groups

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale. We are a talent- and innovation-led company with approximately 791,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Technology is at the core of change today, and we are one of the world’s leaders in helping drive that change, with strong ecosystem relationships. We combine our strength in technology and leadership in cloud, data and AI with unmatched industry experience, functional expertise and global delivery capability. Our broad range of services, solutions and assets across Strategy & Consulting, Technology, Operations, Industry X and Song, together with our culture of shared success and commitment to creating 360° value, enable us to help our clients reinvent and build trusted, lasting relationships. We measure our success by the 360° value we create for our clients, each other, our shareholders, partners and communities.

 Visit us at www.accenture.com 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

We believe that no one should be discriminated against because of their differences. All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, military veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other basis as protected by applicable law. Our rich diversity makes us more innovative, more competitive, and more creative, which helps us better serve our clients and our communities.