Head of Commercial, Legal
About The Position
Observe.AI is hiring a senior in-house legal leader to oversee legal matters and lead the commercial legal function for a scaling private SaaS business. The role partners closely with executive leadership and go-to-market teams, manages and mentors one direct report, and takes a hands-on lead in high-volume commercial contracting, strategic partnerships, and compliance. The position owns commercial legal strategy and operations, including drafting and negotiating SaaS agreements and partnership deals, building scalable contract infrastructure, advising on risk and compliance, and supporting corporate governance and transactions. The role requires experience leading legal work in a fast-paced, growth-stage environment and is based in a hybrid work context, as indicated by the posting’s #LI-Hybrid designation and benefits for remote and hybrid work.
Requirements
- 8–12 years of legal experience.
- J.D. from an accredited law school.
- Licensed to practice in California.
- Proven ability to manage complex commercial contracts primarily for strategic and upper-enterprise customers, as well as 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 serving as the sole or most senior legal authority in a fast-paced environment.
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 $25 million to over $150 million in ARR in a private-company environment.
Responsibilities
- Own the full commercial legal strategy and operations for a scaling private SaaS business.
- Draft, negotiate, and close high volumes 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, intellectual property, employment law, and cross-border transaction issues.
- Partner with finance and leadership on equity matters, board governance, M&A activity, and investor-related legal needs.
- Manage and develop one direct report, identified as a Legal Counsel or Contracts Manager, with future scope to grow the function.
Benefits
- Competitive base pay, performance incentives, and meaningful equity ownership.
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance 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.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
