Deputy General Counsel

Harbor

Deputy General Counsel managing global legal function for Harbor, a consulting and technology services firm. Leading legal strategy in high-volume contracting and compliance.

Posted 5/11/2026full-timeRemote • Illinois • 🇺🇸 United StatesSeniorLeadWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Cyber Security

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Own and lead the global legal function, including team management, outside counsel oversight, and budget responsibility
Build and scale a high-performing, data-driven legal organization with appropriate processes, operational workflows, tools, and KPIs
Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO, executive leadership, and Board of Directors on legal, risk, and governance matters
Operate as a player-coach, balancing strategic leadership with hands-on execution
Lead legal support for a high-volume, sales-driven contracting environment, partnering closely with CRO/CGO and Sales leadership
Oversee drafting, negotiation, and execution of complex commercial agreements (clients, partners, vendors)
Design and implement scalable contracting frameworks, playbooks, and approval workflows to accelerate deal velocity
Ensure alignment between legal risk tolerance and revenue objectives
Provide strategic guidance on global employment matters, including disputes, investigations, and compliance
Manage litigation and disputes, including oversight of outside counsel
Partner closely with HR and leadership on employee relations and workforce strategy
Oversee enterprise risk management, insurance programs, and mitigation strategies
Serve as lead in-house counsel on M&A transactions, including buy- and sell-side deals
Drive legal aspects of due diligence, deal structure, negotiation, and integration
Support corporate governance and Board engagement, including preparation and presentation of materials
Ensure compliance with global regulatory requirements, including data privacy and cybersecurity
Develop policies and controls appropriate for a PE-backed, scaling organization
Act as a board-ready advisor, translating complex legal issues into actionable business guidance
Act as a key partner to Finance, Sales, HR, and executive leadership
Drive alignment between legal, operational, and commercial priorities
Support enterprise-wide initiatives, including international expansion, operational refinement and integration efforts.

Requirements

What you’ll need

15+ years of legal experience, including a mix of law firm and in-house roles
3–5+ years in a senior in-house leadership role (GC, Deputy GC, or SVP Legal), preferably in PE- or late-stage VC-backed companies
Demonstrated full ownership of a legal function, including team leadership and operational buildout
Extensive experience in high-volume commercial contracting within a sales-driven organization (ideally tech-enabled services, software, or SaaS)
Strong experience in employment law, disputes, and litigation management, including oversight of outside counsel
Proven ability to build scalable legal infrastructure in low-process or high-growth environments
Experience advising senior executives and presenting to Boards of Directors
Track record as a cross-functional operator, partnering effectively with Sales, Finance, HR, and executive teams.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health insurance
401(k) plan
Paid time off
Flexible work arrangements

ATS Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

legal function ownershipcommercial agreements draftingcontract negotiationemployment lawlitigation managementM&A transactionsdue diligencecompliancerisk managementscalable legal infrastructure

Soft Skills

team managementstrategic leadershiptrusted advisorcross-functional collaborationoperational refinementpresentation skillsguidance on governanceplayer-coach mentalityrelationship buildingproblem-solving