Senior Legal Counsel - Partnerships

Xero is a beautiful, easy-to-use platform that helps small businesses and their accounting and bookkeeping advisors grow and thrive. 

At Xero, our purpose is to make life better for people in small business, their advisors, and communities around the world. This purpose sits at the centre of everything we do. We support our people to do the best work of their lives so that they can help small businesses succeed through better tools, information and connections. Because when they succeed they make a difference, and when millions of small businesses are making a difference, the world is a more beautiful place.

You will be responsible for partnering with the business and providing legal advice in relation to legal matters affecting the organisation, as well as ensuring that all our operations are compliant with relevant legislation.

You will report to a Legal General Manager and work closely with the wider global Legal team, external advisors and strategic partners to support Xero’s legal and compliance function.

You will have a primary focus in one team (regional commercial, M&A, Partnerships, Regulatory, Privacy, IP or, Global Projects), but will regularly work across the other teams within the Legal team on projects and initiatives.

What you'll do...

• Work closely with key stakeholders to help drive strategic relationships and initiatives for Xero locally, but with a global mindset
• Work as an integrated part of the global legal team to provide support on global matters that impact your region, including M&A and integration, partnerships, privacy, IP & regulatory matters.
• Provide advice to senior managers on legal aspects of their defined areas (including sales/marketing, CX, PX, WX, and region-specific product and partnerships)
• Drive and/or manage within the global legal team projects to manage workflow, improve operational efficiency, achieve global and regional education and training, and enable compliance
• Review, negotiate and draft key legal documents, such as vendor supply agreements, marketing partner agreements, data exchange agreements, integration agreements, and procurement contracts
• Ensure the business is informed and compliant with any relevant existing or proposed legislation that may impact the operations of the business
• Coach and mentor junior members of the legal team
• Contribute to internal policy and process development
• Liaise and collaborate with legal team peers to deliver holistic legal function outcomes
• Assist with investigating and responding to enquiries from law enforcement agencies and regulators
• Liaise with and manage Xero’s external legal advisors, as required
• Responding to ad hoc queries in the Xero team’s legal inbox.

What you'll bring with you...

• Critical capabilities
• Solves problems - Creates new and better ways for Xero to be successful by exploring diverse approaches and leveraging unique connections. Able to support and encourage creativity in a collaborative environment.
• Collaborates - Builds partnerships and works collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives. Engages diverse stakeholders to enhance team outcomes, and encourages and values their input and ideas.
• Makes processes better - Has a focus on continuous improvement, knowing the most effective and efficient processes to get things done to enhance team productivity without impacting quality. 
• Courage - Is comfortable stepping up to address difficult issues. Is energised by new challenges, and openly addresses difficult or controversial topics, embracing open debate and constructive criticism.
• Instils Trust - Gains the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity. Is a trusted role model who upholds high ethical standards and professional integrity.
• Communicates effectively - Proactively and skillfully shares knowledge and relevant updates with key stakeholders. Is able to effectively tailor communication style to delivers highly complex information in a polished, precise, and compelling manner understanding the unique needs of different audiences. 
• Identifies legal issues & opportunities - Able to understand and evaluate the legal issues that impact Xero from various perspectives and the opportunities they may create. Provides mentorship and support, empowering team members to propose innovative legal solutions that drive organisational growth. Understands key global legal trends and anticipates future challenges and opportunities.
• Balances stakeholders - Anticipates and skilfully balances the needs of multiple stakeholders through understanding needs and issues. Shows a strong commitment to making decisions that benefit all stakeholders through creative solutions.
• Action oriented - Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm. Takes swift action to seize new opportunities for Xero’s benefit capitalising on opportunities.
• Understands Xero’s business - Has a strong understanding of business drivers and future regulatory changes, using this knowledge to advance Xero's goals.

Experience we are looking for..

• 8+ years PQE (in-house legal experience desirable)
• Law degree 
• Current practising certificate
• Experience providing legal advice to companies in the technology sector 
• Experience with data protection regulation
• Experience negotiating & drafting agreements in a commercial context
• Experience liaising with regulators and statutory/law enforcement bodies
• Experience with financial services regulation (desirable)

Why Xero? 

Offering very generous paid leave to use however you’d like (plus statutory holidays!), dedicated paid leave to care for your physical and mental wellbeing as well as an Employee Assistance Program to access mental health care for you and your family, health insurance, life insurance, and income protection, wellbeing and sports programmes, employee resource groups, 26 weeks of paid parental leave for primary caregivers, an Employee Share Plan, beautiful offices, flexible working, career development, and many other benefits that reflect our human value, you’ll do the best work of your life at Xero.