Head of Legal, Commercial

Qualified solicitor in England & Wales with approximately 5-7 years PQE in commercial law or a related field. Experience drafting and negotiating commercial contracts across various types. Demonstrable experience of government and public sector procurement, including the Procurement Act 2023 gained in private practice or in-house.

Department: Legal and Compliance

Reports to: General Counsel

Location: Hybrid working with some office presence in London

Terms: Permanent / Full time

About the role

We seek an experienced commercial lawyer, approximately 5–7 years PQE, to lead our commercial legal function. Reporting to the General Counsel, you will take day-to-day ownership of Cera’s commercial and public sector contracting and will have line management responsibility for a Commercial Legal Counsel and for our Immigration Team. You will advise on a diverse range of matters, including government and public sector procurement, IT and software licensing, intellectual property, commercial contracts, data protection, M&A, fundraising, regulatory and general commercial law advisory work.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Cera’s commercial legal and immigration capability, including:
• Line managing, supervising and developing a Commercial Legal Counsel – allocating work, reviewing output and providing technical support
• Line managing the Immigration Team, with oversight of the company’s sponsor licence and right to work compliance and escalation of material risks to the General Counsel
• Acting as the principal commercial legal point of contact for the business and deputising for the General Counsel where required

• Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on a variety of commercial agreements, including:
• Service agreements with local authorities (e.g. block and spot contracts)
• Supplier and subcontractor agreements
• Framework agreements and tender documentation
• Employment agency contracts for temporary staff
• Client care contracts for private service users

• Lead on government and public sector procurement, including:
• Advising bid teams on tenders and framework competitions run by local authorities and the NHS
• Advising on compliance with the Procurement Act 2023 and legacy procurement rules, including transparency and contract change notices, conflicts of interest, exclusion grounds and permitted contract modifications
• Handling clarification questions, standstill periods, debriefs and procurement challenges, and liaising with contracting authorities on award and mobilisation

• Advise on data protection and privacy in collaboration with the Cera DPO, including:
• Ensuring compliance with GDPR and UK data protection laws when handling sensitive personal data (e.g. client health records)
• Drafting and reviewing privacy policies, data processing agreements, and data-sharing arrangements
• Responding to Data Subject Access Requests

• Protect and commercialise the company’s intellectual property and technology assets, including:
• Reviewing and advising on trademarks, copyrights, and branding materials
• Drafting IP clauses in contracts to secure ownership of work created by third parties
• Reviewing and advising on IT services contracts, SaaS, and IP licensing agreements
• Drafting and negotiating IT and software licensing agreements, including SaaS, cloud, hosting, data licensing, reseller and development agreements, together with support, security and service level terms
• Advising on the licensing-in and licensing-out of Cera’s proprietary technology, including licences to public sector bodies and third party businesses

• Ensure compliance with industry regulations, including:
• Working with the Quality Team to meet Care Quality Commission standards and safeguarding obligations
• Addressing Procurement Act 2023 requirements
• Managing disputes with suppliers or customers by providing litigation advice
• Liaising with external counsel when necessary

Qualifications and Skills

• Qualified solicitor in England & Wales with approximately 5-7 years PQE in commercial law or a related field (strong candidates with other levels of experience will be considered).
• Experience drafting and negotiating commercial contracts across various types.
• Demonstrable experience of government and public sector procurement, including the Procurement Act 2023 gained in private practice or in-house.
• Experience of supervising, mentoring or line managing others, or demonstrable readiness to take on line management responsibility.
• General understanding of TUPE.
• Knowledge of GDPR/data protection regulations and their practical application in a business setting.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication skills to engage with stakeholders at all levels of the business.
• Ability to manage and liaise with external counsel.
• Proactive, detail-oriented approach to work.
• A team player with excellent interpersonal skills.

Desirable, though not essential:

• Previous experience in the health or social care.
• Understanding of employment law or regulatory frameworks affecting domiciliary care businesses.
• Experience drafting and negotiating IT, software and SaaS licensing agreements, including IP ownership, data, security and service level provisions.
• Working knowledge of intellectual property law, including the protection, licensing and commercialisation of software and brand assets.
• Experience gained in-house in a fast-growth, multi-site or regulated business.