Senior Counsel

Assent Compliance; Ottawa; Hybrid; CAD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading supplier sustainability firm in Ottawa seeks a Legal Counsel to guide legal functions and support contracts and compliance. The ideal candidate has over 10 years of legal experience in B2B SaaS, with a strong focus on commercial contracts and privacy law. This role offers a hybrid work model and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Competitive base salary

Comprehensive benefits packages

Professional development days

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive legal experience, ideally in B2B SaaS.
• Experience in managing commercial and privacy legal functions.
• Proficiency in contract lifecycle management systems.

Responsibilities

• Oversee negotiation and execution of customer contracts.
• Provide legal leadership on global privacy matters.
• Support vendor agreements and compliance.

Skills

Commercial contracts management

Privacy and data protection

Legal strategy development

Team leadership

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Member of the Ontario Bar

Tools

Ironclad

Salesforce

Job description

Company Description

Assent is the leading solution for supply chain sustainability tailored for the world’s top-tier, sustainability-driven manufacturers. Hidden risks riddle supply chains, many of which weren't built with sustainability in mind. That's where we step in. With insights from experts, Assent is the tool manufacturers trust for comprehensive sustainability.

We are proud to announce that Assent has crossed the US$100M ARR milestone, granting us Centaur Status. This accomplishment, reached just 8 years following our Series A, makes us the first and only Certified B Corporation in North America's SaaS sustainability industry to celebrate this milestone.

Our journey from $5 million to US$100M ARR in just eight years has been marked by significant growth and achievements. With our $350 million US funding led by Vista Equity Partners, we're poised for even greater expansion and are on the lookout for outstanding team members to join our mission.

Hybrid Work Model

At Assent, we proudly embrace a remote-first work model, valuing the flexibility and autonomy it provides our team. We also acknowledge the intangible benefits of occasional in-person workdays. For team members situated within 50 kms/31 miles of our five global offices in Ottawa, Eldoret, Penang, Columbus, Pune and Amsterdam, you can expect to come into the office at least one day a week. Similarly, those near our co-working spaces in Nairobi and Toronto are encouraged to work onsite once a month.

Job Description

Assent is seeking an experienced and business-savvy legal Counsel to lead our global legal function at a pivotal stage of growth. In this high-impact role, you’ll guide strategic decisions and oversee all legal matters—commercial contracting, privacy, procurement, and governance—while mentoring a talented team of legal professionals. Reporting to the CFO and partnering closely with cross-functional leaders, you’ll build scalable, efficient, and forward-thinking legal processes that enable innovation, mitigate risk, and help shape the future of responsible supply chains.

Key Requirements & Responsibilities

Commercial Contracts

• Oversee the negotiation and execution of customer contracts, including MSAs, Order Forms, SOWs, NDAs, and data processing agreements.
• Design and optimize contract playbooks, fallback positions, and approval workflows.
• Partner with Sales, Revenue Operations, and Finance to streamline deal velocity while managing risk.

Procurement & Vendor Agreements

• Support all vendor agreements, including technology, professional services, and data providers.
• Collaborate with IT and Finance on vendor risk assessments and contract compliance.
• Implement scalable vendor onboarding and contract lifecycle processes.

Privacy & Data Protection

• Provide legal leadership on global privacy and data protection matters (GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, etc.).
• Partner with Product, Security, and Compliance teams to advise on product features, data flows, and privacy-by-design practices.
• Maintain and update internal privacy policies and third-party data processing agreements.

Corporate & Employment Matters

• Liaise with external counsel on corporate governance, corporate structure, IP strategy, and international legal compliance.
• Manage employment-related legal issues, policies, and investigations in partnership with the Chief People Officer, Employee Experience function and external counsel as needed.

Leadership & Strategy

• Support all vendor agreements, including technology, professional services, and data providers.
• Collaborate with IT and Finance on vendor risk assessments and contract compliance.
• Implement scalable vendor onboarding and contract lifecycle processes.

Systems & Legal Tech Enablement

• Champion the use of legal technology (e.g., Ironclad, Salesforce integration) to automate workflows, improve insights, and accelerate execution.
• Define and track legal KPIs to support data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Leverage AI tools and systems to scale legal review, enhance productivity, and manage contract risks.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) and an applicable license to practice law or Member of the Ontario Bar in good standing.
• 10+ years of progressive legal experience, including in-house counsel roles in B2B SaaS environments.
• Proven track record of managing commercial and privacy legal functions in a growth-stage technology company.
• Strong experience leading and mentoring high-performing legal teams.
• Demonstrated commercial acumen and ability to balance legal risk with business objectives.
• Hands-on experience with contract negotiation, procurement processes, and privacy frameworks.
• Proficiency in contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems, especially Ironclad; familiarity with Salesforce is a strong plus.
• Knowledge and practical application of AI, legal automation tools, and systems to streamline legal operations.

Additional Information

Life at Assent

Wellness: We believe that you and your family’s well being is important. As a result, we offer vacation time that increases with tenure, comprehensive benefits packages (details vary by country), life leave days and more.

Financial Benefits: It’s not all about the money – well, it’s a little about the money. We understand that financial health is important and we offer a competitive base salary, a corporate bonus program, retirement savings options and more.

Life at Assent: There is purpose beyond your work. We provide our team members with flexible work options, volunteer days and opportunities to get involved in corporate giving initiatives.

Lifelong Learning: At Assent, curiosity is not only valued but encouraged. You will receive professional development days that are available to you the day you start.

At Assent, we are committed to growing and sustaining an environment where our team members feel included, valued, and heard. Our diversity and equal opportunity practices are guided and championed by our Diversity and Inclusion Working Group and our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion includes recruiting and retaining team members from diverse backgrounds and experiences, and fostering a culture of belonging where all team members are included, treated with dignity and respect, promoted on their merits, and placed in positions to contribute to business success.

If you require assistance or accommodation throughout any part of the interview and selection process, please contact [e-mail] and we will be happy to help.