Overview
A global HR technology organization is seeking a Managing Counsel - Partnerships to provide senior-level legal support focused on partnership agreements and commercial transactions. This role involves delivering pragmatic and innovative legal solutions to support the company’s products and stakeholders while managing risk. It is a senior individual contributor position within the Employment, Product, and Commercial Legal sub-team.
Responsibilities
- Strategize, draft, and negotiate complex partnership agreements, including embedded services, channel/reseller agreements, and referral programs.
- Collaborate closely with Partnerships, Sales, Finance, and other cross-functional teams to align partnership agreements with business objectives and mitigate legal and operational risks.
- Develop and improve templates, playbooks, processes, and other resources related to partnership deals.
- Provide additional legal support for EMEA sales by reviewing, redlining, and negotiating commercial agreements alongside regional counsel.
- Deliver legal training and guidance to Partnership and other go-to-market stakeholders to help them navigate complex commercial issues.
- Maintain a solutions-focused approach in negotiations to minimize roadblocks and resolve issues efficiently.
Requirements
- Proven experience leading the structuring and negotiation of strategic, embedded, and channel partnership agreements.
- Expertise in commercial transactions, particularly enterprise-level SaaS agreements and global sales support.
- Strong commercial drafting skills with the ability to create clear, precise, and enforceable partnership frameworks.
- Excellent negotiation skills and the ability to develop creative, practical solutions for complex commercial challenges.
- Sharp commercial instincts and strategic thinking, with a focus on business success and efficient deal progression.
- Strong working knowledge of data protection laws, especially GDPR; familiarity with U.S. data protection laws is a plus.
- Ability to excel in a fast-paced environment, maintaining responsiveness and adaptability under pressure.
- Capacity to work independently while collaborating effectively with Partnerships, Finance, Product, and other teams.
- Ability to build trusted relationships with stakeholders while maintaining independent legal judgment.
- Balanced approach to flexibility and firmness in negotiations, acting as a strategic business partner.
- Demonstrated automation and AI capabilities and fluency.
- A sense of humor and humility that contributes positively to team dynamics.
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior experience in the HR Tech industry or familiarity with bespoke HR services agreements is beneficial but not required.
Compensation & Benefits
- Annual salary range: $66,300—$149,150 USD, dependent on location, skills, experience, and market factors.
- Competitive benefits including:
- Flexible paid time off and working hours
- Fully remote work from anywhere
- 16 weeks paid parental leave
- Mental health support services
- Stock options
- Learning and development budget
- Home office budget and IT equipment
- Budget for local in-person social events or co-working spaces
Location
- This is a fully remote position.
- Applications from candidates in EMEA time zones will be prioritized, with secondary preference for those in the U.S. East Coast time zone.
Additional Information
- The role reports to the Director, Legal - Commercial.
- The hiring process includes interviews with a recruiter, hiring manager, legal team, and stakeholders, a written exercise, a bar raiser interview, reference checks, and prior employment verification.
- The organization values diversity, equity, and inclusion and encourages applicants from all backgrounds and underrepresented groups.
- Candidates will be asked about pronouns and demographic information during the interview process to support workforce diversity efforts.
- The organization embraces AI as a tool while prioritizing human creativity and expertise.
- Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.