Counsel (12-month fixed-term contract)

About the Role

Salesforce is looking for high-performing, result-oriented Counsel to provide maternity cover within our UK & Ireland Commercial Legal team, working closely with a Senior Counsel, covering the Public Sector. This is a 12-month fixed-term contract supporting Salesforce's UKI’s public sector business.

The Commercial Legal team delivers innovative, trusted and world-class legal services. Our aim is to drive sales performance and foster customers’ relationships. Although our main activity is contractual negotiation with customers, we are also frequently involved on subjects related to high tech, data protection and artificial intelligence. If you have a strong legal knowledge & mindset and you enjoy negotiations, high tech and thinking out of the box, you are welcome to join us!

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Transaction Management: Structure, draft, and negotiate complex commercial agreements for direct and indirect Public Sector sales routes, with a strong focus on large UK public sector procurements and framework agreements (including BOS2 and other government frameworks)

Contract Negotiation: Lead negotiations of Master Services Agreements (MSAs), Order Forms, Professional Services agreements, and related commercial documentation either on Salesforce paper or government paper (within Salesforce’s approved parameters)

Public Sector Expertise: Navigate and respond to complex public procurement requirements, e.g. working on requests for proposals/informations, ethical walls agreements, drafting clarification questions, and ensuring compliance with public sector procurement regulations

Stakeholder Management: Partner with sales teams and business stakeholders across the UK region to enable deals and provide strategic legal guidance

Risk Management: Assess commercial and legal risks, provide practical advice, and escalate matters appropriately to leadership when needed

Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with other legal team members across EMEA and global teams, as well as with procurement, finance, and operations teams

Case Management: Utilize Salesforce's internal systems (Org62) to track legal cases, manage workflows, and maintain matter visibility

Essential Skills & Experience

Qualified Solicitor with current practicing certificate (England & Wales) or equivalent UK legal qualification

5+ years of commercial legal experience, ideally gained in-house at a technology company or in private practice advising tech clients

Strong public sector experience, with a strong preference for knowledge of UK procurement legislation, government in-house experience and/or experience with UK government frameworks (e.g. G-Cloud, BOS2) and complex public sector contracts

Substantive expertise in data privacy and intellectual property law

Excellent drafting and negotiation skills with the ability to balance commercial objectives with legal risk management

Strong judgment and problem-solving skills, able to provide pragmatic, business-focused legal advice

Project management capabilities, including the ability to manage multiple complex transactions simultaneously

Experience with SaaS agreements and technology transactions

Self-starter mentality with ability to work independently and escalate appropriately

Personal Attributes

• Collaborative team player with a kind and approachable demeanor
• Strong communicator able to translate complex legal concepts for business audiences
• Detail-oriented while maintaining sight of business objectives
• Adaptable and resilient, comfortable with ambiguity and changing priorities
• Customer-centric mindset, focused on enabling deals while managing risk appropriately
• Good sense of humor and positive attitude