Deputy General Counsel

We are looking for a Deputy General Counsel who is passionate about shaping the future of cloud through legal innovation and strategic partnership.

As the Deputy General Counsel at DigitalOcean, you will play a pivotal role in enabling the launch and ongoing success of our products and partnerships. Reporting directly to the General Counsel, this senior leader will work cross-functionally with teams across Product, Engineering, Security, Marketing, Partnerships, and Go-To-Market. You’ll serve as a thought partner and strategic legal advisor on complex issues related to data, privacy, IP, AI, and commercial matters. The ideal candidate thrives at the intersection of technology, regulation, and innovation.

What You’ll Do:

• Serve as the primary legal advisor for DigitalOcean’s product and technology teams, enabling product development and go-to-market initiatives.
• Proactively identify, assess, and resolve legal risks related to product readiness and releases, including compliance with global privacy laws (e.g., GDPR), data security, AI governance, IP, and marketing.
• Provide strategic guidance on API terms, ecosystem integrations, and complex technology partnerships.
• Own and evolve DigitalOcean’s intellectual property strategy, including management of the IP portfolio and oversight of any IP-related litigation.
• Drive the company’s approach to AI governance, balancing innovation with compliance and ethical considerations.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to advise on data privacy, cybersecurity, and global regulatory requirements.
• Lead or support strategic and high-priority special projects across the business.
• Serve as a thought leader on legal and regulatory trends impacting the cloud and AI ecosystems.

What You’ll Add to DigitalOcean:

• J.D. from an accredited law school and licensed to practice in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
• 10+ years of legal experience, with a strong mix of law firm and in-house experience supporting technology or product organizations
• Demonstrated expertise in privacy, data security, AI, IP, and complex commercial transactions
• Experience managing or influencing IP strategy and litigation
• Exceptional business judgment and ability to apply legal risk frameworks to fast-paced product and business decisions
• Proven track record of collaboration across product, engineering, security, and GTM functions
• Clear, confident communicator and trusted advisor who can operate at both strategic and tactical levels
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and leading through change

Preferred:

• Experience in cloud computing or platform-as-a-service (PaaS) environments
• Exposure to AI regulation and operationalizing responsible AI programs

Why You’ll Like Working for DigitalOcean

• We innovate with purpose. You’ll be a part of a cutting-edge technology company with an upward trajectory, who are proud to simplify cloud and AI so builders can spend more time creating software that changes the world. As a member of the team, you will be a Shark who thinks big, bold, and scrappy, like an owner with a bias for action and a powerful sense of responsibility for customers, products, employees, and decisions. 
• We prioritize career development. At DO, you’ll do the best work of your career. You will work with some of the smartest and most interesting people in the industry. We are a high-performance organization that will always challenge you to think big. Our organizational development team will provide you with resources to ensure you keep growing. We provide employees with reimbursement for relevant conferences, training, and education. All employees have access to LinkedIn Learning's 10,000+ courses to support their continued growth and development.
• We care about your well-being. Regardless of your location, we will provide you with a competitive array of benefits to support you from our Employee Assistance Program to Local Employee Meetups to flexible time off policy, to name a few. While the philosophy around our benefits is the same worldwide, specific benefits may vary based on local regulations and preferences.
• We reward our employees. The salary range for this position is $276,200 - $345,300 based on market data, relevant years of experience, and skills. You may qualify for a bonus in addition to base salary; bonus amounts are determined based on company and individual performance. We also provide equity compensation to eligible employees, including equity grants upon hire and the option to participate in our Employee Stock Purchase Program.
• We value diversity and inclusion. We are an equal-opportunity employer, and recognize that diversity of thought and background builds stronger teams and products to serve our customers. We approach diversity and inclusion seriously and thoughtfully. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, caste, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic makeup, marital status, or military service.

*This is a remote role

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