Principal Counsel, Commercial & Ads

Job Description

About Quizlet: At Quizlet, our mission is to help every learner achieve their outcomes in the most effective and delightful way. We’re a $1B+ learning platform used by two-thirds of U.S. high school students and half of college students, powering over 1 billion learning interactions each week. We blend cognitive science with machine learning to personalize and enhance the learning experience for students, professionals, and lifelong learners alike. We’re energized by the potential to power more learners through multiple approaches and various tools. Let’s Build the Future of Learning Join us to design and deliver AI-powered learning tools that scale across the world and unlock human potential. About the Team: We are a small and scrappy team of strategic business partners who are also excellent attorneys, and we cover a lot of ground. We believe that building strong, trusting relationships is the cornerstone of effective legal counseling. We are supportive, collaborative teammates who are low-ego, stay curious, and care deeply about learning. About the Role: The role of Principal Counsel, Commercial & Ads is a fantastic opportunity to lead all commercial work for the company and help us grow our digital advertising business. We are looking for a candidate with expertise in negotiating commercial agreements for strategic partnerships, product integrations, and MSAs / IOs with ad agencies and brands. This role will partner closely with our Ads, Marketing, Sales, Product, and Engineering teams. Deep knowledge of the global privacy landscape governing ad-tech, particularly the use of cookies, pixels, and AI, to customize and personalize digital advertising, is a requirement. Direct experience advising on ad-tech strategies, including direct and programmatic advertising, ad measurement, and data clean rooms is also a necessity for this role. Critical to success in this role is the ability to: work well under pressure, prioritize, deliver timely on competing demands, and make practical risk assessments. The ideal candidate is an expert at building effective relationships, navigating ambiguity, and maintaining a flexible, team-first mindset. This role will have the opportunity to help build the legal function as it grows and scales, as well as our larger learning platform. This position will report to our General Counsel, who will work closely with the extended leadership team and broader organization. We’re happy to share that this is an onsite position in our San Francisco or New York office. To help foster team collaboration, we require that employees be in the office a minimum of three days per week : Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday and as needed by your manager or the company. We believe that this working environment facilitates increased work efficiency, team partnership, and supports growth as an employee and organization.

In this role, you will:

• Own the drafting and negotiation of the broad range of commercial agreements that enable Quizlet’s business, including agreements with ad agencies and brands, first-of-kind agreements for strategic partnerships and platform integrations, DPAs, technology licensing agreements with software providers, and all vendor and sales agreements
• Partner closely with key leaders on our Ads, Marketing, Product, Engineering, and Sales teams to provide practical and business-oriented advice regarding partnerships, our ads product, and other commercial matters, and develop creative solutions to contribute to the overall success of the company
• Counsel on the intersection of global privacy laws and ad-tech, and how the use of cookies, tags, pixels, AI/ML models, and other mechanisms customize and personalize digital advertising
• Assist in managing existing commercial relationships, interpreting contractual obligations, and resolving disputes as they arise
• Act as a thought partner to the extended leadership team as the Company evaluates expanding monetization, both domestically and internationally
• Continually improve scalable legal processes, templates, and playbooks to help the business move quickly and thoughtfully

What you bring to the table:

• Education: J.D. degree from an ABA accredited law school
• Bar: Active membership in good standing in at least one U.S. state bar and eligibility to obtain registered in-house counsel status (if required)
• 10+ years relevant experience in-house or in combination with an internationally/nationally recognized law firm required
• Proven expertise negotiating direct IOs and programmatic vendor agreements, including counseling the business on compliance with global data privacy laws and regulations (e.g., GDPR, ePrivacy Directive, CCPA, COPPA)
• Deep experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial and technology agreements and identifying key data and privacy issues
• Ability to build effective relationships established on trust, respect, and knowledge - the kind of supportive business partner that inspires cross-functional stakeholders to proactively seek you out for advice and guidance
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to educate and translate complex legal concepts into clear, actionable business advice
• Superb business judgment and problem-solving skills
• Calm under pressure, led by curiosity, with a practical approach to risk assessment
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities without missing deadlines and with high autonomy
• Empathetic teammate with a strong work ethic

Bonus points if you have:

• Experience supporting international commercial expansion and localization of legal agreements
• A passion for education and a genuine interest in the future of learning

Compensation, Benefits & Perks:

• Quizlet is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Salary transparency helps to mitigate unfair hiring practices when it comes to discrimination and pay gaps. Total compensation for this role is market competitive, including a starting base salary of $250,000 - $290,000, depending on location and experience, as well as company stock options
• Collaborate with your manager and team to create a healthy work-life balance
• 20 vacation days that we expect you to take!
• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance (100% employee and 75% dependent PPO, Dental, VSP Choice)
• Employer-sponsored 401k plan with company match
• Access to LinkedIn Learning and other resources to support professional growth
• Paid Family Leave, FSA, HSA, Commuter benefits, and Wellness benefits
• 40 hours of annual paid time off to participate in volunteer programs of choice

Why Join Quizlet? 🌎 Massive reach: 60M+ users, 1B+ interactions per week 🧠 Cutting-edge tech: Generative AI, adaptive learning, cognitive science 📈 Strong momentum: Top-tier investors, sustainable business, real traction 🎯 Mission-first: Work that makes a difference in people’s lives 🤝 Inclusive culture: Committed to equity, diversity, and belonging We strive to make everyone feel comfortable and welcome! We work to create a holistic interview process, where both Quizlet and candidates have an opportunity to view what it would be like to work together, in exploring a mutually beneficial partnership. We provide a transparent setting that gives a comprehensive view of who we are! In Closing: At Quizlet, we’re excited about passionate people joining our team—even if you don’t check every box on the requirements list. We value unique perspectives and believe everyone has something meaningful to contribute. Our culture is all about taking initiative, learning through challenges, and striving for high-quality work while staying curious and open to new ideas. We believe in honest, respectful communication, thoughtful collaboration, and creating a supportive space where everyone can grow and succeed together.” Quizlet’s success as an online learning community depends on a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. As an equal opportunity employer and a tech company committed to societal change, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds. Women, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Come join us! To All Recruiters and Placement Agencies: At this time, Quizlet does not accept unsolicited agency resumes and/or profiles. Please do not forward unsolicited agency resumes to our website or to any Quizlet employee. Quizlet will not pay fees to any third-party agency or firm nor will it be responsible for any agency fees associated with unsolicited resumes. All unsolicited resumes received will be considered the property of Quizlet. Apply for this job