SVP General Counsel
Role summary
The Senior Vice President (SVP) General Counsel is the top legal authority, responsible for building a legal function that supports business growth and innovation while managing risk. This business-first role partners closely with the CEO and Board to enable high-velocity sales, lead M&A integration, and foster a compliant workplace. Key responsibilities include streamlining the lead-to-cash process, negotiating complex SaaS and IP transactions, establishing contract playbooks, supporting fundraising and acquisitions, advising the Board on governance, managing employee relations, and directing compliance with data privacy and cybersecurity regulations. The ideal candidate has 15+ years of legal practice, significant in-house experience in high-growth SaaS/tech, and expertise in M&A, employment law, and international operations.
- The General Counsel is the senior-most legal authority, responsible for architecting a legal function that drives business growth rather than merely managing risk
- This role is a “business-first” partner to the CEO and Board, tasked with enabling high-velocity sales, leading complex M&A integration work streams, and fostering a compliant yet innovative workplace through strategic employee relations
- Revenue & Sales Enablement:
- Commercial Catalyst: Partner with Sales and Product teams to streamline the “Lead-to-Cash” process, focusing on being “more commercial than cautious”
- Transaction Architecture: Lead negotiations for high-stakes SaaS contracts, IP licensing, and technology transactions with sophisticated counterparties
- Deal Desk Governance: Establish standardized contract playbooks and self-service legal tools to increase sales velocity and reduce the deal-cycle time
- M&A Integration & Corporate Governance:
- M&A Exploration : Provide legal support to the company through potential future rounds of fundraising, acquisitions, and critical partnerships
- Post-Acquisition Harmonization: Lead the legal “harmonization” of newly acquired entities, including entity rationalization and the consolidation of intellectual property portfolios
- Board Advisory & Strategy: Serve as the Corporate Secretary and primary liaison to the Board, advising on governance, ethics, and fiduciary duties
- Public Readiness: (Level 10 focus) Prepare the company for potential future capital events, including fundraising rounds, IPO readiness, or strategic divestitures
- Employee Relations & Human Capital:
- Labor Relations: Serve as the legal architect & partner for the People Team on sensitive employee relations (ER) matters, including executive compensation and performance management
- Cultural Alignment: Oversee the merging of employee policies and handbooks after an acquisition to ensure a unified corporate culture and adherence to labor laws
- Dispute Resolution: Mitigate risks related to workplace disputes and labor audits, acting as an advocate for the company’s “Employer Brand”
- Enterprise Risk & Compliance:
- Regulatory Navigation: Direct compliance across data privacy (GDPR/CCPA), cybersecurity, and industry-specific regulations
- Litigation & Vendor Management: Oversee all active litigation and optimize the use of outside counsel to ensure maximum ROI on legal spend
### Benefits
- Flexible PTO: No accrued hours and no limit on the number of vacation days employees can take each year.
- Medical, dental, and vision: 80-95% employer cost coverage for medical, dental, and vision benefits for employees and dependents. Transparency in coverage.
- Company-wide holidays: 15 annual company-wide holidays including a week long “summer break”.
- Weekly “flex time”: No internal meetings on Tuesdays and Friday afternoons.
- Paid leave: 12 weeks paid parental leave for all parents, 10 days sick leave, up to 4 weeks bereavement leave.
- Additional time off: 2 volunteer days off, 2 professional development days off.
- Remote first culture: Work anywhere in the US as long as you have a reliable internet connection.- Work Style & Ethics: Client-service orientation and demonstrated success in handling competing deadlines for multiple internal partners with minimal supervision. Willingness to take feedback, learn, and grow; an ethos of continuous self-improvement. Outstanding judgment and uncompromising professional ethics
- Professional Credentials: J.D. with excellent academic credentials, and a state bar member in good standing in a state where Arcadia does business
- Commercial Mindset: Demonstrated ability to distill complex legal problems into “streamlined, actionable advice” for fast-paced commercial teams. Very practical and business-oriented approach with strong attention to detail
- M&A Sophistication: Proven track record of leading legal work streams through the full lifecycle of an acquisition and integration
- Employee Relations Savvy: Deep familiarity with employment law and the nuances of managing human capital during organizational change
- International Operations: The background vital to lead the legal operations of a company with significant international operations, including a large Indian subsidiary. Experience coordinating and communicating with an international team across multiple time zones
- Experience: 15+ years of legal practice, including demonstrated success as in-house counsel and/or outstanding experience at a top law firm. Significant time spent as a General Counsel or senior legal leader in a high-growth SaaS or tech environment, including experience as a General Counsel or Chief Legal Officer at a publicly-traded company (preferably leading a company through an IPO or a direct listing)
- Energy Regulatory, or Utility Experience
- Experience with high-growth, venture-funded SAAS startups
- Demonstrated excellence at assessing risk with a flexible risk tolerance matched to the company’s objectives
- Experience leading a globally distributed team operating in multiple countries
- Leading the legal due diligence and execution of merger & acquisition events
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