Senior Commercial Counsel - Go To Market

We are Progress (Nasdaq: PRGS) - the trusted provider of software that enables our customers to develop, deploy and manage responsible, AI-powered applications and experiences with agility and ease.   We’re proud to have a diverse, global team where we value the individual and enrich our culture by considering varied perspectives because we believe people power progress. Join us as a Senior Commercial Counsel and help us do what we do best: propelling business forward.  This will be a hybrid role working between your home office and either our Raleigh NC or Burlington MA location. Candidates must be local to one of those offices at time of application to be considered. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role as a legal advisor for the Company, offering expert counsel on challenging commercial legal issues, particularly those involving   complex customer-facing transactions across North America. Candidates for this position will be qualified lawyers with strong business experience. In-house legal experience within the IT sector is mandatory, preferably in software and multiplatform environments (on-premises, native SaaS, and hybrid solutions). It is crucial for candidates to be skilled in utilizing AI tools as part of their legal responsibilities. The ideal candidate will have experience with – and will thrive on – working as a self-starter with increased autonomy in an environment that is fast-paced, business and results-oriented.  In this role, you will: 

Strategic Legal Support 

• Advise senior leaders within the business units and cross-functional teams on legal risks, compliance, and business strategy consistent with established company standards (including approved playbooks). 
• Lead legal support for complex sales transactions across multiple product lines, on different platforms (on-premises, native SaaS and hybrid solutions), and different formats (direct and indirect – ISVs, OEMS, Resellers, etc.). 
• Communicate complex legal concepts and risks clearly to internal audiences and effectively communicate Progress’ position on those items as needed to external parties.  
• Anticipate potential conflicts or objections and influence peers and/or more senior staff.  
• Identify strategic areas for training and enablement of sales and other internal business partners, focusing on opportunities to enhance efficiency and outcomes in customer transactions. Proactively design, develop, and deliver advanced training programs, guidance, and enablement tools tailored to business unit needs. 

Contracting & Risk Management 

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements (e.g., SaaS, licensing, reseller, partner, professional services, etc.). 
• Leverage advanced contract negotiation experience and deep industry knowledge to proactively identify strategic opportunities for improvement in Progress’ contract templates. Lead benchmarking initiatives and analyze complex customer interactions to propose innovative updates that streamline negotiations, enhance business outcomes, and position Progress at the forefront of industry best practices. 
• Work closely with other business stakeholders to facilitate deal velocity while managing legal and commercial risk, consistent with established company standards (including approved playbooks) and strategy. 
• Resolve escalated legal issues with minimal supervision, seeking management input for high-risk matters. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration 

• Serve as a subject matter expert for assigned areas, providing strategic analysis and anticipating legal risks. 
• Partner with stakeholders across the company (e.g., Revenue Operations, IT, Product Managers) to drive deal velocity and compliance. 

Process & Policy Improvement 

• Drive cross-functional initiatives that improve legal workflows and compliance processes. 
• Recommend best practices to improve internal policy development and governance frameworks. 

Your background: 

• A qualified attorney admitted to practice in one or more states in the United States and a member of one or more state Bar(s) in good standing, with 5+ years of experience as in-house counsel (law firm experience helpful but not required); 
• Substantial experience in the software licensing industry (with expertise in various licensing models, products and services); including experience with enterprise transactions, on-premises licensing, SaaS/cloud offerings, channels, open source software and software development practices; 
• Working knowledge of data privacy and security requirements. 
• In-house experience with a publicly traded company and/or demonstrated knowledge of best practice internal controls, procedures, risk surveillance, dispute management and escalation. 
• Working knowledge of revenue recognition rules and ability to assist in as