Senior Manager, Legal Operations

The Senior Manager, Legal Operations is responsible for leading and optimizing the operational, financial, and administrative infrastructure of the global Legal function. This role ensures efficient delivery of legal services across the organization while supporting key areas including intellectual property (patents and trademarks), contract management, governance, compliance, legal risk management and public company obligations.

The position partners closely with Legal leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to drive process excellence, cost efficiency, and scalability of legal services in a global environment.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Operations & Strategy

• Lead end-to-end legal operations function, including process optimization, tooling, and service delivery models
• Drive budget forecasting, cost management, and outside counsel oversight to ensure efficient allocation of legal spend
• Develop and implement scalable workflows supporting global legal activities across business units
• Establish KPIs and reporting to improve legal function performance and transparency

Intellectual Property (Patents & Trademarks)

• Support the management and protection of intellectual property assets, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders and external counsel on patent filings, trademark registrations, and prosecution activities
• Assist in execution of IP strategy, enforcement initiatives, and portfolio optimization
• Maintain IP records, tracking systems, and ensure compliance with global IP regulations
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration with R&D, Product, and Commercial teams related to IP matters

Public Company Support (SEC & Board Governance)

• Support public company reporting obligations, including coordination of materials for SEC filings (e.g., 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, proxy statements) in partnership with Legal and Finance
• Coordinate Board of Directors and Committee activities, including:
• Compiling Board and Committee materials
• Managing meeting logistics, agendas, and documentation
• Maintaining official corporate records and governance documentation
• Support corporate governance processes, including charters, policies, and compliance with listing standards and regulatory requirements

Process & Governance

• Design and maintain legal processes, policies, and operational frameworks supporting internal legal consulting and compliance
• Support corporate governance processes, including documentation, reporting, and board-related activities
• Ensure alignment with regulatory and legal requirements across jurisdictions

Cross-Functional Legal Support

• Partner with teams supporting:
• Contract lifecycle management
• Litigation and dispute resolution coordination
• Data privacy and compliance programs
• Act as a key liaison between Legal and functions such as Finance, HR, Product, and Sales

Program & Project Management

• Lead global legal initiatives, including:
• Legal entity rationalization
• Compliance program rollouts
• Legal system implementations
• Manage timelines, stakeholders, and execution of strategic legal projects

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; legal or business-related field preferred
• 7+ years of experience in legal operations, paralegal, or corporate legal environment
• Experience working for a publicly traded company, SEC filing and supporting Board of Directors
• Demonstrated experience supporting intellectual property programs, including patents and trademarks
• Strong knowledge of legal processes, contract management, and compliance frameworks
• Experience managing legal budgets, outside counsel, and vendor relationships
• Proven ability to drive process improvements and operational efficiencies
• Strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills

Leadership Competencies

• Operational excellence and attention to detail
• Strategic mindset with strong execution capability
• Ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders globally
• High level of professionalism and confidentiality
• Continuous improvement and innovation mindset

What we offer

At Cerence AI, we offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support your health, financial security, personal wellbeing, and life outside of work.  Benefits are effective from the date of hire.

Our benefits include:

• The expected salary range for this position is $113,100 - $180,900 USD. The actual salary will be determined based on experience and other job-related factors.
• Annual bonus opportunity
• Flexible Time Off
• Choice‑based medical coverage plus Dental and Vision plans
• Health Savings Accounts (HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and 401(k) retirement plan with an employer match
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Paid parental leave and adoption assistance
• Disability and life insurance
• We also offer an Employee Assistance Program, a wellbeing platform, volunteer hours, a broad employee discount marketplace, tuition reimbursement and a global rewards and recognition program.

All compensation and benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the underlying plans or programs, as applicable, and may be amended, terminated, or replaced from time to time.

Cerence Inc. (Nasdaq: CRNC and www.cerence.com) is the global industry leader in creating unique, moving experiences for the automotive world. Spun out from Nuance in October 2019, Cerence is a new, independent company that has quickly gained traction as a leader in the automotive voice assistant space, working with all of the world’s leading automakers – from Ford and Fiat Chrysler to Daimler, Audi and BMW to Geely and SAIC – to transform how a car feels, responds and learns. Its track record is built on more than 20 years of industry experience and leadership and more than 500 million cars on the road today across more than 70 languages.  

As Cerence looks to the future and continues an ambitious growth agenda, we need someone to join the team and help build the future of voice and AI in cars. This is an exciting opportunity to join Cerence’s passionate, dedicated, global team and be a part of meaningful innovation in a rapidly growing industry. 

Cerence is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and to compliance with all federal, state and local laws that prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status, genetic information and other protected classifications. Cerence Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.

All prospective and current Employees need to remain vigilant when it comes to executing security policies in the workplace. This includes:

- Following workplace security protocols and training programs to familiarize with the ways to maintain a safe workplace.
- Following security procedures to report any suspicious activity.
- Having respect for corporate security procedures to allow those procedures to be effective.
- Adhering to company's compliance and regulations.
- Encouraging to follow a zero tolerance for workplace violence.

- Basic knowledge of information security and data privacy requirements (e.g., how to protect data & how to be handling this data).

- Demonstrative knowledge of information security through internal training programs.