Commercial Counsel, Legal, Policy & Partnerships

Commercial Counsel, Legal, Policy & Partnerships

About Us

Forage is building the modern payments stack that powers inclusive commerce. Our technology enables grocers, delivery platforms, and point-of-sale systems to seamlessly accept EBT payments both online and in-store. Beyond infrastructure, we're helping SNAP EBT shoppers stretch their grocery budgets every week, making healthy food more affordable and accessible to the 42 million Americans on food assistance.

Backed by leading fintech investors, Forage is a fast-growing startup with a clear vision and real-world impact, feeding tens of thousands of families daily. Our team is made up of kind, driven individuals who take ownership, move quickly, and collaborate closely. We value humility, curiosity, and a shared commitment to making a difference.

You could work anywhere — so why Forage?

Build tech that matters. Play a direct role in putting food on the tables of millions of families, and help make grocery access more equitable through better payments infrastructure.

Join a rocket ship with purpose. We've grown revenue 100x in two years, with the capital, traction, and runway to keep going — all while staying mission-first.

Work with exceptional people. Collaborate daily with 'Foragers' from companies like Stripe, Instacart, Google, Affirm, Uber, and beyond — a tight-knit team with deep experience and low ego.

Disrupt a massive market. Help modernize a $100B+ system and shape the future of inclusive commerce as we scale toward a $1B+ business.

Accelerate your career. Thrive in a talent-dense environment backed by top investors in fintech (like Nyca, PayPal Ventures, and more), where ownership and growth are the norm.

Why this role matters

Every partnership that helps a SNAP family buy groceries — every merchant integration, vendor contract, and product launch — begins with a contract, includes built in growth opportunity and impact, and ends with trust.

At Forage, those contracts aren't just paperwork. They're how we make impact real. When a creative, well-structured partnership comes together, it expands opportunity for families, merchants, and entire communities. But if a negotiation drags or a deal is misframed, it delays access to food for millions of Americans.

Forage is a mission-driven fintech building the payments infrastructure that powers inclusive commerce. We enable grocers, delivery platforms, and point-of-sale systems to accept SNAP EBT payments online and in-store — and we're expanding into new benefit domains such as HSA / FSA and other public-purpose financial rails.

To support this growth, we're building a lean, high-impact Legal, Policy & Partnerships (LPP) team — currently two people :

Klay Fennell, the Head of Legal, Policy & Partnerships , whose primary focus is government, regulatory, and external affairs.

You , the Commercial Counsel , who will own Forage's commercial contracting and operational legal work — ensuring our partnerships move quickly, strategically, and in alignment with our mission.

This is not an ordinary legal role — you are a driver of growth and impact. You'll have an opportunity to help design and execute the legal and commercial foundation of a company whose work directly affects how America feeds its families.

What you'll do

Structure, draft, and negotiate commercial agreements that drive Forage's growth — merchant and platform partnerships, SaaS and licensing deals, vendor and technology contracts, NDAs, and payment-processing arrangements.

Collaborate across every function — Business Development, Product, Engineering, Technical Operations, Merchant Operations, and Leadership — to remove friction, accelerate deals, and balance opportunity with protection.

Design scalable, lightweight systems — templates, playbooks, and workflows that enable speed and consistency without bureaucracy.

Exercise judgment over perfection : focus on progress, clarity, and outcomes that matter most to the business and its mission.

Support compliance and policy alignment in partnership with the Head of LPP, ensuring all contracts anticipate evolving SNAP, EBT, payments, and fintech regulations.

Represent Forage externally with counterparties, outside counsel, and industry collaborators, reinforcing Forage's reputation for professionalism, agility, and trust.

You will report to the Head of Legal, Policy & Partnerships . While that role largely focuses on Forage's external and regulatory strategy, you will serve as the legal and commercial engine that keeps our operations strong, compliant, and moving at startup speed.

Who you are

J.D. from an accredited U.S. law school; active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (California or New York preferred).

6–10 years of experience in commercial, technology, or fintech law, ideally blending law-firm rigor with startup or in-house agility.

A dealmaker and builder — fluent in both legal and business reasoning, able to translate complexity into actionable agreements that accelerate growth.

Hands-on, practical, and calm under pressure; you bring solutions, not roadblocks.

Collaborative and low-ego, respected for clarity, empathy, and sound judgment.

Disciplined about focus — you know how to prioritize what matters and avoid scope creep.

Bonus for experience in payments, regulated fintech, or public-private partnerships.

Our culture

At Forage, culture is a muscle — built through can-do energy, growth mindset, and measurable impact every single day.

We stay laser-focused on what matters most : empowering families, enabling merchants, and building technology that works.

We move fast, stay humble, and protect what drives results — clarity, respect, and shared purpose.

We are builders, not bureaucrats.

We deliver big outcomes with a small, focused team by keeping our eyes on mission and avoiding distractions.

If you're the kind of lawyer who sees contracts as engines of progress and impact, not red tape, you'll feel at home here.

What you'll love about Forage :

Mission & Impact : Your legal work will directly affect how millions of Americans access affordable, healthy food.

Ownership & Visibility : Build and shape a core function from the ground up with company-wide influence.

Culture : Kind, curious, and low-ego people who value focus, accountability, and collaboration.

Our Offer

Your base salary would fall within the bands below. Please keep in mind that the equity portion of your offer is not included in these numbers and represents a significant part of your total compensation.

Compensation : $180k-210k USD base + equity + benefits

Meaningful work that makes a positive impact on our society.

100% of medical, dental and vision premium coverage for yourself and dependents.

Enjoy regular team lunches at our San Francisco office , fostering collaboration and connection over great food.

A fun and caring environment that prioritizes transparency, growth, and ownership.

A talented, diverse, high-achieving, and humble team with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints.

Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries at our headquarters in San Francisco, California. Individual pay is determined by work location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

We aim to review every application within 3 business days of submission and provide feedback on each of your interviews within 2 business days of completion. If you don't hear from us, please reach out to your recruiter or careers@joinforage.com directly to get an update on your candidacy. Max, our AI recruiter, may reach out with follow-up questions.

Please note : We are not engaging with third-party recruiters or agencies for this role. We kindly ask that you refrain from contacting us regarding recruitment services. Fees will not be paid for unsolicited resumes sent to Forage.

Please note : Forage is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role. Applicants must have work authorization that does not require visa sponsorship now or in the future.

As set forth in Forage's Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

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