Kestra Holdings offers industry-leading wealth management platforms for independent wealth management professionals nationwide. Kestra is dedicated to empowering independent financial professionals—including traditional and hybrid RIAs—to grow their businesses and deliver exceptional client service. We combine advanced business management technology with personalized consulting to provide unmatched scale, efficiency, and support. Our advisor-focused culture is built on innovation and advocacy, enabling advisors to offer comprehensive securities and investment advisory solutions to their clients.
Lead with Purpose. Partner with Impact.
The Senior Counsel – Commercial Transactions reports to the General Counsel and is responsible for leading the drafting, review, and negotiation of a high volume of commercial agreements, with a primary focus on vendor, technology, and data-related contracts.
This is a practical, business-oriented role for a lawyer who can deliver clear, actionable legal guidance and partner effectively with the business to move initiatives forward while appropriately managing legal and regulatory risk.
The role will be responsible for commercial contracting across the organization, ensuring that legal, business, and regulatory risks, including data protection, cybersecurity, and privacy considerations, are appropriately addressed in all agreements. The position entails regular interaction with senior leaders, management, and staff across Kestra Holdings and its subsidiaries, as well as external counterparties.
What You’ll Do:
- Lead drafting, review, and negotiation of a high volume of commercial agreements, including vendor, technology, SaaS, data-sharing, services agreements, and product agreements for wealth management.
- Own risk allocation across agreements, including liability, indemnification, limitation of liability, and insurance provisions
- Ensure appropriate handling of data protection, cybersecurity, and privacy risks within contracts, including data processing terms, data ownership and permitted use, breach notification provisions, and vendor data use restrictions
- Lead drafting, review, and negotiation of real estate-related agreements, including office leases and related documents, as part of the broader commercial contracting function.
- Drive continuous improvement of contracting processes, including leveraging of legal enabling technologies (i.e. contract lifecycle management tool), templates, playbooks, and workflow enhancements to improve efficiency, consistency, and cycle time across the organization
- Partner closely with the Procurement function to support contract lifecycle management, including vendor negotiations, renewals, contract compliance and escalation of commercial disputes
- Partner cross-functionally with shared services (technology, information security, compliance), and business teams to evaluate and manage risk in commercial relationships
- Serve as legal representative on cross-functional projects and governance forums, particularly in connection with vendor, technology, and data initiatives
- Support vendor diligence and risk assessments, including evaluation of data handling, outsourcing, and related risks
- Support incident response and vendor-related risk assessments as needed, particularly where contractual rights and obligations are implicated
- Support other business and corporate initiatives as needed, with the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities as the role evolves Monitor and stay current on developments in applicable laws, regulations, and industry guidance — including data privacy, cybersecurity, outsourcing, and financial services regulations — and proactively advise the business on the impact to commercial contracting practices, templates, and risk positions.
What You Bring:
- Juris Doctor with 6-10+ years of relevant experience, preferably in financial services, technology, or a similarly regulated industry
- Significant experience drafting and negotiating commercial agreements, particularly vendor and technology contracts
- Prior financial services experience preferred
- Ability to exercise sound, independent judgment
- Strong commercial judgment and ability to balance legal risk with business objectives
- Excellent drafting and negotiation skills, particularly in complex commercial and technology agreements
- Experience addressing legal issues related to data protection, cybersecurity, or privacy in a commercial contracting context
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Ability to prioritize and handle multiple and varied tasks independently
- Ability to work effectively in a team environment
- Basic office technology knowledge (Word, Outlook, Excel, etc.)
- Experience with contract lifecycle management tools, legal drafting/redlining tools, and procurement platforms is preferred.
Compensation: Salary range for new hires is generally $175,000.00 - $210,00.00 for Austin, TX. In addition, the role may be eligible for annual bonus.
Internal Application Policy:
Internal applicants must be in good standing and have a minimum of 1 year of service with Kestra. Internal applicants must also have a minimum of 1 year service in current role unless approved by EVP.
Benefits to support you:
- Competitive pay and benefits with a large employer (over 1600 employees nationwide)
- 401(k), health insurance, and a competitive benefits package
- Work in a supportive, collaborative environment committed to professional excellence
- Help clients navigate meaningful financial decisions with confidence
- Opportunities for training, development, and long-term growth within the firm
- Tuition reimbursement for qualified expenses
Kestra Values:
Our Mission is Powering Financial Independence, enabling the growth and success of investing clients and the advisors who serve them. We do that by living our values: Serve, Make it Happen, and One team.
Explore Life at Kestra
Kestra Holdings Website: https://www.kestrafinancial.com/
Careers Portal: https://jobs.dayforcehcm.com/en-US/kestra/KESTRACAREERSITE
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kestra-financial
Apply Today
Lead with purpose. Apply now and help shape the future of Kestra.
Disclosure By applying to a job at Kestra Financial, Inc., you are agreeing to the following statements:
- You acknowledge that if hired, Kestra Financial, Inc. may, obtain and use background information concerning your credit, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, work habits, performance and experience for evaluation for your potential employment.
- It is the policy of Kestra Financial to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Kestra Financial prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.
