Associate General Counsel - Space & Defense Group

Moog is a performance culture that empowers people to achieve great things. Our people enjoy solving interesting technical challenges in a culture where everyone trusts each other to do the right thing. For you, working with us can mean deeper job satisfaction, better rewards, and a great quality of life inside and outside of work.

Job Title:

Associate General Counsel - Space & Defense Group

Reporting To:

SVP, General Counsel

Work Schedule:

Hybrid – Buffalo, NY

Moog is looking for Associate General Counsel to support our Space & Defense Operating Group.

In this role, you will be responsible for providing full legal support to Space & Defense Group (SDG). Reporting to Moog’s General Counsel, you will play a key role in developing business and legal strategies, enabling growth, and mitigating legal and commercial risks in a highly regulated customer environment. You will provide strategic legal counsel across SDG’s space and defense portfolios, including U.S. Government programs at multiple tiers and commercial programs, spanning space systems and exploration.

As Associate General Counsel, you will be a trusted advisor and business partner to SDG Executive Leadership, translating complex legal and regulatory considerations into clear options and recommendations that enable timely, well-informed decisions. In partnership with SDG cross-functional stakeholders, you will align legal strategy with SDG business objectives, support consistent approaches on major agreements, and coordinate broader alignment when matters span multiple operating groups or have enterprise-wide impact.

To qualify for the Associate General Counsel role, here is what we would expect you to bring to Moog…

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school with active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.

• A minimum of 10 years of legal experience, with over five (5) years in a senior in-house role with a large corporation or at a large law firm.

• Ability to develop and implement effective legal and business strategies and partnerships.

• Proven track record of working with stakeholders across the organization to resolve matters and implement initiatives.

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build trusted strategic relationships.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with the ability to assess complex legal issues and provide practical, business-oriented solutions.

• Experience in complex business and contract negotiation, including IP agreements.

• Experience in U.S. government contracting and procurement processes. 

• Experience in identifying and mitigating legal and business risks.

• Must meet facility and program access requirements, including U.S. Person status, and be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance if required by program needs.

• Must live local to the Buffalo, NY area to work onsite.

As the Associate General Counsel to SDG, you will have the following responsibilities…

• Provide comprehensive legal support and advise on compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and customer requirements.

• Collaborate with leadership to develop and implement business and legal strategies.

• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to enhance functional excellence.

• Foster a collaborative environment as you engage with other legal professionals.

• Contribute to strategic legal plans and decision-making processes.

• Develop trusted relationships with leadership.

• Formulate tactics and strategies to advance group goals.

• Bring industry expertise to support strategic business objectives.

• Influence P&Ls through creative legal solutions and decisions.

• Mitigate and eliminate risks with substantial monetary implications.

• Coordinate with the Corporate Legal leadership team and other Operating Group Contracts leadership as appropriate.

• Collaborate with Group Leadership (Programs, Contracts, etc.) on negotiations with external parties as appropriate.

• Negotiate agreements with external parties.

• Lead legal strategy and negotiations for SDG major agreements and other matters with heightened risk, complexity, or enterprise scope, in partnership with SDG Contracts and cross-functional stakeholders.

• Support SDG in resolving litigation, disputes and claims.

• Support the Legal Department in implementing new programs and initiatives across the organization.

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