Senior Privacy Counsel

This is the first time Sage has hired a dedicated privacy role based in the USA. As we continue to grow, the USA is a key and fast-growing market for Sage. The successful candidate will be enhancing the US privacy programme and will need to be comfortable making connections on their own, partnering closely with Product, scaling the programme, and carrying out horizon scanning so that Sage can adapt to a fast-changing environment.

Business partnering is central to this role. The successful candidate will be an effective influencer of Product decisions, able to articulate and 'sell' the importance of privacy by design, which will be a key element of this role.

The role will report into the Data Privacy Director, based in the UK, and will involve close collaboration with other members of the Data Privacy Legal team, and the Sage legal team more widely.

Location - Hybrid, 3 days per week in our Atlanta Office.

Responsibilities

You'll build Sage's US privacy programme from the ground up, establishing relationships independently across the business and scaling the programme as Sage grows in the US market. You will partner closely with Product, influencing Product decisions and embedding privacy by design as a core way of working. You will also carry out horizon scanning to anticipate and adapt to a fast-changing privacy environment.

In this role, your day-to-day activities will include;

• Leveraging your expert knowledge of data protection laws to provide high-quality legal advice to stakeholders across Sage;
• Partnering with Product, engineering, sales and marketing teams, influencing Product decisions and embedding privacy by design principles from the outset;
• Collaborating with regional colleagues and external counsel on different matters and data privacy risk incidents;
• Contributing to maintaining Sage's data privacy compliance framework, including policy review and development, while supporting the creation of external-facing materials such as privacy notices and consent notices;
• Identifying and mitigating privacy risks, and providing expert input on compliance activities;
• Leading advisory efforts on cookies, similar technologies, and digital advertising;
• Carrying out horizon scanning to help Sage anticipate and adapt to a fast-changing privacy environment;
• Contributing to the management of the data privacy operating model, and acting as a key contact for US and Canada local legal and data privacy matters; and
• Developing and delivering training materials to colleagues across Sage.

Skills and Experience;

• Robust knowledge of data protection laws coupled with significant post-qualification experience advising corporate organisations, preferably gained through in-house roles.
• The ability to build a programme, establish connections independently, and operate effectively in a newly created role within a fast-growing market.
• Strong business-partnering skills, including the ability to influence Product decisions and to communicate the value of privacy by design to non-legal stakeholders.
• A business-oriented mindset, operational focus, and familiarity with emerging technologies such as ad tech, AI, and machine learning. The ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment, prioritise tasks effectively, and communicate complex concepts clearly to non-legal colleagues is essential.
• Advanced behavioural competencies, including effective communication, collaboration, customer focus, and adaptability, together with experience with privacy management tools like OneTrust.
• Prior in-house experience or secondment roles, along with a track record of working on complex projects.
• Good working knowledge of UK, EU and other international data privacy law regimes is preferred.

Technical / professional qualifications

• Qualified lawyer admitted to practise in at least one US state, with significant post-qualification experience and strong data protection law expertise across US federal and state privacy law.
• Good working knowledge of Canadian privacy law regimes (such as PIPEDA and Quebec's Law 25) is required good working knowledge of UK, EU and other international data privacy law regimes is preferred.

Benefits? We have plenty.

• Competitive annual bonuses
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) retirement match (100% matching up to 4%)
• 32 days paid time off (22 personal days & 10 national holidays)
• 18 weeks of paid parental leave (offered 1 year after the start date)
• Work Away Program: Opportunity to work & play for 10 weeks from another country (Sage-approved list)
• Sage Foundation: 5 days paid yearly to volunteer
• $5,250 tuition reimbursement per calendar year starting 6 months after the hire date
• Sage Wellness Rewards Program ($600 wellness credit and $360 fitness reimbursement annually)