Director/Sr. Director, Legal

Please note that we will never request payment or bank account information at any stage of the recruitment process. As we continue to grow our teams, we urge you to be cautious of fraudulent job postings or recruitment activities that misuse our company name and information. Please protect your personal information during any recruitment process. While Monks may contact potential candidates via LinkedIn, all applications must be submitted through our official website monks.com/careers.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced, strategic, and highly collaborative Director/Senior Director, Legal (North America) to support our North American region. The Director/Senior Director, Legal (North America) will serve as the primary commercial legal partner for our agency in North America, focusing heavily on high-volume commercial contract negotiation, and providing strategic and operational legal counsel across all areas of our business. This role will partner closely with business leaders, commercial finance, content and technology teams, data/privacy experts, and the VP, Global Legal & Business Affairs to ensure efficient contract execution, manage legal risks, and enable business growth across our North American operations. The role is based in New York and reports to the VP, Global Legal and Business Affairs, who is based in Los Angeles.

Responsibilities

• Leading drafting, review, and negotiation of a high-volume of commercial contracting in North America, including client MSAs and SOWs, technology licensing and reseller agreements, influencer and media partnerships, SaaS/vendor agreements and agency/client service contracts.
• Acting as the primary legal point of contact for our commercial finance and business teams to respond to RFPs and RFIs from our clients and participating actively in client pitches to help our business win.
• Partnering with the VP, Global Legal and Business Affairs to streamline the North American pipeline and develop and build a strong and efficient team to support client contracting across the region.
• Managing a small team of lawyers and contract managers in North America, ensuring operational efficiency and consistency with global standards.
• Develop standardized contract templates and tools that improve process efficiency and legal protection.
• Advise on other aspects of our North America business as required, including litigation (where necessary in conjunction with external counsel), operating with a high degree of independence.
• Working closely with peers in our other three key regions (Latin America; Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Asia Pacific) to develop consistent standards, tools, and processes across the Legal and Business Affairs team.

About You

The Essentials

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
• Active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, New York or California preferred, with ability to register as an in-house counsel in New York required.
• 6+ years of progressive legal experience, including in-house and/or major law firm experience, with a strong emphasis on commercial contract review, drafting, and negotiation (advertising, production, digital media, technology, and data contract experience strongly preferred).
• Proven ability to work with cross-functional teams and independently manage a high-volume workload in fast-paced, innovative environments.
• Strong legal drafting and negotiation skills.
• Excellent commercial judgment with a strategic mindset.
• Ability to translate complex legal issues into pragmatic business advice.
• Superior interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Experience managing legal teams or supervising attorneys.

At Monks, we believe in fostering an environment where a diversity of perspectives can thrive. We proactively work to design hiring processes that promote equity and inclusion while mitigating bias. We celebrate diversity and are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome and encourage qualified applicants, from all backgrounds, who are excited to contribute to our mission.

This role is subject to our Return to Office (RTO) policy. If you reside within a commutable distance of one of our office locations, you will be expected to work from the office a set number of days per week. The specific details, including the number of required office days, will be in accordance with the company’s then-current RTO policy, which is subject to change from time to time.

Benefits

• Excellent, full coverage medical, dental, and vision insurance (more about our coverage here)
• Generous PTO and 15 company-wide holidays
• 401k with company contribution
• Paid parental leave
• Work-life balance with an emphasis on personal well-being
• Career growth in a disruptor space & entrepreneurial opportunities within the Monks network
• A globally diverse & inclusive culture with employee resource groups such as S4 Melanin, Pride.Monks, Cultura.Monks, and more!
• Authentic commitment to DEI efforts and sustainable growth. (Why Sir Martin Sorrell signed The Climate Pledge here!)

Salary Range: $150,000—$190,000 USD

Monks has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what Monks may pay for the position at the time of posting. Monks may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on job-related factors, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

We are an equal‑opportunity employer committed to building a respectful and empowering work environment for all people to freely express themselves among colleagues who embrace diversity in all respects. Including fresh voices and unique points of view in all aspects of our business not only creates an environment where we can all grow and thrive but also increases our potential to produce work that better represents—and resonates with—the world around us.