Commercial Counsel - job 1 of 3

Freshworks makes it fast and easy for businesses to delight their customers and employees. We do this by taking a fresh approach to building and delivering affordable, quick to implement, and designed software for the end-user. More than 70,000 companies -- from startups to public companies -- worldwide use Freshworks software-as-a-service to enable a better customer experience (CX, CRM) and employee experience (ITSM, HRSM).

Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Freshworks has a dedicated team operating from 13 global locations to serve customers, including Bridgestone, Frasers Group, Sunweb, Addison Lee,  DeliveryHero, ITV, Klarna, Multichoice, OfficeMax, TaylorMade and Vice Media.Freshworks transforms the way world-class organizations collaborate with customers and co-workers. The suite includes Customer Service Suite (omnichannel customer support), Freshsales (sales automation), Freshmarketer (marketing automation), Freshservice (IT service desk), Freshteam (HR management system)

We are seeking an experienced Commercial Counsel to join our growing team. As a valued member of our legal team, you will play a crucial role in supporting all aspects of commercial transactions, including sales, partner, and vendor agreements, in North America. You will also contribute to developing innovative programs, frameworks, and agreements that support Freshworks' mission and growth. 

Responsibilities: 

• Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of agreements, including cloud (SaaS), channel, reseller, managed services, marketplace, data protection, and professional services agreements 
• Advise Freshworks' global teams, including Partners, Channels, and Strategic Alliances, on potential legal risks, business strategies, and structuring. You'll also negotiate compliance-driven contracts like data processing agreements and business associate agreements.
• Maintain and enhance commercial contract templates, playbooks, and standard contracting clauses, helping to streamline processes and ensure consistency across teams
• Collaborate with Sales, Finance, Deals Desk, and Professional Services to drive transactions forward and align with compliance needs. Assist in creating internal policies to optimize vendor onboarding and contract review process
• Stay informed on relevant laws and regulations, such as those related to IP, open source, privacy, and security, and ensure we remain compliant across multiple jurisdictions

Please note this is a hybrid role with an expectation of 3 days/week onsite (Tue-Thur) at our San Mateo, CA headquarters.

• 8+ years of experience as a transactional attorney, either at a leading law firm or within an in-house legal department, ideally at a multinational company
• Expertise in partner and channel agreements, SaaS agreements, customer agreements, professional services, vendor agreements, and data processing agreements
• Strong practical business judgment, and the ability to creatively navigate complex legal matters with thoughtful, sensible solutions
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively collaborate with diverse teams across multiple time zones
• Ability to work across cultures and time zones, collaborating remotely and with global teams to achieve shared goals
• A solid understanding of business processes related to commercial contracts, intellectual property, international data privacy, and data protection law
• A service-oriented mindset, with a strong work ethic, accountability, and the ability to work effectively under tight timelines while paying attention to detail
• Proven ability to foster strong relationships across teams (e.g., finance, operations, professional services), and work collaboratively with both legal and non-legal stakeholders
• Juris Doctorate from an accredited U.S. law school and licensed to practice law in California. 

This role is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and the expected base salary range for this position is as shown below. The actual base pay is dependent upon a variety of job-related factors such as professional background, training, work experience, business needs and market demand. Therefore, in some circumstances, the actual salary could fall outside of this expected range. This pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future. This role is also eligible for a target bonus

Compensation Package: $171,000 -$245,000 USD 

At Freshworks, we are creating a global workplace that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion and ethnicity. We are committed to providing equal opportunity for all and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer work environment that advances the goals of our employees, communities and the business.