General Counsel Corporate Secretary
No salary listed
Senior, Expert
JD
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
HybridHybrid work arrangement.
LegalLegal Counsel & Legal Support
About the job
Requirements
- Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
- Active license to practice law in Pennsylvania.
- Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive legal experience.
- Significant experience in corporate transactions, venture capital, private equity, securities, commercial contracts, or business law.
- Demonstrated experience negotiating and drafting complex legal agreements.
- Strong understanding of corporate governance and regulatory compliance.
- Experience advising executive leadership and boards of directors.
- Strategic thinking and business acumen.
- Executive presence and sound judgment.
- Contract negotiation and transaction management.
- Risk assessment and mitigation.
- Relationship building and collaboration.
- Attention to detail.
- Project management and organization.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
- Problem solving and decision making.
- High standards of ethics, professionalism, and integrity.
Responsibilities
- Lead all legal aspects of the organization’s investment portfolio, including convertible securities, equity investments, warrants, SAFEs, and related financial instruments.
- Structure, draft, negotiate, and manage investment transactions and financing agreements.
- Conduct and oversee legal due diligence related to prospective and follow-on investments.
- Partner with investment teams to evaluate legal, financial, operational, governance, and risk considerations associated with investments.
- Support portfolio company transactions, restructurings, acquisitions, exits, and financings as needed.
- Monitor and maintain legal records related to portfolio investments and capitalization positions.
- Assist in developing and executing collection and recovery strategies related to outstanding debt obligations and investment agreements.
- Serve as the primary legal authority for all organizational contracts.
- Draft, review, negotiate, and manage vendor and service agreements, professional services contracts, consulting agreements, grant agreements, lease agreements, non-disclosure agreements, partnership agreements, sponsorship agreements, licensing agreements, procurement and purchasing contracts, and technology and software agreements.
- Develop and maintain contract standards, templates, and approval processes to ensure consistency and risk mitigation.
- Serve as legal advisor to the President and Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors.
- Assist in preparing and maintaining corporate records, resolutions, governance documents, and board materials.
- Support board and committee meetings, governance initiatives, and compliance obligations.
- Advise leadership regarding fiduciary responsibilities, nonprofit governance requirements, and organizational policies.
- Serve as a member of the senior leadership team and provide practical legal guidance on strategic initiatives and organizational priorities.
- Support mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, collaborations, and other complex business transactions.
- Advise leadership regarding intellectual property, confidentiality, data privacy, and cybersecurity matters.
- Assist in evaluating legal implications of new programs, funding opportunities, investments, and strategic partnerships.
- Provide proactive legal counsel that balances organizational objectives with appropriate risk management.
- Manage relationships with external legal counsel and subject matter experts.
- Coordinate specialized legal services when appropriate.
- Control legal expenditures and ensure efficient use of outside resources.
- May supervise legal, compliance, governance, or administrative support resources as assigned.
Desired Qualifications
- Experience supporting venture capital, startup, entrepreneurial, technology, innovation, or economic development organizations.
- Knowledge of nonprofit governance and nonprofit regulatory requirements.
- Experience with venture financing structures, convertible debt, SAFEs, preferred equity, warrants, and related investment vehicles.
- Experience supporting employment law and employee relations matters.
- Startup, accelerator, incubator, or economic development experience.
About the company
Innovation Works supports technology entrepreneurs in Southwestern Pennsylvania as an early-stage investor and startup support organization. It blends investment with mentoring, founder resources, and programs such as AlphaLab and AlphaLab Health to help software, hardware, robotics, manufacturing, and healthcare startups grow. The organization runs accelerators and hands-on programs that connect startups with mentors, capital, and regional partners, guiding them through different development stages. It differentiates itself by combining capital with practical, stage-appropriate support and by building a regional innovation ecosystem in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas, working with entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and community partners. The goal is to help local startups develop, raise funding, and scale up, strengthening Southwestern Pennsylvania’s technology ecosystem.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
$564.8M
Headquarters
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Founded
1999
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Innovation Works launched AlphaLab's largest 2026 cohort, 20 companies, including Concordare Trials.
- Venture Expo 2026 expects 30-32 startups, strengthening founder-to-investor conversion in Pittsburgh.
- 2025 portfolio follow-on funding reached $3.74 billion, validating Innovation Works' sourcing engine.
What critics are saying
- 2025 Pittsburgh VC concentrated in four mega-rounds, starving early-stage companies Innovation Works serves.
- Locally available uncommitted Pittsburgh VC capital fell to $23.2 million in 2025.
- If regional funding stays lumpy, AlphaLab graduates face migration to Boston or San Francisco.
What makes Innovation Works unique
- AlphaLab ranked TIME-Statista top 50 in 2026, Pennsylvania's only ranked accelerator.
- Innovation Works backs Southwestern Pennsylvania founders with capital, mentoring, and sector-specific programs.
- Its ecosystem spans AlphaLab Health, robotics, hardware, manufacturing, and healthcare startups.
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Benefits
- Hybrid Work Options
- Remote Work Options