Head of Commercial, Legal
About The Position
Observe.AI is hiring a senior in-house legal leader to oversee legal matters and partner closely with executive leadership and go-to-market teams. This hands-on role leads the commercial legal function for a scaling private SaaS business, manages and mentors one direct report, and supports high-volume commercial contracting, complex partnerships, and compliance. The role owns commercial legal strategy and operations, drafts and negotiates SaaS and enterprise agreements, structures strategic partnerships, and builds scalable contracting processes. It also advises on privacy, intellectual property, employment law, cross-border transactions, corporate governance, equity matters, M&A, and investor-related legal needs.
Requirements
- 8–12 years of legal experience.
- Proven ability to manage complex commercial contracts, primarily for strategic and upper enterprise segments, and high-impact partnership deals.
- Deep understanding of SaaS contracting models, data protection laws such as GDPR and CCPA, and intellectual property considerations.
- Excellent negotiation, risk assessment, and problem-solving skills, with pragmatic, business-first judgment.
- Experience managing people and operating as the sole or most senior legal authority in a fast-paced environment.
- J.D. from an accredited law school.
- Licensed to practice in California.
Nice To Haves
- At least 5 years of in-house experience at a high-growth B2B SaaS company.
- Hands-on legal leadership through growth from approximately $25M to $150M+ ARR in a private company environment.
Responsibilities
- Lead the commercial legal strategy and operations for a scaling private SaaS business.
- Draft, negotiate, and close a high volume of SaaS agreements, including MSAs, DPAs, NDAs, and enterprise procurement contracts.
- Structure and negotiate channel partnerships, technology alliances, and co-selling agreements with global partners.
- Create contract templates, negotiation playbooks, and streamlined legal workflows to accelerate deal velocity.
- Advise on data privacy, including GDPR, intellectual property, employment law, and cross-border transactions.
- Partner with finance and leadership on equity matters, board governance, M&A activity, and investor-related legal needs.
- Manage and develop one direct report, with future scope to grow the legal function.
Benefits
- Competitive, market-aligned base pay, performance incentives, and meaningful equity ownership.
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance options for employees and eligible dependents.
- Unlimited, flexible paid time off.
- 10 company holidays and an annual company-wide Winter Break.
- Paid parental leave.
- 401(k) plan.
- Quarterly Lifestyle Spending Account for wellness, learning and professional development, and personal growth.
- Monthly mobile and internet stipend.
- Pre-tax commuter benefits for hybrid and in-office employees.
- Autonomy and agency to contribute to scaling the company.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
