Job Information
UKG Legal Director-M&A in Phoenix, Arizona
Why UKG:
At UKG, the work you do matters. The code you ship, the decisions you make, and the care you show a customer all add up to real impact. Today, tens of millions of workers start and end their days with our workforce operating platform. Helping people get paid, grow in their careers, and shape the future of their industries. That’s what we do.
We never stop learning. We never stop challenging the norm. We push for better, and we celebrate the wins along the way. Here, you’ll get flexibility that’s real, benefits you can count on, and a team that succeeds together. Because at UKG, your work matters—and so do you.
About the Team:
You’ll join UKG’s Corporate Affairs Legal team, a group that supports UKG’s corporate lifecycle—from strategic growth and investments to governance and compliance. The team’s core areas include M&A (including minority investments for a corporate venture fund), entity management, corporate governance, and equity and debt compliance. We work closely with Corporate Development, Finance, Tax, and senior business leaders to help UKG move quickly, make sound decisions, and execute with discipline.
About the Role:
The Principal Legal Counsel will serve as a senior individual contributor and will lead M&A and strategic investment transactions end-to-end. This role exists to drive deals forward efficiently, manage risk thoughtfully, and provide practical, business-focused legal counsel that enables growth. While this is not a people management role, you will partner closely with other attorneys on the team as you help drive UKG’s transaction pipeline.
In this role, you’ll:
• Lead M&A and strategic transactions end-to-end by advising on deal structure, planning diligence, negotiating definitive agreements, and coordinating signing/closing to complete transactions efficiently.
• Support minority investments and venture-style transactions by negotiating investment and side agreements, advising on governance rights and protections, and aligning legal terms to UKG’s strategic objectives.
• Partner closely with Corporate Development by advising on term sheets/LOIs, translating legal risk into business options, and helping the deal team make timely, informed decisions.
• Run diligence workstreams by setting a diligence strategy, identifying and prioritizing issues, and presenting clear recommendations so stakeholders can resolve key risks before signing.
• Manage outside counsel by setting strategy, directing scope and deliverables, and controlling cost so the team gets high-quality, actionable work product.
• Coordinate cross-functional execution by working with Finance, Tax, HR, and business leaders to align objectives, close requirements, and help guide post-close intgration.
• Pitch in on core corporate matters by preparing or advising on governance actions, entity management needs, and compliance-related requirements tied to transactions and corporate operations.
About You:
Basic Qualifications:
• J.D. and active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (or ability to meet in-house counsel registration requirements, as applicable).
• Transaction leadership experience serving as the lead legal advisor on M&A and/or strategic transactions, including drafting and negotiating definitive agreements and driving deals through signing and closing.
• In-house experience providing practical legal counsel directly to business teams, including making recommendations and decisions to move transactions forward.
• Experience managing outside counsel on complex corporate transactions, including directing workstreams and controlling scope and cost.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience supporting minority investments / venture-style transactions, including governance rights, information rights, protective provisions, and related side arrangements for strategic investors.
• Experience partnering with a Corporate Development function on deal strategy, diligence planning, and negotiation approach.
• Experience with post-close integration support and translating deal terms into operational actions.
• Experience advising on corporate governance and entity management as part of a corporate legal practice.
• Experience with cross-border or multi-jurisdiction transaction issues.
• Experience with public company deals and SEC compliance.
Company Overview:
UKG is the Workforce Operating Platform that puts workforce understanding to work. With the world's largest collection of workforce insights, and people-first AI, our ability to reveal unseen ways to build trust, amplify productivity, and empower talent, is unmatched. It's this expertise that equips our customers with the intelligence to solve any challenge in any industry — because great organizations know their workforce is their competitive edge. Learn more at ukg.com.
Equal Opportunity Employer
UKG is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, disability, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.
View The EEO Know Your Rights poster (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/EEOC_KnowYourRights_screen_reader_10_20.pdf)
UKG participates in E-Verify. View the E-Verify posters here (https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/EVerifyParticipationPoster.pdf) .
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.
Disability Accommodation in the Application and Interview Process
For individuals with disabilities that need additional assistance at any point in the application and interview process, please email UKGCareers@ukg.com .
The pay range for this position is $163,900 to $230,000. The actual base pay offered may vary depending on skills, experience, job-related knowledge and work location. In addition to base pay, employees may be eligible to participate in a performance-based bonus plan and to receive restricted stock unit awards as part of total compensation. Learn more about UKG’s benefits and rewards at https://www.ukg.com/about-us/careers/benefits
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