W&P Partners Legal Recruitment is proud to partner exclusively with a fast-growing technology start-up on the appointment of a Head of Legal to lead and develop its expanding in-house Legal & Compliance function in London.
This is a newly created leadership opportunity within an innovative technology business, offering significant scope to shape the legal function, establish scalable processes and playbooks, and work closely with senior stakeholders across the organisation.
The successful candidate will combine strong commercial legal expertise with strategic leadership, legal operations and technology-focused responsibilities, playing a key role in supporting the company's continued growth.
The Role
Reporting directly to the General Counsel, the Head of Legal will take broad responsibility for the day-to-day leadership and development of the legal function, acting as a trusted legal partner to the commercial, revenue, retention and technology teams.
The role will have a strong focus on commercial contracts, UK GDPR and data privacy, alongside responsibility for contract management infrastructure, legal technology, AI governance and wider legal operations.
You will lead and develop an existing team of legal specialists, while also taking ownership of the legal function's processes, systems, resources and ways of working.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Senior Legal Counsel, Legal Director or Commercial Technology Lawyer who is ready to take on a broader leadership position within a high-growth technology environment.
As a newly created role, there is significant scope to build, improve and professionalise the legal function as the business continues to scale.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and develop the Legal function, providing strategic direction and day-to-day leadership to the existing legal team
- Own the commercial contracts function end-to-end, including new business agreements, renewals and amendments
- Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial and technology agreements
- Act as a senior legal partner to revenue, commercial, retention and technology teams
- Provide commercially focused legal advice to the leadership team and senior stakeholders
- Lead on UK GDPR and data privacy matters, including DPAs, DPIAs and data subject rights
- Oversee and improve the company's contract management infrastructure, systems and processes
- Develop scalable legal playbooks, templates, policies and processes to improve efficiency and consistency
- Lead the responsible adoption and deployment of AI across the legal function
- Work closely with Compliance and Information Security teams on wider legal, regulatory and risk matters
- Provide support on employment and HR-related legal matters where required
- Develop self-service legal resources to enable the wider business to manage routine legal matters more efficiently
- Own legal technology, tooling and budget requirements
- Identify opportunities to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and scalability of the legal function
- Establish clear legal risk frameworks and ensure appropriate escalation of material issues
- Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders across the business and position Legal as a commercial enabler
- Support the General Counsel on strategic and wider corporate legal matters as the business evolves
Qualifications & Experience
- Qualified solicitor/lawyer with 6+ years' PQE or equivalent experience
- Significant in-house and/or commercial legal experience, ideally with previous leadership responsibility
- Strong commercial contracts experience, preferably within a technology, SaaS or other high-growth business
- Extensive experience advising on technology, software and SaaS agreements
- Strong knowledge of UK GDPR and data protection
- Previous experience leading, managing or developing a legal team
- Experience building or improving legal processes, infrastructure and operating models
- Comfortable using legal technology, CLM systems and AI-assisted drafting tools
- Strong commercial judgement and the ability to balance legal risk with business objectives
- Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills
- High emotional intelligence and the ability to build credibility and trust across legal and non-legal teams
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment where processes and infrastructure are still being developed
- A strategic and hands-on approach, with the ability to move between high-level leadership and detailed legal work when required
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise a broad and varied workload
Experience within a fast-growing SaaS or technology business would be highly advantageous, as would exposure to employment law, compliance, AI governance, information security or regulated technology environments.
This is a particularly attractive opportunity for someone who wants to build and lead a modern legal function, rather than simply manage an established team and existing processes.
W&P Partners Legal Recruitment is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.