Corporate Counsel

About Novata

Novata is a public benefit corporation created and funded by a unique consortium of foundations and private sector companies including the Ford Foundation, the Omidyar Network, S&P Global, and Hamilton Lane. We are a for-profit, mission-driven company with a goal of empowering the private markets to build a more inclusive and sustainable form of capitalism. By bringing together the brightest minds in financial data, private equity, social justice and inclusive capitalism, we aim to build the best technology and tools for the private markets to better collect, analyze, benchmark, and report ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) data. We have an experienced and diverse team who are as ambitious about growing a successful company as we are about making an impact. We hope you’ll join us.

About the role

Novata is seeking an experienced Corporate Counsel to support our rapidly growing EMEA team. Based ideally in or near London, you will be our go-to legal expert for EU and UK compliance matters. You’ll work closely with global and EMEA teams across legal, risk, compliance, and commercial functions, advising on issues ranging from data protection to regulatory compliance to strategic contracting. Success in this role requires a collaborative, proactive, positive mindset and a passion for tackling both large and small tasks as we scale. This role is ideal for a UK or EU-qualified lawyer with experience in both startups and law firms, who can seamlessly manage a variety of legal needs in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of SaaS contracts, including customer and vendor agreements, data privacy addendums, and partnership agreements.
• Develop templates, playbooks, and best practices for regulatory compliance, ensuring efficient, scalable legal processes that keep pace with our growth.
• Monitor and address legal and regulatory risks, provide practical advice to internal stakeholders, and help develop training materials on compliance and best practices. Monitor EU and UK policy developments and advise the team on risk minimization strategies, building policies that prepare us for regulatory changes in our expanding markets.
• Support compliance with key EU and UK regulations. Develop scalable processes to manage regulatory requirements across regions.
• Advise on employment matters as they arise, ensuring compliance with applicable laws.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to build awareness and guide them on data privacy, regulatory requirements, and ESG compliance, including developing training materials and processes.
• Work closely with teams across the company—sales, product, and operations—to proactively manage legal risks, drive business initiatives, and support Novata’s rapid growth. Act as a key resource for legal expertise on a variety of cross-functional projects and work closely with sales, product, and operations teams to ensure Novata’s objectives are met.
• Support Finance & Accounting teams on domestic and international tax matters as it relates to corporate governance, intercompany, and international subsidiary matters, as well as maintaining our corporate minute books and supporting our ongoing audit efforts. 
• Maintain organized and up-to-date records of all legal documents and correspondence, including enhancing the legal team’s processes and compliance frameworks. 

• Qualified to practice law in the EU or UK, with 5+ years of post-qualification experience, ideally with a mix of law firm and in-house experience in SaaS or tech companies.
• Strong experience in contract negotiation and drafting with proven success in customer and vendor agreements.
• A highly organized, proactive self-starter who thrives in dynamic, fast-paced environments and enjoys working on diverse projects with minimal supervision.
• Deep expertise of EU and UK regulations, especially regarding sustainable finance and data privacy, as well as rules governing ESG software data providers and other areas of regulation relevant to online platforms.
• Proven ability to independently manage high-volume contract negotiations and complex agreements with attention to detail with an ability to present complex ideas in easy-to-understand language
• Working experience in ESG and/or the financial services industry and coordinating with sales and product management departments.
• Self-motivated, highly organized and process oriented with superb organizational skills. 

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with an ability to build relationships and confidently negotiate with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Startup mentality: An enthusiastic, can-do attitude with a willingness to take on all types of tasks—no job is too big or too small.
• High EQ and interpersonal skills. You should be people oriented, energetic, and confident with frequent client-facing interactions (via e-mail, phone, video conferencing, and in-person).

We want our employees to have the best opportunities at work and in life. We know that requires us to provide more than just a great place to work. We are committed to providing industry leading benefits and flexibility that allows you to achieve all your life goals. Here are the important highlights:

• Competitive salary reviewed annually to account for market shifts
• Participation in company stock option plan
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Robust PTO and family friendly leave policies
• Hybrid work environment 
• Opportunities for professional development
• An experienced, mature and extremely enthusiastic team that thrives on collaboration

Why Join Us?

Novata is a mission-first company built to enable the private markets to drive more impact.  We are at the unique intersection of ESG, the private markets, and mission driven impact.  We are well-funded, have a top tier executive leadership team, and are positioned for a successful commercial launch in the first half of 2022. We have a highly aggressive growth plan to establish ourselves as the industry leader of ESG with immediate plans for product and international expansion.

Members of our leadership team have been globally recognized for their success as leaders of large public companies, founders of successful startups, leaders of established ESG organizations, and builders of robust tech platforms. We are passionate, highly motivated, and experienced individuals who embrace our diverse backgrounds. Together, we will become the platform of choice and a catalyst for a change in the way business is done.