Senior Legal Counsel

The role / impact

You will play a pivotal part in driving Xero’s strategic initiatives across Australia and New Zealand by providing expert legal guidance on day-to-day operations and complex partnerships. Your work will involve navigating high-stakes revenue share models and sophisticated payments projects, ensuring our products remain compliant while helping the business seize new opportunities created by regulatory changes.

As a key advisor, you will balance a global mindset with a deep focus on local regional success, helping to execute the annual goals of our Go-To-Market teams. By bridging the gap between technical legal requirements and commercial objectives, you will empower Xero to build stronger relationships with major partners and banks while maintaining the highest standards of consumer and competition law integrity.

The team / how they connect

You will join a collaborative and high-performing legal function, reporting to the GM Legal - APAC and working closely with specialist teams in privacy, IP, and product. The team operates cross-functionally, partnering directly with leaders in marketing, sales, and operations to deliver holistic legal outcomes that support Xero’s growth in the region.

The team is currently working on / Initially, you will focus on

• Leading the legal framework for strategic regional partnerships and complex revenue-sharing models with global technology players.

• Navigating regulatory shifts to ensure product compliance and identify new business opportunities.

• Managing complex payments work and negotiations, particularly involving large-scale projects and banking integrations.

• Enhancing internal legal efficiency through the adoption of AI-related automation tools and streamlined workflow projects.

Where and how you can work

This role is open to candidates based in Melbourne or Sydney. Xero offers a flexible, hybrid work environment where we value the connection of coming together; you will have the opportunity to use our beautiful office spaces for "boost days" to collaborate and catch up with the team, typically one to two days a week.

Here are some of the things we are looking for

• 7+ years PQE (in-house legal experience desirable)

• You bring a solutions-focused approach to legal risk, with a knack for finding smart, commercial paths forward.

• A deep understanding of competition and consumer law is part of your toolkit, ideally gained from working within large-scale organisations or complex industries.

• You possess a natural ability to build trust and influence with senior stakeholders, including GMs and functional leads, across a fast-paced global structure.

• Your background in complex commercial negotiations allows you to navigate intricate deals with confidence and professional maturity.

• You have a proven track record of operating within an in-house environment, demonstrating the rhythm, pace, and business partnering skills required to thrive.

• You are an excellent communicator who can translate highly complex legal information into clear, actionable advice for non-legal audiences.

Apply even if your experience isn't a perfect match! At Xero, we hire based on your skills, passion, and the unique perspective you can bring to enhance our culture and team.