[Hiring] Legal Operations (Product & Technology) @AfterShip

Role Description

As Legal Counsel (Product & Technology), you will serve as a strategic partner to our Product and Engineering teams—helping bring innovative products to market while ensuring compliance across global jurisdictions. This role sits at the intersection of law, technology, and business. You’ll provide practical, business-oriented legal guidance throughout the product lifecycle, translate complex regulatory requirements into actionable advice, and help scale legal frameworks that enable fast, compliant product development.

You’ll collaborate closely with Product, Engineering, Design, and GTM teams across North America, Europe, and APAC—acting as a key bridge across regions, particularly between China-based R&D and global stakeholders. This is a remote-first role with a preference for candidates who can collaborate across time zones. You may be required to work outside of standard business hours 1–2 times per week to support global teams.

What You’ll Do

• Partner with Product & Engineering: Provide end-to-end legal support across the product lifecycle—from ideation to launch and iteration. Draft and negotiate key agreements including terms of service, licensing agreements, and commercial contracts.
• Drive Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management: Translate privacy, data protection, consumer protection, and IP requirements into clear, actionable guidance. Proactively identify risks and advise on mitigation strategies across China, Europe, and North America.
• Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Work closely with Product, Engineering, Design, Compliance, Risk, and Policy teams to ensure products meet legal standards while achieving business goals. Act as a bridge between APAC and NA/EU stakeholders.
• Build Scalable Legal Processes: Develop and improve internal policies, templates, and workflows to enable faster and more efficient product development while maintaining compliance.
• Support Strategic Initiatives: Contribute to high-impact projects such as M&A due diligence, new product launches, and emerging technology assessments (e.g., AI). Partner with external counsel when needed.

Success in this role looks like:

• Enabling product teams to ship quickly with clear, practical legal guidance.
• Proactively identifying and mitigating legal risks across jurisdictions.
• Building scalable legal frameworks that improve speed and consistency.
• Becoming a trusted advisor to cross-functional stakeholders globally.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree.
• Qualified to practice law in China or a major common-law jurisdiction.
• 5–8+ years of legal experience, including 3+ years in-house at a technology company.
• Strong experience advising on product development, data privacy, and intellectual property.

Technical & Functional Expertise

• Deep knowledge of Chinese and international data privacy regulations.
• Experience drafting and negotiating technology and commercial agreements.
• Experience working across multiple jurisdictions and global teams.
• Fluency in both English and Mandarin.

Core Skills & Attributes

• Strong business judgment with a pragmatic, solution-oriented approach.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment.
• Culturally aware, with the ability to bridge Eastern and Western teams.
• Self-starter who can operate independently in a remote-first environment.

Nice to Have

• Privacy certifications (e.g., CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPP/C).
• Experience with AI/ML regulatory frameworks.
• Background in eCommerce, logistics, or SaaS platforms.
• Experience drafting bilingual contracts and policies.

Benefits

• Great Place to Work Certified: We’ve been recognized for our inclusive, values-driven culture that celebrates diversity and collaboration.
• Innovative & Inclusive Culture: AfterShip is built on curiosity, creativity, and collaboration.
• Ambitious Mission with Real Impact: Join us in transforming eCommerce by making buying and selling easier for everyone.
• Thrive & Grow: There’s no ceiling to what you can achieve or learn here.