SVP, General Counsel

Arcadia; United States; Remote; USD 230,000 - 350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote first

Flexible PTO

Parental leave

Holiday pay

Medical benefits

Job summary

Arcadia is seeking an accomplished General Counsel to architect a proactive, business-minded legal function that accelerates growth while managing risk. The role partners with the CEO and Board to enable fast, compliant expansion across multiple jurisdictions.

The ideal candidate has 15+ years in legal practice, senior leadership in SaaS/tech, and a track record of leading M&A, governance, and regulatory strategy in a global company.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of legal practice in-house or at a top law firm.
• Experience as GC or senior legal leader in a high-growth SaaS/tech environment.
• Proven ability to lead M&A and complex transactions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the legal function as a business-first partner to the CEO and Board.
• Negotiate high-stakes SaaS contracts, IP licenses, and technology agreements.
• Oversee corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and risk across international operations.

Skills

15+ years legal experience

In-house counsel

M&A leadership

Commercial mindset

Employee relations

International operations

Corporate governance

Education

J.D. degree

Job description

Who We Are

Arcadia is the AI-powered energy intelligence platform for businesses. We replace fragmented tools and manual workflows with one platform to pay utility bills, buy energy, and advance sustainability — across every location, at enterprise scale. Trusted by Fortune 2000 companies, Arcadia combines unified data, AI-powered analytics, and expert advisory to help enterprise teams save money, mitigate risk, and cut carbon.

We deliver this through three comprehensive solutions:

• Utility Bill Management: Automating the entire utility bill lifecycle — from data capture and validation to payment processing and auditing.
• Energy Procurement Advisory: Bringing together comprehensive data, AI-powered analytics, market expertise, and a strong partner network to make sophisticated procurement options accessible to all.
• Sustainability Reporting — Verified emissions data with seamless integration into leading sustainability platforms.

Tackling the world's most complex energy challenges requires diverse thinking. We're building teams of people from different backgrounds, industries, and disciplines — united by a belief that energy management should be simple, intelligent, and a genuine driver of business value.

What we’re looking for:

The General Counsel is the senior-most legal authority, responsible for architecting a legal function that drives business growth rather than merely managing risk. This role is a "business-first" partner to the CEO and Board, tasked with enabling high-velocity sales, leading complex M&A integration work streams, and fostering a compliant yet innovative workplace through strategic employee relations.

Arcadia is open to fully remote candidates with preference for those in Washington, DC, New York, and Boston.

#LI-REMOTE

What you'll do:

Revenue & Sales Enablement

• Commercial Catalyst: Partner with Sales and Product teams to streamline the "Lead-to-Cash" process, focusing on being "more commercial than cautious".
• Transaction Architecture: Lead negotiations for high-stakes SaaS contracts, IP licensing, and technology transactions with sophisticated counterparties.
• Deal Desk Governance: Establish standardized contract playbooks and self-service legal tools to increase sales velocity and reduce the deal-cycle time.

M&A Integration & Corporate Governance

• M&A Exploration : Provide legal support to the company through potential future rounds of fundraising, acquisitions, and critical partnerships.
• Post-Acquisition Harmonization: Lead the legal "harmonization" of newly acquired entities, including entity rationalization and the consolidation of intellectual property portfolios.
• Board Advisory & Strategy: Serve as the Corporate Secretary and primary liaison to the Board, advising on governance, ethics, and fiduciary duties.
• Public Readiness: (Level 10 focus) Prepare the company for potential future capital events, including fundraising rounds, IPO readiness, or strategic divestitures.

Employee Relations & Human Capital

• Labor Relations: Serve as the legal architect & partner for the People Team on sensitive employee relations (ER) matters, including executive compensation and performance management.
• Cultural Alignment: Oversee the merging of employee policies and handbooks after an acquisition to ensure a unified corporate culture and adherence to labor laws.
• Dispute Resolution: Mitigate risks related to workplace disputes and labor audits, acting as an advocate for the company’s "Employer Brand".

Enterprise Risk & Compliance

• Regulatory Navigation: Direct compliance across data privacy (GDPR/CCPA), cybersecurity, and industry-specific regulations.
• Litigation & Vendor Management: Oversee all active litigation and optimize the use of outside counsel to ensure maximum ROI on legal spend.

The Ideal Profile:

• Experience: 15+ years of legal practice, including demonstrated success as in-house counsel and/or outstanding experience at a top law firm. Significant time spent as a General Counsel or senior legal leader in a high-growth SaaS or tech environment, including experience as a General Counsel or Chief Legal Officer at a publicly-traded company (preferably leading a company through an IPO or a direct listing).
• M&A Sophistication: Proven track record of leading legal work streams through the full lifecycle of an acquisition and integration.
• Commercial Mindset: Demonstrated ability to distill complex legal problems into "streamlined, actionable advice" for fast-paced commercial teams. Very practical and business-oriented approach with strong attention to detail.
• Employee Relations Savvy: Deep familiarity with employment law and the nuances of managing human capital during organizational change.
• International Operations: The background vital to lead the legal operations of a company with significant international operations, including a large Indian subsidiary. Experience coordinating and communicating with an international team across multiple time zones.
• Professional Credentials: J.D. with excellent academic credentials, and a state bar member in good standing in a state where Arcadia does business.
• Work Style & Ethics: Client-service orientation and demonstrated success in handling competing deadlines for multiple internal partners with minimal supervision. Willingness to take feedback, learn, and grow; an ethos of continuous self-improvement. Outstanding judgment and uncompromising professional ethics.

Nice-to-haves:

• Energy Regulatory, or Utility Experience
• Experience with high-growth, venture-funded SAAS startups
• Demonstrated excellence at assessing risk with a flexible risk tolerance matched to the company’s objectives
• Experience leading a globally distributed team operating in multiple countries
• Leading the legal due diligence and execution of merger & acquisition events

Benefits:

• "Remote first" culture - work anywhere in the US as long as you have a reliable internet connection
• Flexible PTO - no accrued hours and no limit on the number of vacation days exempt employees can take each year
• 12 annual holidays
• 10 days sick leave
• Up to 4 weeks bereavement leave
• 2 volunteer days off
• 2 professional development days off
• 12 weeks paid parental leave for all parents
• 75-95% employer cost coverage for medical, dental, and vision benefits for employees and dependents

Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion:

Here at Arcadia, we cultivate diversity, celebrate individuality, and believe unique perspectives are key to our collective success in creating a clean energy future. Arcadia is committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation by emailing [e-mail] prior to completing your application.

Target Annual Compensation Range for this role will be $230,000-$350,000. There will also be a competitive benefits (bonus/equity if applicable) component to the package. The exact compensation at which this job is filled will be determined by the skills, experience, and location of the qualified candidate. Please note that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position at this time.

Automated Screening:

Arcadia uses AI-assisted technology to evaluate candidates on relevant skills, experience, and education as outlined in the job description. Human review is part of all hiring decisions. Candidates may request an alternative selection process by contacting [e-mail] before submitting their application.

Data Privacy & California Residents:

You voluntarily provide personal information (such as your resume, contact details, and assessment responses) when submitting an application. We may use this to evaluate your candidacy and derive inferences from this data to match your profile with open roles. For California Residents: This collection is consistent with the CCAA. You have the right to request access to or deletion of your data by contacting [e-mail].

*Visa Sponsorship

• Select R&D & Data roles: We are proud to offer visa sponsorship opportunities for qualified candidates interested in joining our team
• Other roles: Please note that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position at this time

Thank you