Associate General Council
4 days ago
Cary
Job Description Associate General Counsel Position Overview: The Associate General Counsel will serve as a strategic legal advisor and key member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) for a rapidly growing global SaaS organization headquartered in the United States. Reporting directly to the CFO, this role is designed for a business-minded legal leader who can help guide company strategy, identify and mitigate enterprise risk, and support organizational growth across a broad range of legal and regulatory matters. Location: Cary, NC or Greater Boston, MA Area (onsite) Experience: 8-10 years of legal experience, including significant in-house experience within a SaaS or technology company. Responsibilities: Strategic Legal Leadership & Business Partnership • Serve as a trusted advisor to the executive leadership team on legal, regulatory, governance, and business risk matters., • Participate in strategic planning and organizational decision-making as a member of the Senior Leadership Team., • Support international expansion initiatives and global operational strategies. Privacy, Data Protection & Data Rights • Lead the development and execution of the company's global privacy and data protection strategy in compliance with applicable privacy and data protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, HIPAA, and other global frameworks., • Establish governance frameworks surrounding data ownership, retention, usage rights, and cross-border data transfers., • Embed privacy-by-design principles into products, AI initiatives, and data platforms., • Oversee data subject rights programs, breach response processes, and regulatory inquiries. Intellectual Property & Data Asset Strategy • Advise on the protection, management, and commercialization of intellectual property assets, including software, proprietary technologies, algorithms, data assets, trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights, and patents., • Partner with Product and Engineering teams to define ownership structures and usage rights for internally developed and third-party intellectual property., • Provide legal guidance related to artificial intelligence, machine learning models, AI-generated outputs, training data ownership, and data-derived insights., • Support development of strategies governing data licensing, monetization, reuse, and commercialization opportunities., • Collaborate with external counsel on intellectual property portfolio management and risk mitigation initiatives. Compliance & Regulatory Strategy • Design and oversee enterprise-wide compliance programs across privacy, data governance, AI governance, cybersecurity, employment practices, and digital regulations., • Translate legal and regulatory obligations into scalable operational policies, procedures, and controls., • Lead regulatory change management efforts across the business., • Serve as a key point of contact for regulatory examinations, audits, external reviews, and compliance inquiries. Risk Management & Governance • Conduct and oversee legal, privacy, data governance, AI, intellectual property, employment, and cybersecurity risk assessments., • Establish governance structures for emerging technologies, AI systems, data management, and information security programs., • Lead legal support for incident response efforts involving data breaches, cybersecurity incidents, regulatory investigations, employment matters, or intellectual property disputes., • Provide regular reporting and recommendations to executive leadership regarding enterprise risk posture and mitigation strategies. Mergers, Acquisitions & Strategic Growth • Support mergers, acquisitions, strategic investments, partnerships, and other corporate transactions., • Lead legal due diligence activities and assess transactional risks., • Advise leadership on integration planning, regulatory considerations, intellectual property ownership, privacy implications, and organizational risk associated with acquisitions., • Partner with Finance and Corporate Development teams to evaluate strategic growth opportunities. Employment Law & Human Capital Support • Provide legal guidance on employment law matters in partnership with Human Resources leadership., • Support policy development, employee relations matters, workplace investigations, workforce compliance initiatives, and global employment practices., • Coordinate with outside counsel on specialized employment law matters as needed. Cross-Functional Leadership • Serve as a strategic advisor to Product, Engineering, Data Science, Security, Compliance, Finance, Sales, and Operations teams., • Enable responsible innovation by translating legal requirements into practical business and technology solutions., • Partner closely with Information Security and IT teams on cybersecurity, governance, and risk management initiatives., • Support contract template updates and aid in customer negotiation. Policy, Training & Culture • Develop and maintain enterprise policies governing privacy, data governance, intellectual property protection, AI governance, ethics, compliance, and risk management., • Lead employee training and awareness programs related to legal compliance, privacy, data stewardship, AI governance, and intellectual property protection., • Promote a culture of accountability, responsible innovation, and proactive risk management throughout the organization. Required Skills & Education: Education • Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school., • Active membership and good standing with at least one U.S. State Bar. Experience • 8-10 years of legal experience., • Significant in-house legal experience within a SaaS, software, cloud technology, or technology-enabled business environment is required., • Prior law firm experience strongly preferred before transitioning in-house., • Demonstrated experience supporting executive leadership and influencing business strategy., • Experience with global operations and multinational legal matters., • Experience supporting M&A transactions, integrations, and corporate growth initiatives., • Exposure to privacy, compliance, AI governance, intellectual property, employment law, and enterprise risk management. Skills • Strong business acumen and executive presence., • Ability to balance legal risk with commercial objectives., • Deep understanding of SaaS business models and technology company operations., • Knowledge of privacy laws, AI governance, intellectual property, cybersecurity, employment law, and regulatory compliance., • Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and communication skills., • Ability to influence senior leaders and drive cross-functional initiatives., • Proven ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.