Description:
About the role:Ancestry is looking for a Senior Counsel, Privacy to support the Global Product and Privacy Team on privacy initiatives and governance. You will be the "boots on the ground" for US privacy operations and corporate governance, focusing on the negotiation of data protection terms and the implementation of our global privacy frameworks. This is a high-impact role for a lawyer who enjoys the intersection of complex commercial transactions, Sensitive Data handling, AI governance, and evolving privacy law.
What You'll Do:
- Support day-to-day operation of Ancestry's global privacy governance program, including policy lifecycle management, DSARs, control validation, and risk escalation pathways
- Negotiate and manage data protection terms across a range of commercial agreements, including vendor contracts, DPAs, and content acquisition deals, serving as the primary legal point of contact for privacy-related contract matters.
- Advise on employee privacy matters, including HR data handling, internal tools, and development of employee-facing privacy policies and notices
- Draft clear and concise disclosures, disclaimers, FAQs, terms of use, policies and implement related processes.
- Review content acquisition agreements and provide legal advice to the content acquisition team on various issues relating to licensing content, scanning and indexing records.
- Partner cross-functionally to embed privacy requirements across the data lifecycle, from collection through deletion
- Support internal audits, regulatory inquiries, and compliance reporting related to privacy and data protection
- Monitor and interpret developments in privacy and consumer protection law (GDPR, CCPA, and emerging U.S. state and global laws)
- Support global consent management operations, including implementation and ongoing governance of tracking technologies
- Develop training, playbooks, and self-service guidance to scale privacy-by-design across the organization
Who You Are:
- Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent from an accredited institution and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
- 5–7 years of legal experience, with a heavy focus on privacy law, governance, and negotiated data protection contract terms.
- IAPP certification preferred, not required.
- Deep understanding of GDPR and CCPA; experience with privacy governance tools and AI governance is highly preferred.
- Proven ability to design and scale legal playbooks for repeatable privacy reviews and internal audits.
- You deliver clear, actionable legal guidance in fast-moving environments and can build trusted relationships across the business.
Compensation:
Ancestry values pay transparency and equity. As a signatory of the ParityPledge in Support of Women and the ParityPledge in Support of People of Color, we are pleased to share the base salary range for this position: $153,000 - $180,000 with eligibility for bonus, equity, and comprehensive benefits including health, dental, and vision. Actual salary will depend on location and experience. We will provide detailed compensation data for a specific location during the recruiting process.
