Privacy Counsel

Overview

An established technology company is seeking an experienced Privacy Counsel to support and design privacy operational compliance best practices for its advertising and media businesses. This role involves advising on complex privacy, AI, identity, and advertising technology issues while collaborating closely with product, engineering, sales, business development, and data science teams. The successful candidate will help shape products from concept through launch, influence product strategy, and develop scalable legal frameworks that enable innovation while managing legal and reputational risk.

Responsibilities

• Partner with product, engineering, and business teams throughout the product lifecycle to embed privacy by design into new advertising products and features from ideation through launch.
• Advise on privacy implications of advertising technologies, including AI-enabled products, machine learning models, personalization, identity resolution, cookie alternatives, first-party data strategies, retail media, clean rooms, measurement technologies, and evolving addressability solutions.
• Counsel product teams on U.S., Canadian, and global privacy laws, translating complex legal requirements into practical product guidance that supports innovation.
• Advise on consent management frameworks such as Global Privacy Control (GPC), Global Privacy Platform (GPP), IAB Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF), and other industry standards to ensure appropriate implementation of evolving privacy signals.
• Structure, draft, review, and negotiate privacy and data protection provisions in commercial agreements, including Master Service Agreements (MSAs), Data Processing Agreements (DPAs), data licensing agreements, and strategic technology partnerships.
• Provide guidance on cross-border data transfers, international privacy compliance, Standard Contractual Clauses, and other global data governance requirements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to conduct privacy impact assessments, AI risk assessments, and data protection reviews for new products and initiatives.
• Support privacy incident response by advising on legal obligations, regulatory notification requirements, and coordinating with security, communications, and outside counsel.
• Design scalable legal infrastructure such as playbooks, templates, AI-enabled workflows, and self-service guidance to enable product teams to move quickly while maintaining compliance.
• Represent the organization in industry organizations and standards bodies, including the IAB, NAI, DAA, and similar forums, helping shape the future of responsible digital advertising.

Requirements

• Attorney admitted to practice law with approximately 5–7 years of experience advising technology companies on privacy, advertising technology, data governance, or digital media.
• Significant experience counseling product and engineering teams on privacy issues and serving as an embedded business partner.
• Deep knowledge of U.S. state privacy laws, strong familiarity with Canadian privacy law, and solid understanding of GDPR and international privacy frameworks.
• Experience negotiating data protection provisions, DPAs, commercial technology agreements, and complex data sharing arrangements.
• Understanding of modern advertising technology, including identity solutions, measurement, consent frameworks, clean rooms, first-party data strategies, and the evolving addressability ecosystem.
• Interest and experience in AI and emerging technologies, including advising on AI-enabled products, responsible AI governance, and practical AI adoption; actively leveraging AI tools to improve work quality and efficiency.
• Excellent judgment with the ability to make decisions in ambiguous situations and balance legal risk with product velocity and commercial objectives.
• Strong collaboration skills with engineers, product managers, designers, and data scientists, and ability to communicate complex legal concepts in practical, actionable terms.
• Intellectual curiosity, proactivity, and motivation to build scalable legal solutions rather than repeatedly answering the same questions.

Preferred Qualifications

• CIPP/US, CIPP/E, or comparable privacy certification.
• Experience in ad tech, programmatic advertising, DSPs, SSPs, publishers, or digital media.
• Participation in industry standards organizations or privacy working groups.
• Familiarity with global privacy frameworks beyond GDPR, including PIPEDA, LGPD, APAC privacy regimes, or emerging AI governance frameworks.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $122,250.00 - $255,000.00 per year, varying based on location, skills, and experience.
• Potential incentive compensation opportunities including discretionary annual bonus or commissions.
• Comprehensive benefits package including healthcare, 401(k), backup childcare, education stipends, and more.

Location

• West Coast preferred (San Francisco or Los Angeles), though other U.S. locations will be considered for exceptional candidates.
• Flexible hybrid work options available; most roles do not require regular office attendance but may occasionally require in-person events or team sessions with advance notice.

Additional Information

• The role includes adhering to organizational policies, exercising sound judgment, working effectively and inclusively with others, exhibiting trustworthiness, and safeguarding business operations and brand integrity.
• The employer is an equal opportunity workplace committed to diversity and inclusion, providing reasonable accommodations for candidates and employees with disabilities.
• Candidates with criminal histories will be considered in a manner consistent with applicable law.