Independently negotiate and close complex SaaS agreements with public sector customers and their partners, exercising keen judgement on risk tradeoffs and escalation decisions.
Counsel internal teams on federal and state procurement laws and regulations, including FAR/DFARS, cybersecurity requirements, data handling, supply chain rules, and compliance obligations.
Serve as the primary legal advisor to U.S. public sector GTM teams, helping shape deal strategy and negotiation posture across complex and high-stakes opportunities by balancing government contracting requirements, legal risks, and business goals.
Partner with our Product Legal and Security teams to advise on product features, deployment models, and compliance standards relevant to government environments.
Create and improve scalable processes, templates, and training materials to support Datadog’s public-sector growth.
Manage and maintain company registrations required by public sector customers.
Coach and mentor other Commercial Legal team members on public sector contracting issues, including escalation strategy, negotiation posture, and risk analysis.

Requirements

Possessing 10+ years of law firm and/or in-house experience with government (federal, state, and local) contracting, with a focus on SaaS and related technology areas.
Demonstrating a deep understanding of how to translate government procurement and compliance requirements into commercially workable SaaS contracting models, and the judgment to know when adaptation is (and is not) appropriate.
Having in-depth knowledge of government legal and regulatory contracting requirements (including familiarity with federal and specific state requirements).
Someone who is able to independently review and negotiate complex SaaS agreements, as well as ancillary documents including BAAs and privacy-related documents, applying strong judgment to adapt guidance and address novel issues, and partnering closely with GTM teams to manage multiple negotiations under tight deadlines.
Comfortable working cross-functionally with technical, business, and executive stakeholders.
Someone with integrity, excellent judgment, and a high degree of emotional intelligence; you have experience building strong collaboration channels with peers and stakeholders across a business and are ready to identify pathways to success with our customers.
Licensed to practice law and have earned a JD and bar admission in the U.S.
Possessing an active US security clearance or the willingness and ability to obtain one.

Benefits

Generous and competitive benefits package
New hire stock equity (RSUs) and employee stock purchase plan
Continuous career development and pathing opportunities
Employee-focused best in class onboarding
Internal mentor and cross-departmental buddy program
Friendly and inclusive workplace culture

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard skills

SaaS agreementsgovernment contractingcompliance requirementsrisk analysisnegotiationlegal advisoryprocurement lawscontracting modelsBAAsprivacy-related documents

Soft skills

judgmentemotional intelligencecollaborationcoachingmentoringcross-functional communicationintegrityadaptabilitystrategic thinkingproblem-solving

Certifications

JDbar admissionUS security clearance