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Senior Counsel

Automattic

Fully Remote
Remote
Worldwide
US hours

Hirezar Summary for South African Applicants

This fully remote full time position at Automattic is open worldwide, so South Africans can apply. As a remote position, you can work from anywhere in South Africa — whether you're based in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, or a smaller town.

Job Description

<p><a href="https://automattic.com/">Automattic</a>, the company behind <a href="https://wordpress.com">WordPress.com</a>, <a href="https://href.li/?http://jetpack.com/">Jetpack</a>, <a href="https://href.li/?http://woocommerce.com/">WooCommerce</a>, <a href="https://href.li/?https://www.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a> and more, is seeking a talented attorney to support our product, privacy, and regulatory work.</p>
<p>We’re looking for a versatile lawyer who gets things done with minimum friction, makes the complex seem simple, and can provide actionable advice to help business teams launch great products for our vibrant community of users. You’ll advise product, engineering, and marketing teams to launch new products that delight our users; untangle the complex web of global regulations that apply to Automattic’s business; and protect free expression and the open web.</p>
<p><strong>Responsibilities:</strong>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>Advise product, engineering, and trust &amp; safety teams on implementation of a broad assortment of regulations and industry standards, with a focus on content safety, consumer protection, intellectual property, privacy, and data security. Familiarity with laws like DSA, the UK and Australian Online Safety Acts, EU AI Act, and worldwide age-assurance laws is a major plus.</li>
<li>Provide product counseling on a wide array of products relating to web hosting, site creation, content publication, ecommerce, social media, and more, using a business-forward approach that puts our customers at the center of your analysis.</li>
<li>Provide subject matter expertise on data protection and privacy laws, such as GDPR and CCPA, advise on consent frameworks for digital marketing and advertising, and build scalable processes for documenting compliance.</li>
<li>Track and prepare for upcoming regulations, and participate in industry groups around the globe, representing Automattic before regulators and advocating for Automattic’s interests before government agencies and officials.</li>
<li>Work with trust &amp; safety teams to develop and oversee policies championing freedom of expression and user safety while complying with applicable laws.</li>
<li>Design processes and workflows that enable the legal team to effectively scale compliance in a manner that meets the increase in regulatory and privacy requirements.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li>JD from a US accredited law school with 5+ years of relevant experience (or an exception EU-based attorney)</li>
<li>Familiarity with the industries, concepts, and business models relevant to Automattic’s products (e.g., open source, user-generated content, web hosting, social media, ecommerce, and digital advertising) and the product, privacy, and regulatory requirements that apply to them.</li>
<li>Humble and eager teammate who is also able to function independently and work in an asynchronous environment, with a willingness and ability to stretch into new areas like litigation or IP if needed.</li>
<li>Be comfortable in the grey areas, and have the ability to provide recommendations and offer clear thinking even with imperfect information.</li>
</ul>
<p>We are hiring at either the Counsel or Senior Counsel level, and we encourage candidates across both levels to apply. Title, compensation, and the scope of independent ownership over the matters described above will reflect the experience and qualifications a candidate brings to the role.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Compensation and Benefits</strong></p>
<p><strong>We are currently prioritizing candidates who reside in the United States or Europe.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Salary range: $180,000 - $300,000 USD.</strong>&nbsp; Please note that salary ranges are global, regardless of location, and we pay in local currency.</p>
<p>We are searching for high-caliber candidates with the skills and qualities to have a net positive for Automattic. Pay will reflect the potential contribution and the impact you can bring, which may, in some cases, go beyond the range stated.</p>
<p>This isn’t your typical work-from-home job; we are a fully-remote company with an open vacation policy. Read more about our <a href="https://automattic.com/compensation/">compensation philosophy.</a> To see a full list of benefits by country, consult our <a href="https://automattic.com/benefits/">Benefits Page</a>. And check out these links to learn more about <a href="https://automattic.com/how-we-hire/">How We Hire</a> and <a href="https://automattic.com/expectations/">What We Expect from Ourselves</a>. <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">#LI-DNI</span></p><div class="content-conclusion"><h4>About Automattic&nbsp;</h4>
<p>Now in <a href="https://timeline.automattic.com/">our 20th year</a>, we’re the people behind <a href="http://wordpress.com/">WordPress.com</a>, <a href="https://href.li/?http://woocommerce.com/">WooCommerce</a>, <a href="https://www.beeper.com/">Beeper</a>, <a href="https://href.li/?https://www.

Tips for South African Applicants

Timezone Advantage

South Africa (SAST, UTC+2) overlaps well with European business hours and has a few hours of overlap with US East Coast. Mention your timezone flexibility in your application.

Salary in Context

Even without a listed salary, international remote roles typically pay 2-3x more than equivalent local positions in South Africa due to the exchange rate advantage.

Application Tips

Tailor your CV to international standards — use a clean format, highlight remote work experience, and include your English proficiency. Many SA applicants succeed by emphasising their strong work ethic and cultural adaptability.

Load Shedding Preparedness

If you're applying for a remote role, having a backup power solution (UPS, inverter, or generator) and mobile data as a backup internet connection shows employers you're prepared for South Africa's infrastructure challenges.

About Automattic

Automattic is a company in the Account Executive industry that hires remote workers from South Africa. They currently have 16 open positions on Hirezar. View all Automattic jobs →