Senior Legal Counsel (6 months FTC)

We are looking for a Senior Legal Counsel to join our growing Ethics, Compliance & Governance team who will provide strategic legal advice and guidance to the Executive team and the wider organisation with a focus on commercial aspects of the organisation. 

The successful candidate will help develop the newly established Legal function by serving as the Senior Legal Advisor and providing proactive advice and counsel on complex legal issues relating to a variety of agreements including commercial contracts, collaboration agreements, intellectual property, confidentiality, corporate law, and other laws and regulations including but not limited to the area of health research. 

Our Future Health will be the UK’s largest ever health research programme, bringing people together to develop new ways to detect, prevent, and treat diseases. We are a charity, supported by the UK Government, in partnership with charities and industry. We work closely with the NHS and with public authorities across all nations and regions of the UK.

What you’ll be doing:

You will serve as the organisation's principal Legal Advisor, providing strategic counsel to executive leadership on legal risks, opportunities, and implications associated with key business decisions and initiatives. Your key responsibilities will include but not be limited to:

• Giving accurate and timely counsel to the organisation in legal matters relating to commercial, IP, charity and corporate law. 
• Assisting relevant business functions in the drafting, review and negotiation of a number of commercial contracts (including investor commercial terms, licences, non-disclosure agreements, sponsorship agreements etc.) to best protect the commercial and legal interests of the business and create added value. 
• Working alongside colleagues to support procurement activities by providing legal advice on a wide range of supplier contracts (professional services, IT, logistics, lab services and data protection agreements) to protect Our Future Health’s commercial and legal position in order to minimise risk. 
• Contributing to legal discussions on topics such as charity law and partnerships, and assisting in drafting agreements and contracts with industry and charity partners, while consulting subject matter experts as needed.
• Collaborating closely with cross-functional teams, including Regulatory, Ethics, Compliance & Governance, Procurement and Strategic Partnerships, to address legal challenges and support the successful implementation of organisational projects and their overall design and underlying strategic approach. 
• Leading the development and implementation of the organisation's legal strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives and regulatory requirements. 
• Conducting comprehensive legal analysis and risk assessments, identifying potential issues and developing proactive strategies to mitigate risks and achieve organisational objectives. 
• Staying abreast of emerging legal and regulatory developments in the health research sector, anticipating potential impact on the organisation and advising on appropriate courses of action. 
• Advising on the management of disputes and advising on strategy for resolution including risk assessment, negotiating settlements, and drafting correspondence.  
• Providing training and awareness on key regulations to relevant organisational functions in relation to key workstreams. 
• Specifying internal governance policies and regularly monitoring compliance. 
• Providing mentoring and supervision to the Legal Counsel.  

The successful candidate will demonstrate expertise in providing strategic legal advice and support to organisations operating in highly regulated environments, and to their executive leadership, with a track record of serving as the primary Legal Advisor in complex and high-stakes matters. To succeed in this role, you will also have some of the following skills: 

• English law qualified solicitor with a minimum of 8-9 years of post-qualification experience (PQE) in a leading law firm and/or in-house legal department. 
• Excellent knowledge of contract, commercial and corporate law.
• Previous experience or background of working in the Life Sciences and ideally health research specifically.
• Proven track record of leading and executing complex transactions and negotiations, with strong drafting and negotiation of a variety of agreements including commercial contracts and in drafting grant funding, and charity partnership agreements.
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to distil complex legal concepts into clear and actionable guidance for non-legal stakeholders and merge input from across the board. 
• Experience in risk assessment, good judgement, and risk mitigation. 
• Strong leadership abilities, with experience in mentoring and supervising junior legal team members.  
• Ability to support the successful implementation of organisational objectives and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams. 
• Business-oriented, quick to understand and analyse new business and technology. 
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision. 
• Curiosity and willingness to learn about the science which underpins Our Future Health. 
• Detailed knowledge of procurement of goods and services e.g., PCR 2015 Guidelines is desirable.  
• Involvement in strategic programmes involving third party suppliers.
• Previous experience or background of working in a charity or in a start-up environment is advantageous.

• £110,000- £120,000 per annum basic salary.
• Generous Pension Scheme – We invest in your future with employer contributions of up to 12%.
• 30 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays – Enjoy a generous holiday allowance with the flexibility to take bank holidays when it suits you.
• Enhanced Parental Leave – Supporting you during life’s biggest moments.
• Career Growth & Development – £500 per year to spend on Learnerbly, our learning platform, plus regular appraisals and development opportunities.
• Cycle to Work Scheme – Save 25-39% on a new bike and accessories through salary sacrifice.
• Home & Tech Savings – Get up to 8% off on IKEA and Currys products, spreading the cost over 12 months through salary sacrifice.
• £1,000 Employee Referral Bonus – Know someone amazing? Get rewarded for bringing them on board!
• Wellbeing Support – Access to Mental Health First Aiders, plus 24/7 online GP services and an Employee Assistance Programme for you and your family.
• A Great Place to Work – We have a lovely Central London office in Holborn, and offer flexible and remote working arrangements.

Join us - let’s prevent disease together.