Commercial Counsel - Helpshift

At Keywords, we are using our passion for games, technology and media to create a global services platform for video games and beyond. Our aim is to become the “go to” provider of technical services.

We enable leading content creators and publishers to leverage our expertise and capacity across the lifecycle of interactive content. In so doing we empower our clients to remain lean and agile, and to focus on creating the most engaging experiences.

Keywords is trusted and relied upon by many of the world’s leading video game companies to work alongside them during concept, development and live operations by leveraging the breadth and depth of our industry leading service lines every step of the way. www.keywordsstudios.com

Helpshift is a Keywords Studios company and a leading AI-first customer service platform used by some of the world’s largest games, digital entertainment, and consumer technology companies. Helpshift enables businesses to deliver scalable, intelligent, and human-centric support experiences through conversational AI, automation, and live agent tooling, supporting millions of end users globally. www.helpshift.com

We have an exciting opportunity to join our growing Legal team, acting as both lead commercial counsel and embedded product counsel, specifically dedicated to supporting the Helpshift AI-first customer service platform and the wider Player Engagement (“PE”) service line. As part of this role, you will serve as a lead commercial negotiator for complex, revenue-critical enterprise contracts and as a dedicated product counsel, partnering with Helpshift’s sales, engineering and product teams to guide the business on both its contracting needs and the development of AI-driven features from concept to launch. 

This role operates within a matrix structure, requiring the candidate to balance the rigorous legal standards of the global Legal department with the high-velocity commercial demands of the Player Engagement service line. You will work as a true business partner, embedded within the sales and product leadership teams to facilitate growth while maintaining the Group’s risk profile.

The ideal candidate has experience in B2B SaaS, the Games industry and/or AI-related technology, a pragmatic approach to risk, and the technical fluency to "bridge the gap" between complex engineering goals and global legal requirements. This position requires strong negotiation, analytical, drafting, communication and interpersonal skills.

This role offers the opportunity to operate at the intersection of commercial strategy, product development and emerging technology within a globally recognized video games and entertainment company. If you have a passion for people and the gaming or technology industries, and you thrive in a dynamic and creative environment, we would love to hear from you.

Key responsibilities:

• Commercial Negotiation: Act as the primary legal point of contact for the Helpshift and PE Sales teams, leading the drafting and negotiation of complex SaaS agreements and Master Service Agreements (MSAs) with global enterprise customers, including blended offerings that combine the Helpshift platform with professional services.

• Enterprise Sales Enablement: Develop and maintain "playbooks" and approved fallback positions, standard response libraries for negotiations, and other deal support materials. 
• Product Counseling: Partner with the engineering and product teams throughout the Product Development Lifecycle (PDLC) to identify and mitigate legal risks in new and evolving product features.
• AI & Regulatory Governance: In collaboration with the Global Head of Privacy & AI Governance, ensure that the Group’s responsible AI framework is implemented by Helpshift, ensuring the platform complies with emerging global regulations, including those related to AI, data protection and platform regulations.
• IP & Data Strategy: Advise on data scraping, model training, and intellectual property matters related to generative AI and proprietary customer support data, including licensing, ownership and use-rights considerations.
• Process Improvement: Identify and implement efficiencies in the contracting process for the PE team, including updating templates and contracting workflows for new service offerings.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with the Group’s Privacy, AI Governance and Information Security teams, and other key stakeholders, to ensure a unified approach to client contracting and product management.

Requirements

• Qualified Lawyer: Admitted to practice in Canada.

• Industry Expertise: Minimum 4+ years’ experience. Preferred candidates will have experience with the game development lifecycle and/or games industry business practices; however, we will also consider candidates with a specific focus on SaaS and/or AI technology. 
• Contracting: Expertise in negotiating complex IP, data protection, and liability provisions in a global commercial and multi-jurisdictional context.
• Product Lifecycle: Proven track record of advising engineering/product teams on legal issues during the development phase (PDLC).
• AI Risk & Governance: Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing governance frameworks for emerging technologies, particularly AI/ML, including a strong understanding of the ethical and regulatory landscape concerning automated decision-making, bias mitigation, and algorithmic transparency.

• Commercial Astuteness: Ability to balance aggressive business objectives with necessary legal safeguards.

• Deal Velocity: Proven ability to drive complex negotiations to closure quickly while maintaining the Group’s position and ensuring the integrity of the platform’s legal and risk framework.
• Solution Oriented: A problem-solver who avoids "no" in favor of "how to do this safely".
• Communication: Skilled at explaining complex legal or technical concepts to non-experts and senior executives.
• Self-Starter: Accountable and capable of managing their work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Stakeholder Trust: Ability to operate as a trusted advisor to sales, product, and engineering leadership, balancing speed-to-market with long-term platform risk.
• Matrix Navigation: Proven ability to manage dual-reporting lines, effectively prioritizing tasks from business stakeholders while maintaining alignment with the broader Legal function's goals and standards.

Benefits

The base salary for this role is from CAD$100,000 to $155,000 per year, depending on your experience.

Keywords Studios is dedicated to following a well-established Equal Opportunities Policy. We endeavor to create a workplace, which provides for equal opportunities for all employees and potential employees.

Note to Recruitment Agencies

Please be advised that Keywords Studios does not consider unsolicited resumes, or any form of contact initiated by unauthorized third parties, including recruitment or placement agencies, unless a pre-existing, valid agreement is in place. Any fees incurred by unauthorized third parties will not be compensated by Keywords Studios. 

Privacy Notice

By providing your information in this application, you understand that we will collect and process your information in accordance with our Applicant Privacy Notice. For more information, please see our Applicant Privacy Notice at  https://www.keywordsstudios.com/en/applicant-privacy-notice.

Role Information: EN

Studio: Keywords Studios

Location: Americas, Canada, Vancouver

Area of Work: Legal

Service: Support Services

Employment Type: Full Time, Permanent

Working Pattern: Remote