Senior Counsel, Commercial & Employment (EMEA)

ROLE OVERVIEW

We are looking for a mission-driven, collaborative, and highly motivated individual to join Benchling as a critical member of the legal team. As Senior Counsel,  EMEA Legal, you will be a trusted advisor to Benchling’s EMEA teams, supporting revenue growth in Europe and guiding compliance across multiple jurisdictions. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced, pragmatic, and business-oriented attorney to provide legal guidance focused on commercial transactions, privacy, and regional employment law. The ideal candidate will be based in/near London or Zurich.

RESPONSIBILITIES

What You'll Do:

• Commercial Transactions: Own and manage the full lifecycle of commercial contracts for our EMEA operations. This includes structuring, drafting, and negotiating SaaS agreements, professional services and outsourcing agreements, partner agreements, DPAs and security addendums, and other operational agreements for customers. You'll work closely with our EMEA sales, revenue operations teams and deal desk to accelerate deals, provide strategic legal advice on complex issues, and ensure efficient, timely support for customer negotiations and other commercial transactions.
• Process Improvement: Collaborate with the Head of Commercial, Legal and other global legal team members to develop and implement efficient, scalable, localized contracting policies, practices, and processes. You'll also evolve and manage training programs for the EMEA sales organization on negotiation best practices and relevant legal issues.
• Risk Mitigation and  Business Partnership: Apply sound judgment to assess risks associated with non-standard legal positions and collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement practical mitigation strategies. You'll provide clear, concise guidance to senior stakeholders on legal risks and liabilities within proposed commercial transactions, finding creative solutions to drive successful deal completion while fostering positive internal and external relationships.
• Employment Law: Partner with our global HR, legal, and business leaders on a wide range of European employment law matters. You will proactively identify and mitigate employment legal risks and disputes leveraging your experience, and manage relationships with local outside counsel. You will also guide the business on hiring, compensation, commission plans, benefits, performance management, leaves of absence, and contingent workers across multiple jurisdictions. 
• Compliance and Data Protection: Maintain a working knowledge of relevant European laws and regulations related to privacy customer data protection and advise on their implications for Benchling's business in EMEA. Have a working knowledge of regional laws more broadly, to effectively collaborate on global expansion, local compliance, and people matters.

QUALIFICATIONS

About You:

• Experience: 7+ years of general relevant legal experience, with at least 5 years in house specifically focused on commercial enterprise SaaS transactions.  Understand SaaS contracting norms and market terms.  Experience supporting sales and go-to-market activities in biotech, healthcare, or life sciences industries is a plus. Experience navigating employment law across multiple European jurisdictions is preferred.
• Qualified attorney or solicitor (or EU equivalent) with experience in an English-speaking jurisdiction required.
• Strategic Thinker: Proven ability to provide entrepreneurial, pragmatic, and business-oriented legal advice, balancing legal risk with business objectives. You can translate complex legal concepts into actionable frameworks for non-legal colleagues.
• Autonomous and Collaborative: Comfortable operating autonomously in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.  Also a team player who can build strong, trusted partnerships with leadership and cross-functional teams with a customer-service oriented mindset.
• Exceptional Communicator: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills. You can advocate for a position without legalese, maintaining a collaborative and open-minded approach.
• Organized and Detail-Oriented: Highly organized, reliable, and diligent, with the ability to manage multiple issues simultaneously and set appropriate priorities.
• Growth Mindset: You embrace change and practice with kindness, humility, integrity, and humor.  You are also intellectually curious and proactively seek ways for the legal team to positively impact the business. 

COMPANY BENEFITS - EMEA

Benchling takes a market-based approach to pay.  The candidate's starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, interview performance, and work location.

Total Compensation includes the following:

• Competitive total rewards package 
• Fertility healthcare and family-forming benefits
• Four months of fully paid parental leave
• Home office stipend
• Mental health benefits + wellness stipend
• Learning and development reimbursement
• 25 days vacation days + public holidays
• Company-wide Winter holiday shutdown
• Sabbaticals for 5-year and 10-year anniversaries
• Remote perks including travel to hubs
• In-office perks (Zurich Only - In Office)
• Commuter benefits (Zurich Only - In Office)

#LI-Hybrid
#BI-Hybrid
#DNP