Senior Counsel, U.S. Public Sector
As the Senior Counsel for the U.S. Public Sector at Celonis, you will serve as the principal legal business partner to the Go-To-Market, Information Security, Engineering, Product, and Compliance teams, driving the expansion of Celonis’ U.S. Public Sector business. This role involves leading the drafting, review, and negotiation of complex software licenses, SaaS agreements, teaming arrangements, and partner/reseller contracts for federal and SLED (State, Local, and Education) customers. Additionally, you will shape internal policies and processes, develop contract templates, and deliver training programs to empower stakeholders and reduce friction in the sales cycle.
Key responsibilities include interpreting and ensuring compliance with FAR/DFARS, agency-specific supplements, and evolving data protection/privacy regulations such as FedRAMP and NIST SP 800-171. You will collaborate with and manage external legal advisors, ensuring cost-effective and high-quality legal services that align with company objectives and standards. Proactively identifying and proposing mitigation strategies for legal, financial, and regulatory risks while maintaining a solution-oriented, business-first mindset is also essential. Staying current on developments in public sector law and policy, and proactively advising the organization on how to navigate the shifting regulatory landscape, will be a critical aspect of your role.
The ideal candidate will possess U.S. citizenship and native or bilingual fluency in English. A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible legal experience in government contracting is required, ideally with a mix of law firm training and in-house experience at a high-growth SaaS or cloud provider; previous military experience is a plus. A deep understanding of the public cloud space, including practical experience with FedRAMP authorizations and SaaS-specific licensing models, is essential. Demonstrated expertise in compliance with key regulatory requirements in the SaaS and public cloud space, including procurement, privacy, data protection, export, and technology issues, is necessary. Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain complex legal issues to non-legal audiences, are crucial. Experience supporting quota-carrying, enterprise-level sales personnel, and the ability to maintain strong relationships with demanding internal clients while providing creative solutions to complex challenges, are also important. High emotional intelligence and business acumen, enabling effective collaboration and negotiation across diverse teams and external partners, are key attributes for success in this role.
Celonis offers a competitive base salary range of $194,000 to $230,000 USD for this role in Washington, D.C., based on a full-time schedule. The total compensation package includes base salary, bonus/commission, equity, and benefits such as health, dental, life insurance, 401(k), and paid time off. Please note that the base salary range is a guideline, and the actual total compensation offer will be determined based on various factors, including, but not limited to, the applicant's qualifications, skills, experiences, and location.
Celonis is the global leader in Process Intelligence and the pioneer of Process Mining technology. As one of the world’s fastest-growing enterprise SaaS companies, Celonis invests heavily in advanced AI capabilities—specifically the Process Intelligence Graph—to turn data insights into immediate business action. The company believes there is a massive opportunity to unlock global productivity and sustainability by placing intelligence at the core of every business process. Joining Celonis means becoming part of a mission to make processes work for people, companies, and the planet.