Senior Director, Legal, Global Contracts

Equinix•Toronto, ON

1d•$230,000 - $344,000

About The Position

Equinix is seeking a senior people leader, commercial lawyer and trusted business adviser to lead the Global Contracts Americas region team and support one of the two Strategic Accounts teams. The role provides legal support for named accounts and represents Global Contracts with Americas business leadership. It advises the business in alignment with corporate objectives and risk thresholds, leads complex strategic transactions, and keeps abreast of legal developments in the region. The role also builds relationships with Americas stakeholders and may lead specialized areas assigned by the Vice President, Global Contracts or Chief Legal Officer. The position is Americas-based and must provide effective leadership and senior stakeholder coverage across Americas working hours while operating globally across time zones. It reports to the Vice President, Legal, Global Contracts. The successful candidate will lead regional engagement, the Strategics team and its named-account portfolio; oversee complex negotiations; develop people and capabilities; contribute to Global Contracts leadership; champion technology and transformation; and promote sound governance, risk management and operational excellence.

Requirements

A law degree and admission to practise in a relevant jurisdiction, such as a U.S. state.
Substantial post-qualification legal experience appropriate for a Senior Director role.
Deep experience negotiating commercial contracts and leading complex, strategic, high-value and high-impact transactions.
Demonstrated success as a people leader, with an interest in managing, coaching and developing lawyers and contracts professionals.
A clear leadership vision and experience evolving a team’s capabilities, structure, operating model or strategic direction.
Experience supporting senior business leaders in an international, fast-moving and commercially demanding environment.
Experience working successfully in a matrix organisation across functions, reporting lines, geographies and time zones.
Strong commercial and legal judgment, including the ability to assess risk, balance legal and business considerations, and recommend practical solutions.
Executive presence and confidence advising, challenging and influencing senior leaders.
Excellent communication and presentation skills, including the ability to explain complex matters clearly, concisely and persuasively.
Strong emotional intelligence, interpersonal awareness and cultural sensitivity, with the ability to relate effectively to people at all levels.
Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and ability to prioritise competing short-term pressures while progressing longer-term objectives.
A pragmatic, adaptable, proactive and solution-oriented approach, including confidence making timely decisions and driving action in ambiguous situations.
Experience working with Channel arrangements, partnerships, indirect go-to-market models or comparable commercial ecosystems.
Strong interest in emerging technology markets, particularly data centre, AI, Neocloud infrastructure, SaaS or related technology sectors.
Strong understanding of how technology, data, process and knowledge management can scale a legal organisation and improve business outcomes.
Willingness and ability to work flexibly across global time zones when important transactions, customers or leadership responsibilities require it.
A leadership style and personal approach consistent with Equinix and One Legal culture and values.

Nice To Haves

At least 15 years of experience in a similar role is preferred.
At least five years of strong law-firm experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead and coordinate Global Contracts’ presence and engagement across the Americas, representing the group with regional business leadership and translating regional priorities into effective legal support strategies.
Provide senior escalation support on significant Americas and strategic matters, including complex customer negotiations, strategic opportunities, disputes and public-sector opportunities outside the US Federal business; coordinate Americas-based Global Contracts colleagues and manage external counsel when required.
Lead the Strategics team, setting its vision, strategy and operating model, and maintain overall accountability for legal support to its portfolio of named AI, Neocloud, SaaS, semiconductor, Channel and OEM accounts.
Oversee account strategy, pipeline, risk, resourcing, escalations and delivery across the full deal lifecycle.
Partner with the Channel Lead on Channel go-to-market support, collaborate with other Global Contracts and One Legal leaders, and shape the team's future structure.
Personally lead or oversee the most complex, strategic, high-value transactions and negotiate with customers, partners, external counsel and senior stakeholders.
Balance commercial, legal and operational considerations, present recommendations to executives and drive matters to closure.
Turn deal experience into scalable positions, templates and training, and mentor the team to build negotiating capability and domain knowledge.
Lead, coach and develop lawyers and contracts professionals; set objectives and foster a collaborative, high-performing team-first culture.
Provide direction, feedback and development, manage performance fairly, recognise contributions, address capability gaps and support succession planning and future leadership development.
Contribute as a member of the Global Contracts leadership team to strategy, operating model, talent, culture and resourcing.
Work with peer leaders to build consistency across teams while respecting portfolio and regional differences; support global policy, process, technology and transformation initiatives.
Champion technology, including AI tools, to improve service delivery, reporting and decision-making, and drive standardisation to increase capacity.
Ensure adoption of Global Contracts platforms, processes and knowledge resources, and use data to monitor workload, risk and performance.
Lead transformation in a way that builds team capability and confidence as well as system adoption.
Work with the Vice President, Global Contracts to apply practical risk frameworks, policies and escalation paths consistent with company policy and governance.
Oversee work allocation, resourcing, budget and external counsel use, with clear reporting on significant matters and risks.
Promote collaboration with shared-services teams and drive accountability and continuous improvement.