Sr. Counsel, Commercial Transactions

Company Description

VERSANT is a leading force in news, sports and entertainment - home to iconic and trusted brands that inspire, inform, and delight audiences. Our unique combination of content, technology and services enriches the cultural fabric, igniting passions, sparking conversations, and connecting people to what they love most.

As an independent, publicly traded company, VERSANT brings together powerhouse cable networks - including USA Network, CNBC, MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), Oxygen, E!, SYFY, and Golf Channel - with dynamic digital and direct-to-consumer brands such as Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, GolfPass, and SportsEngine. Together, these businesses reflect our commitment to delivering exceptional experiences across every screen and service.

VERSANT is an industry-changing media company fueled by innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit. With a strong foundation and a forward-looking vision, VERSANT empowers creativity, embraces change, and drives connection in an ever-evolving world.

Job Description

Versant Media is seeking a talented and business-savvy Senior Counsel to join our legal team supporting Versant Media, a global media company at the forefront of content, technology, and innovation. This role will focus on high-impact commercial transactions, including complex technology and vendor agreements, and will serve as a legal subject matter expert on the use of generative AI and related technologies. You’ll play a critical role in advising on cutting-edge tools and products while helping us scale legal support for a growing and fast-evolving business.

You will report to the VP, Commercial Transactions and work closely with stakeholders across the company, including operations and technology, data, information security, privacy, procurement and finance.

Key Responsibilities

Technology & Vendor Contracting

• Build and scale the commercial transactions function in a newly formed company, including by developing standardized templates and playbooks, establishing efficient contracting and approval processes, and guiding business stakeholders on commercial best practices and risk-aligned decision-making.
• Support strategic vendor relationships and technology transactions that are critical to the company’s operations and growth.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of vendor agreements including complex commercial agreements, such as SaaS/cloud services, software licenses, professional services, consulting, hardware procurement, and data licensing agreements, and agreements supporting corporate operations such as facilities, events, equipment purchases, staffing agreements, sponsorship agreements and confidentiality agreements.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to align agreements with business objectives, compliance requirements, and legal risk tolerances.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure scalable contract management and procurement processes.

AI Legal Expertise

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor on transactions involving artificial intelligence, including the procurement and integration of generative AI tools and services.
• Negotiate AI-specific contractual terms such as data usage rights, model outputs, IP ownership, performance benchmarks, safety and compliance assurances, and ethical use provisions.
• Collaborate with operations and technology, data, privacy, and infosec teams to evaluate and mitigate legal risks associated with emerging AI technologies.
• Contribute to internal education and awareness-building around legal issues associated with AI technologies and vendor use cases.

General Legal Support

• Provide practical, business-oriented legal advice and risk assessments on a broad range of commercial and product issues.
• Build strong relationships across the business and become a go-to partner for fast, thoughtful, and scalable legal solutions.
• Balance transactional execution with strategic initiatives to help mature the company’s commercial legal infrastructure.
• Step in to support cross-functional legal projects and new areas of need in a dynamic and collaborative legal team.

Qualifications

• J.D. and admission in good standing to at least one U.S. state bar.
• 6+ years of relevant legal experience in a law firm and in-house legal department, with a focus on commercial, technology and vendor transactions.
• Proven ability and willingness to manage and execute a high volume of commercial transactions in fast-paced environment, combining strategic thinking with practical, detail-oriented contract execution.
• Significant experience negotiating SaaS, software licensing, and technology procurement agreements.
• Experience drafting and negotiating a variety of procurement agreements, including those related to operations, events, and facilities.
• Deep curiosity and working familiarity with AI technologies, especially generative AI (e.g., knowledge of LLMs, embeddings, inference, agents, etc.).
• Experience supporting AI or other emerging tech transactions is strongly preferred.
• Excellent judgment, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and independently managing multiple, competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with a solution-oriented mindset.
• Strategic thinker with ability to work independently through issues, evaluate risks and make sound judgment or escalate issues as necessary in a fast-moving environment.

This position has been designated as hybrid, generally contributing from the New York office a minimum of three days per week. Salary range for Sr. Counsel: $165,000 - $200,000 (bonus and LTI eligible).

Additional Information

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with a VERSANT Media employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. VERSANT Media's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require support throughout the application and/or recruitment process as a result of your disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. You can submit your request to candidateaccessibility@versantmedia.com.

VERSANT Media is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. We include a good faith pay range for each position to comply with applicable state and local pay transparency laws and to promote equity across our organization. Actual compensation will be based on factors such as the candidate's skills, qualifications, experience, and location and may include additional forms of compensation and benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, etc.

VERSANT Media is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at VERSANT via-email, the Internet, or in any form and/or method without a valid written Statement of Work in place for this position from VERSANT's Talent Acquisition team will be deemed the sole property of VERSANT. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by VERSANT as a result of the referral or through other means.