Counsel (12-month fixed-term contract) in London

Salesforce is looking for a high‑performing, result‑oriented Counsel to provide maternity cover within our UK & Ireland Commercial Legal team, working closely with a Senior Counsel and covering the Public Sector. This 12‑month fixed‑term contract supports Salesforce's UKI public sector business.

Commercial Legal Team

The Commercial Legal team delivers innovative, trusted and world‑class legal services. Our aim is to drive sales performance and foster customer relationships. While our main activity is contractual negotiation with customers, we are also frequently involved on subjects related to high tech, data protection and artificial intelligence. If you have strong legal knowledge and enjoy negotiations, high tech and thinking outside the box, you are invited to apply.

Key Responsibilities

• Commercial Transaction Management: Structure, draft, and negotiate complex commercial agreements for direct and indirect Public Sector sales routes, with a strong focus on large UK public sector procurements and framework agreements (including BOS2 and other government frameworks).
• Contract Negotiation: Lead negotiations of Master Services Agreements (MSAs), Order Forms, Professional Services agreements, and related commercial documentation either on Salesforce paper or government paper (within Salesforce’s approved parameters).
• Public Sector Expertise: Navigate and respond to complex public procurement requirements, e.g. working on requests for proposals/informations, ethical walls agreements, drafting clarification questions, and ensuring compliance with public sector procurement regulations.
• Stakeholder Management: Partner with sales teams and business stakeholders across the UK region to enable deals and provide strategic legal guidance.
• Risk Management: Assess commercial and legal risks, provide practical advice, and escalate matters appropriately to leadership when needed.
• Cross‑functional Collaboration: Work closely with other legal team members across EMEA and global teams, as well as with procurement, finance, and operations teams.
• Case Management: Utilize Salesforce's internal systems (Org62) to track legal cases, manage workflows, and maintain matter visibility.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Qualified Solicitor with a current practicing certificate (England & Wales) or equivalent UK legal qualification.
• 5+ years of commercial legal experience, ideally gained in‑house at a technology company or in private practice advising tech clients.
• Strong public sector experience, with a strong preference for knowledge of UK procurement legislation, government in‑house experience and/or experience with UK government frameworks (e.g. G‑Cloud, BOS2) and complex public sector contracts.
• Substantive expertise in data privacy and intellectual property law.
• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills with the ability to balance commercial objectives with legal risk management.
• Strong judgment and problem‑solving skills, able to provide pragmatic, business‑focused legal advice.
• Project management capabilities, including the ability to manage multiple complex transactions simultaneously.
• Experience with SaaS agreements and technology transactions.
• Self‑starter mentality with ability to work independently and escalated appropriately.

Personal Attributes

• Collaborative team player with a kind and approachable demeanor.
• Strong communicator able to translate complex legal concepts for business audiences.
• Detail‑oriented while maintaining sight of business objectives.
• Adaptable and resilient, comfortable with ambiguity and changing priorities.
• Customer‑centric mindset, focused on enabling deals while managing risk appropriately.
• Good sense of humor and positive attitude.

Equal Opportunity

Salesforce is an equal opportunity employer and maintains a policy of non‑discrimination with all employees and applicants for employment.

Accessibility & Accommodation

If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or recruiting process, please submit a request via the Accommodation Request Form. Salesforce is committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.