Head of Legal

Rivel; Westport (CT); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Rivel is seeking a practical, hands-on Head of Legal to serve as the company’s primary in-house resource, with the flexibility for remote or hybrid work if local to Westport, CT. The role covers commercial agreements, data privacy, employment issues, corporate matters, and regulatory compliance.

You will partner with leadership across the organization, draft and negotiate sophisticated agreements, manage outside counsel, and help establish scalable legal processes to support our global growth.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active membership in at least one U.S. state bar (CT or NY preferred).
• 8+ years of relevant legal experience in commercial, privacy, employment, corporate or related areas.
• Significant experience drafting and negotiating sophisticated commercial agreements.
• Strong knowledge of contract law and global data privacy regulations.
• Excellent negotiation, judgment and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to translate legal concepts into practical business guidance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Rivel’s primary in-house legal resource and counsel to senior leadership, HR, and business leaders.
• Draft, review and negotiate complex commercial agreements including MSAs, SOWs, DPAs, NDAs, vendor and contractor agreements, leases, and other documents.
• Advise on contract law, data privacy, employment, corporate law and related regulatory issues for U.S. and international operations.
• Identify information security implications arising from client/vendor relationships and cooperate with IT on security matters.
• Review new vendors, technologies, data uses and business initiatives for legal and regulatory risk.
• Provide plain-language guidance to ensure compliance with contractual obligations.
• Manage notifications and data preservation related to potential security incidents or subpoenas.
• Monitor regulatory developments and help implement compliant processes.
• Maintain corporate records, registrations, board resolutions and contract requirements.
• Manage relationships with outside counsel and coordinate with specialized counsel as needed.
• Establish scalable legal processes to deliver timely, accurate service and support strategic initiatives.

Skills

Contract drafting

Commercial law

Privacy compliance

Employment law

Regulatory awareness

Negotiation skills

Education

Juris Doctor degree

Tools

MS Office

Salesforce

Trello

Job description

Join a Company That Makes Culture a Priority.

Rivel is currently seeking a practical, hands-on Head of Legal with the flexibility to join our team in a fully remote or hybrid capacity, if local to Westport, CT. This role will serve as Rivel’s primary in-house legal resource and provide day-to-day counsel on commercial agreements, data privacy, employment issues, corporate matters, and regulatory compliance. The ideal candidate is an entrepreneurial legal professional who can balance prudent risk management with responsive, solutions-oriented support for a growing global business.

About Us

Rivel is the world's largest provider of investor perception studies and a trusted strategic advisor to public company leaders. For more than 35 years, we have helped management teams and boards strengthen investor confidence through research-driven insights, Investor Day strategy, messaging development, governance advisory and sustainability-related counsel. Our proprietary normative database and deep understanding of the investment community enables clients to make more informed decisions and communicate with greater credibility.

About You

You are a business-minded attorney who combines sound legal judgment with responsiveness, flexibility, detail-orientation, and strong problem-solving skills. You are comfortable advising senior leaders, negotiating sophisticated agreements, and explaining legal obligations in a practical way that helps the business move forward.

You enjoy rolling up your sleeves and doing the work yourself. You are equally comfortable handling strategic and tactical responsibilities and understand that priorities can shift quickly.

You can confidently push back when a proposed course of action creates unacceptable risk. You are energized by the opportunity to establish practical, efficient legal processes and serve as a trusted partner to colleagues across the organization.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as Rivel’s primary in-house legal resource, providing hands‑on legal support and practical strategic counsel to senior leadership, Human Resources, and business leaders.


• Draft, review and negotiate complex commercial agreements, including Master Services Agreements, Statements of Work, Data Protection and Transfer Agreements, Non-Disclosure Agreements, vendor agreements, independent contractor agreements, partnership and reseller agreements, leases and other corporate documents.


• Advise on contract law, data privacy, employment matters, corporate law, and other legal/regulatory considerations affecting Rivel’s operations in the United States and abroad.


• Identify and advise on the implications of information security matters arising from client agreements, vendor relationships, security incidents, business processes, and applicable laws, in partnership with IT and business leaders.


• Review new vendors, technologies, data uses and business initiatives for legal, contractual, privacy and regulatory risk, partnering with IT on security and technical considerations.


• Advise colleagues across the organization in plain language about how to ensure compliance with contractual and legal obligations.


• Manage notifications and oversee data preservation related to potential information security incidents and/or subpoenas.


• Monitor legal and regulatory developments and help colleagues implement processes for complying with new obligations.


• Maintain and update corporate records, registrations, board resolutions, legal documentation and contract requirements.


• Manage relationships with U.S. and international outside counsel and engage specialized counsel when needed for litigation, employment, intellectual property, privacy, real estate and other matters.


• Establish scalable legal processes that support timely, accurate, and responsive service to clients and colleagues.


• Support strategic initiatives, acquisitions, partnerships, and other corporate transactions as needed.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Juris Doctor degree from an American Bar Association-accredited law school.


• Active membership in at least one U.S. state bar (preferably CT or NY).


• 8+ years of relevant legal experience, with a background in commercial, privacy, employment, corporate, or related legal disciplines.


• Significant experience drafting and negotiating sophisticated commercial agreements.


• Strong knowledge of contract law and the global data privacy regulatory environment, with familiarity with employment law and corporate law.


• Excellent negotiation, issue-spotting, judgment, and problem-solving skills.


• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into practical business guidance.


• Strong attention to detail, organization, and follow-through.


• Ability to manage multiple priorities and adapt quickly in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.


• Experience managing outside counsel and partnering effectively with stakeholders at all levels of an organization.


• Entrepreneurial, proactive, and flexible, with the ability to operate as a hands‑on department of one while establishing scalable legal processes.


• Proficiency with MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), Salesforce and Trello.


• Alignment with Rivel’s core values.

The base range of compensation for this role is $200,000 - $220,000. Compensation for this position is adjusted based on skill, effort, responsibility, education, training, credentials, geographic location, working conditions and/or experience.