At a Glance
- Tasks: Join a global legal team, advising on commercial contracts and supporting sales growth.
- Company: Kong Inc., a leader in API and AI connectivity technologies.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, inclusive culture, and opportunities for professional development.
- Why this job: Be a trusted advisor and make an impact in a fast-growing tech environment.
- Qualifications: Law degree, 4-6 years of experience, strong negotiation skills.
- Other info: Dynamic role with international exposure and career advancement opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
Are you ready to power the World’s connections? If you don’t think you meet all of the criteria below but are still interested in the job, please apply. Nobody checks every box - we’re looking for candidates that are particularly strong in a few areas, and have some interest and capabilities in others.
Location: London or Paris. Some limited international work travel will be required.
About the role: We are looking for an experienced commercial and generalist lawyer to join Kong’s global commercial legal team, responsible for helping support Kong’s sales growth. In this role, you will be a trusted partner to the EMEA revenue teams. You will also have the opportunity to provide support to our APAC and AMER sales teams as the needs arise. This is a unique opportunity to play a central position as a trusted advisor in EMEA’s GTM successes as we grow and scale. You will draft, structure and negotiate customer contracts with some of the world’s biggest brands in financial services, technology, retail and other industries. You will be called on to assess legal and business risks, make sound decisions, and provide advice on a broad range of issues in areas such as SaaS, AI, privacy, security, alliances, open-source software and intellectual property, and assist with other issues as they come up. You will also partner with the wider Kong Legal team to address other corporate, compliance and other legal issues, and help develop scalable, global systems, processes and automations. You will report to Kong’s Senior Director, Global Commercial, based in London, UK.
What you will be doing:
- Serve as a trusted advisor and business partner to all levels of Kong’s EMEA sales team, from VP to Account Executive.
- Support our AMER and APAC sales team as needed.
- Lead complex cross-border commercial transactions with sophisticated counterparties located across EMEA.
- Review, draft, and negotiate a wide variety of other commercial agreements.
- Help ensure compliance with a variety of laws and regulations impacting our enterprise software and SaaS offerings, including intellectual property, privacy, security, compliance and government contracting.
- Partner with Finance, Sales Ops and Deal Ops to support the end-to-end contract negotiation and close process.
- Advise internal teams on legal matters and provide general commercial legal advice, as well as providing training and enablement to our growing Go to Market organization.
- Assist in building out AI tools and processes to assist with our growth and scale.
- And any additional challenges and tasks to help support Kong’s growth.
What you’ll bring:
- Law degree, and member in good standing in England and Wales (or if France, CAPA and registration with local bar association).
- Experience with UK or US headquartered companies, and strong English technical drafting skills.
- Minimum 4-6 years of experience practicing law both with a law firm and in-house (preferably with late-stage private and/or early-stage public technology companies).
- Demonstrated experience in negotiating and closing complex software and SaaS contracts with large, sophisticated customers.
- Great judgment and bedside manner with customers, and an ability to build and maintain strong professional relationships within the company, with customers, and others.
- Working knowledge of intellectual property, AI, data governance, EMEA regulation and privacy matters.
- High professional and personal standards, and a commitment to inclusiveness.
- Attention to detail and an ability to view legal issues within the context of business objectives.
- A passion for teamwork, collaboration and customer success - at Kong we win together.
About Kong: Kong Inc., a leading developer of API and AI connectivity technologies, is building the infrastructure that powers the agentic era. Trusted by the Fortune 500 and startups alike, Kong's unified API and AI platform, Kong Konnect, enables organizations to secure, manage, accelerate, govern, and monetize the flow of intelligence across APIs and AI models. For more information, visit www.konghq.com.
Senior Legal Counsel EMEA, (Commercial) in London employer: Kong
Contact Detail:
Kong Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Legal Counsel EMEA, (Commercial) in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the legal field, especially those who work in commercial law or at tech companies. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their products and how they operate in the EMEA market. This will help you tailor your answers and show that you’re genuinely interested in being a part of their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your negotiation skills! As a Senior Legal Counsel, you’ll need to demonstrate your ability to negotiate complex contracts. Role-play with a friend or mentor to get comfortable with the process and build your confidence.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to connect directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Legal Counsel EMEA, (Commercial) in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Legal Flair: When you're drafting your application, let your legal expertise shine through! Use clear and concise language to demonstrate your understanding of commercial law and how it relates to the role. Remember, we want to see your personality too, so don’t be afraid to inject a bit of your own style.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored specifically for this role. Highlight your experience with SaaS, AI, and any relevant commercial agreements you've handled. We love seeing candidates who can connect their past experiences to what we do at Kong, so make those links clear!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to tell us why you’re the perfect fit for the Senior Legal Counsel position. Share your passion for the industry and how your skills align with our needs. Keep it engaging and professional – we want to feel your enthusiasm for joining our team!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on being part of the Kong family right from the start!
How to prepare for a job interview at Kong
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of commercial law, especially in areas like SaaS, AI, and privacy. Familiarise yourself with the specific legal challenges that companies like Kong face, as this will show your genuine interest and expertise during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Negotiation Skills
Prepare to discuss your experience in negotiating complex contracts. Have specific examples ready that highlight your ability to navigate tricky situations and close deals with large clients. This is crucial for a role that involves leading cross-border transactions.
✨Demonstrate Team Spirit
Kong values collaboration, so be ready to talk about how you've worked effectively within teams in the past. Share examples of how you've partnered with sales or finance teams to achieve common goals, as this will resonate well with their culture.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions that reflect your understanding of Kong's business and the legal landscape they operate in. This not only shows your enthusiasm but also your strategic thinking, which is essential for a trusted advisor role.