Vice President, Corporate Legal & Compliance

Company Description

Organizations everywhere struggle under the crushing costs and complexities of “solutions” that promise to simplify their lives. To create a better experience for their customers and employees. To help them grow. Software is a choice that can make or break a business. Create better or worse experiences. Propel or throttle growth. Business software has become a blocker instead of ways to get work done.

There’s another option. Freshworks. With a fresh vision for how the world works.

Freshworks Inc. builds uncomplicated service software that delivers exceptional employee and customer experiences. Our people-first approach to AI eliminates friction, helping businesses reduce complexity, lower cost-to-serve, and deliver faster, more human support through enterprise-grade yet easy-to-use CX and IT solutions. Nearly 75,000 companies, including Bridgestone, New Balance, Nucor, S&P Global, and Sony Music, trust Freshworks to power their Employee Experience (EX) and Customer Experience (CX) operations.

Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.

Job Description

This position will report directly to the Chief Legal Officer and will be responsible for handling a wide range of corporate and securities matters related to the growth, operation and further development of this global publicly traded corporation. The role will be the primary legal support to the SEC reporting, tax, treasury, insurance, investor relations, finance and stock plan administration functions of the Company.  This role requires a person to possess a strong securities and corporate governance background, and an analytical and detail-oriented growth mindset, coupled with strong communication skills.  This role will also serve as a leader in enterprise risk management and information security compliance, working closely with business leaders on business continuity processes, compliance programs and related disclosures.  This role will also help lead the global HR compliance projects of the company in partnership with regional HR legal specialists.  This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated individual with a strong background in corporate law that has demonstrated the ability to expand to the wide breadth of areas of an in-house legal team to contribute to our organization's success. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Advise on a broad range of securities laws and corporate governance matters to ensure compliance with legal requirements and company policies generally applicable to Freshworks’ business.  
• Responsible for the preparation and/or review of periodic reports, earnings materials, proxy statements and other filings required by the SEC and Nasdaq, including 10-Ks, 10-Qs, 8-Ks, proxy statements, S-8s, Forms 4 and other Section 16 filings and stock based compensation plans.
• Responsible for the administration of policies and procedures to ensure compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley, Nasdaq regulations, SEC regulations (e.g., insider trading, Reg. FD, etc.) and other regulatory requirements.
• Manage the planning and execution of the virtual annual stockholder meeting.  Includes responsibility for outreach to proxy advisory services to regularly update corporate data and support investor relations on communications and investor relations matters, including stockholder feedback and tracking for Board of Directors.  
• Advising on insider trading and Section 16 issues for directors, officers and other insiders. Responsible for review of Rule 10b5-1 plans and coordination with stock administration and external brokers on same.
• Work cross-functionally to assist in preparing Board of Directors and committee meeting materials.  Responsible for maintaining corporate minute books and records for both parent and subsidiary entities.  
• Support subsidiary governance and legal entity management operations globally, including legal entity formation, merger and dissolution processes, and ongoing compliance with local legal requirements (e.g., UK Anti-Modern Slavery Act).  Includes close collaboration with tax department on legal entity structuring and intercompany arrangements and finance department on annual filings for subsidiaries.
• Assist with, and manage, corporate governance matters, including overall corporate compliance training programs, whistleblower policies, ≠≠business continuity and escalation processes, enterprise risk management initiatives and other key corporate initiatives.  Monitor corporate governance best practices and regulatory and legislative developments and advise on compliance with applicable standards and updates to policies and training materials.
• Partner with Finance, Treasury, Corporate Development, Tax, HR and across other Legal and Business teams on a variety of projects and compliance processes.  Experience working directly with HR team members on matters a plus.
• Support M&A, corporate transactions, and complex strategic initiatives and acquisitions.
• Work closely with the broader legal team on general corporate and legal operations, including drafting and reviewing real estate contracts, agreements, marketing review, government and agency inquiries and other corporate-wide policies. 
• Assist in the development and implementation of corporate policies and procedures and appropriate training materials for client groups.
• Develop strong working relationships and trust by actively collaborating with others in Legal and Compliance teams and across multiple functions within the Company.  
• Providing high quality legal advice and counsel in a timely fashion to senior management, the legal team and non-attorney staff in the business teams.
• Handling other projects and matters as may be assigned from time to time.

Qualifications

• Juris doctorate degree from an accredited law school and active state bar membership in good standing.
• 15+ years of relevant experience practicing with national law firm, with at least 8 years in-house experience at public-traded technology companies, preferably during the growth-to-great phase of its lifecycle. 
• Strong securities and corporate governance experience (along with an understanding of financial statements and equity plans) to support all periodic reporting and equity plan compliance of a U.S. public company with an internal finance team.
• Strong knowledge of corporate law principles, regulations, and best practices.  
• High level of business acumen and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify risks and help make strategic business decisions aligned with legal parameters quickly and effectively in the face of ambiguity and uncertainty.
• Ability to drive your own results and “roll up sleeves” to take on any project (from admin to strategy) in a small in-house legal team environment to get stuff done.
• Low ego individual that thinks like a business person (not a lawyer) and sees challenges as opportunities to develop and find innovative ways to get work done while helping shape and nurture an amazing work culture.
• Demonstrated experience in providing strategic legal leadership and contributions to lead or influence operational process, procedure, and strategy to achieve business outcomes.
• Demonstrated self-initiative, integrity, and resilience.  Must be committed to constant curiosity and have willingness and ability to make decisions following feedback, input and collaboration to deliver desired results for the Company.  
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively across all levels of an organization with enterprise-wide viewpoint to avoid siloed thinking.  Strong presence and the ability to work independently with business functions, external auditors, outside counsel and senior-level executives to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations in a business-oriented manner.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to convey complex legal concepts in a clear and concise manner to make them understandable and actionable for non-legal employees at all levels in order to drive solutions, clarity and accountability.
• Adaptable and able to plan and manage multiple projects simultaneously from conception to completion in a fast-paced dynamic environment with independent follow-through.
• Ability to be a proactive business partner that anticipates the needs of peers and internal client-stakeholders with strong organizational skills and ability to exercise sound legal and business judgment. 
• Strong work ethic and ability to produce high quality work with meticulous attention to detail under deadline pressures.  Demonstrated ability to act independently and prioritize tasks to deliver results while considering relevant risk, business, and objectives.
• High ethical standards and proven ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.

Additional Information

We're committed to building a workplace that reflects the diverse world we serve. At Freshworks, you'll find inclusive teams, flexible thinking, and opportunities to grow your career - while making work better for millions. 

If this sounds like a journey you want to be part of, we'd love to meet you. Let's building something refreshing together. 

The annual base salary range for this position is $270,000 - $405,000 Base Salary. 

Compensation is based on a variety of factors including but not limited to location, experience, job-related skills, and level. Bonus/equity may be available.

At Freshworks, we have fostered an environment that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion, welcoming colleagues of all backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and ethnicities. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer environment that boosts the goals of our employees, communities, and business. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.