Director, Securities & Corporate Counsel

Kikoff•San Francisco, CA

3d•$265,000 - $310,000

About The Position

Kikoff is seeking a Director, Securities & Corporate Counsel, the company's first dedicated role of its kind. This position will be responsible for driving corporate and securities work, establishing the necessary systems and discipline for a public company, and serving as the in-house expert on financings, governance, and equity. The role will be central to any future initial public offering (IPO) the company may pursue. The successful candidate will report directly to the Chief Legal Officer and collaborate closely with the CFO, Finance team, executive team, and the board. The legal team is small and senior, offering significant ownership and minimal hierarchy.

Requirements

J.D. degree and active membership in good standing in a U.S. state bar; admitted in California or eligible to register as in-house counsel here.
8–15 years of post-J.D. experience, with substantial securities and capital markets work at a leading law firm.
Fluency in the Securities Act and Exchange Act frameworks governing private financings and public reporting, with sound judgment regarding complex legal issues.
Public company experience required, including hands-on involvement with SEC reporting and disclosure (e.g., 10-K/10-Q/8-K and proxy materials, as applicable) and familiarity with disclosure controls and related governance requirements.
A proven track record of successfully completing complex processes.
Ability to explain legal requirements and risks to non-legal professionals and to effectively communicate with CFOs, audit partners, and bankers.
Comfort with ambiguity, incomplete information, and performing unglamorous tasks independently.
Ability to build new structures and processes rather than inheriting them.

Nice To Haves

In-house experience taking a company public, or serving on the company side of an S-1 working group.
Fintech, consumer finance, or high-growth technology experience.
Familiarity with bank partnership models, consumer lending, or earned-wage access products.
Experience building legal and governance functions.

Responsibilities

Public-company readiness: Build the governance and disclosure infrastructure of a public company, including disclosure controls and procedures, a disclosure committee, reporting calendars, board and board committee support, insider trading and trading-window policies, Section 16 and Reg FD frameworks, and a 10b5-1 program.
IPO execution: Assist in managing the working group for an offering, including registration statement drafting and diligence, underwriter and auditor coordination, publicity and quiet-period discipline, comfort and opinion support, and the exchange listing process.
Capital markets and financings: Lead legal execution on equity and debt financings, warehouse and credit facilities, convertible instruments, secondary transactions and tender offers, and associated diligence.
M&A and strategic transactions: Lead legal execution on acquisitions, investments, and other strategic transactions, including structuring, diligence, drafting and negotiating LOIs, purchase agreements, disclosure schedules, ancillary documents, and providing post-closing integration support.
Corporate governance: Manage board and committee mechanics, including agendas, materials, resolutions, minutes, charters, delegations of authority, D&O questionnaires, related-party transaction review, and entity governance across subsidiaries and the holding structure.
Equity compensation: Partner with Finance and People on option and RSU grants, 409A valuations, Rule 701 compliance, plan amendments, share reserves, and the design work for transitioning an equity program to a public-company footing.
SEC reporting: Once public, manage the ongoing periodic reporting cycle, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K, and proxy materials, in coordination with Finance, Investor Relations, and external counsel.
General corporate: Handle commercial agreements, bank and vendor partnerships, intercompany arrangements, and other miscellaneous legal matters.