Job description

WHAT WE DO Rillet serves accounting and finance teams, the financial brains of their companies. Our job is to help them run the numbers with impossible speed, accuracy, and insight. Rillet is the Agentic ERP built for modern finance teams. We help companies automate the most critical parts of finance, from closing the books and recognizing revenue to consolidating entities and reporting to investors. More than 600 companies run on Rillet, including Mercor, Scribe, and Function Health, and we partner with leading accounting firms including EY and KPMG. We’re building in one of the largest software markets in the world, with the momentum to match. Rillet has raised more than $200M, is valued at $1B, and is backed by Sequoia, a16z, ICONIQ, Bain Capital Ventures, Oak HC/FT, and other leading investors. We’re using that backing to build the financial infrastructure for the next generation of companies and help every business run its numbers at the speed of AI. WHO WE ARE Rillet’s pace is not for everyone. Intelligence is table stakes. To succeed here, you need extreme speed, agency, and flexibility. The people who thrive at Rillet do not wait for assignments. They internalize the mission, design a strategy, and bring back results that are better, faster, and more creative than a manager could have asked for. Our work revolves around our customers. The people who succeed here are energized by delivering what matters most, even when it was not part of the original plan. Rillet is built on deep accounting expertise, and it takes people from many disciplines to build a category-defining company. You do not need to be an accountant to thrive here. You do need to care deeply about the problems we solve and the impact our customers can create. Together, we combine the precision of accounting with the speed, creativity, and ambition of AI-native software to power the financial core of the world’s fastest-growing companies while redefining what finance teams should expect from their software. WHO WE NEED As Rillet's Head of Legal, you will be our first in-house counsel, and you will build the legal function from the ground up, and serve as the strategic business partner as the company grows & scales, both domestically and internationally. You have seen this stage before: you know what breaks between 150 and 500 people, and you know how to build ahead of it. You’ll work closely with the leadership team, as well as cross functionally with all other teams. You’ll own the legal decisions that require judgement and speed, and you’re comfortable with ambiguity, and making decisions with incomplete information. This is a builder role on a lean, systems-oriented team that automates aggressively. We expect the same instinct from you. We're looking for teammates within commutable distance of our NYC or San Francisco offices (or willing to relocate). Team members work in-office Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus one additional flexible day. Certain roles may require additional in-office time based on function. WHAT YOU'LL DO - Build the legal function from the ground up — determine Rillet’s overall legal strategy, priorities, and operating model as the company scales domestically and internationally - Advise the executive team and Board on strategic, legal, and risk considerations across the business — assessing risk and clearly articulating trade-offs so leaders can make fast, informed decisions - Build scalable frameworks, workflows, and playbooks — including adopting AI tooling to automate contract review, research, and beyond. - Review and negotiate commercial deals — MSAs, order forms, DPAs, SOWs, partner contracts, and more — partnering with the revenue team to structure and close deals efficiently, balancing legal protection with the speed the business needs - Partner with Engineering, Product, and Design throughout the product development lifecycle, advising on legal and compliance considerations before they become blockers - Guide the business on privacy, data protection, and the evolving AI regulatory landscape, translating a fast-moving legal environment into practical guidance for the team - Stay ahead of changing legal, regulatory, and compliance guidance relevant to Rillet's business, and proactively flag emerging risks and opportunities - Own corporate governance — equity administration, financing rounds, and Board of Directors matters — keeping the company clean and audit-ready as it scales - Partner with the People team on employment matters, including hiring, policies, and workplace issues, providing pragmatic legal guidance that supports the business WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR - Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school - You're an active member of a U.S. state bar and are licensed to practice law in California or New York. - You have 10+ years of experience, operating both as in-house counsel and within top-tier law firms. - You’ve operated in high-growth environments, and you’ve scaled businesses through the 150–500 range. - You are a generalist; you’ll come in, understand the business, and flag and prioritize any gaps and/or exposure areas. - You’ve supported corporate governance, equity, and employment-related matters. - You have experience negotiating commercial contracts and pushing back where necessary. - You have operating knowledge of privacy, data protection, AI, and IP transactions. - You’re a pragmatic business partner who looks for a path forward, clearly communicates risk and trade-offs, and knows when to draw a hard line. - You’re systems-oriented and use AI and automation to make legal work faster and more scalable. The expected base salary range for this role is $250,000–$310,000 in New York City and San Francisco. Final compensation within this range will depend on factors including skills, experience, qualifications, and the scope of the role. This role is also eligible for equity and benefits. Note: All official Rillet recruiting communications will come from an @rillet.com rillet.com email address. If you’re contacted from another domain, please disregard the message and report it as spam. LIFE AT RILLET - Grow with us. Take meaningful ownership, expand your scope, and make an impact as Rillet scales. - Competitive pay and meaningful equity. Be rewarded for the value you help create. - Benefits that support you. We offer competitive benefits designed to support your health, wellbeing, time away from work, family, and long-term financial goals. - Better together. We value collaboration, connection, and spending meaningful time together as a team. We regularly create opportunities to connect through team meals, events, and company gatherings.

Requirements

Must-haves

Rillet serves accounting and finance teams, the financial brains of their companies. Our job is to help them run the numbers with impossible speed, accuracy, and insight.
This is a builder role on a lean, systems-oriented team that automates aggressively. We expect the same instinct from you.
Build the legal function from the ground up — determine Rillet’s overall legal strategy, priorities, and operating model as the company scales domestically and internationally
Advise the executive team and Board on strategic, legal, and risk considerations across the business — assessing risk and clearly articulating trade-offs so leaders can make fast, informed decisions
Build scalable frameworks, workflows, and playbooks — including adopting AI tooling to automate contract review, research, and beyond.
Partner with Engineering, Product, and Design throughout the product development lifecycle, advising on legal and compliance considerations before they become blockers
Guide the business on privacy, data protection, and the evolving AI regulatory landscape, translating a fast-moving legal environment into practical guidance for the team
Stay ahead of changing legal, regulatory, and compliance guidance relevant to Rillet's business, and proactively flag emerging risks and opportunities
Own corporate governance — equity administration, financing rounds, and Board of Directors matters — keeping the company clean and audit-ready as it scales
Partner with the People team on employment matters, including hiring, policies, and workplace issues, providing pragmatic legal guidance that supports the business
Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school
You're an active member of a U.S. state bar and are licensed to practice law in California or New York.
You have 10+ years of experience, operating both as in-house counsel and within top-tier law firms.
You’ve operated in high-growth environments, and you’ve scaled businesses through the 150–500 range.
You are a generalist; you’ll come in, understand the business, and flag and prioritize any gaps and/or exposure areas.
You’ve supported corporate governance, equity, and employment-related matters.
You have experience negotiating commercial contracts and pushing back where necessary.
You have operating knowledge of privacy, data protection, AI, and IP transactions.
You’re a pragmatic business partner who looks for a path forward, clearly communicates risk and trade-offs, and knows when to draw a hard line.
You’re systems-oriented and use AI and automation to make legal work faster and more scalable.
Note: All official Rillet recruiting communications will come from an @rillet.com http://rillet.com email address. If you’re contacted from another domain, please disregard the message and report it as spam.

Nice-to-haves

None flagged.

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Keywords to mirror

Platform: ashby
Effort: quick