Head of Legal & Commercial (In-house)

About the role

This senior position will lead the legal and commercial function for a high‑profile, public‑facing organisation. You will shape commercial strategy, ensure contractual compliance and support major transformation projects while working closely with senior leadership and external stakeholders.

Key responsibilities

• Take ownership of legal, contractual and commercial risk across the business.
• Lead negotiations on contract variations, compliance matters and commercial agreements with key clients.
• Provide strategic legal and commercial advice to senior leadership to support decision‑making.
• Oversee compliance with franchise, regulatory and governance requirements.
• Support major transformation programmes and manage dispute resolution, including litigation when required.
• Develop and maintain corporate compliance frameworks such as anti‑bribery, modern slavery and business ethics.
• Manage external legal counsel performance, scope and spend.
• Drive continuous improvement through tools, templates and best‑practice processes.
• Lead, develop and mentor a small team to ensure high performance and capability growth.

Required profile

• Qualified Solicitor (England & Wales) with a minimum of 3 + years post‑qualification experience, either in‑house or in private practice.
• Proven experience in complex, contract‑led commercial environments.
• Demonstrated ability in contract negotiation, compliance management and risk mitigation.
• Experience within regulated industries is highly advantageous.
• Broad legal knowledge covering contract law, dispute resolution, data protection and regulatory frameworks.
• Leadership experience with a track record of developing high‑performing teams.

Required skills

• Contract negotiation
• Compliance management
• Risk mitigation
• Data protection and regulatory knowledge

What we offer

• Salary £80,000‑£105,000 per annum
• Performance‑related bonus
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Hybrid working model (approximately three days onsite)