At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the legal function and advise on M&A and strategic projects.
- Company: Dynamic PE-backed Food & Beverage business in Central London.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, benefits, and hybrid working model.
- Other info: 9-month fixed-term contract with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Join a fast-paced environment and make a real impact in corporate development.
- Qualifications: Strong M&A experience and ability to thrive in an entrepreneurial culture.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
A PE-backed Food & Beverage business is searching for a senior, commercially-minded lawyer to step into the role of Interim Group Head of Legal on a 9-month fixed-term maternity cover contract, with a target start date of September 2026.
The Role
Reporting to the Group CFO, you will take ownership of all legal, governance and compliance activity across a fast-moving, international group. This is a genuinely hands-on, senior leadership role — you will be the principal legal adviser to the executive team, with oversight of legal colleagues across the UK and Europe.
The business is in an active phase of corporate development, so the immediate priorities will centre on M&A and strategic transactions, alongside ongoing commercial contracting, governance, risk management and horizon scanning across a broad international footprint.
What You'll Be Doing
- Leading the group legal function and driving the ongoing build-out of a recently established in-house team.
- Advising the executive and senior leadership team on M&A, commercial matters, financing and strategic projects.
- Maintaining governance and risk management frameworks, and escalating material risks with clear, pragmatic recommendations.
- Instructing and managing external advisers to ensure advice is timely, commercial and cost-efficient.
- Preparing a structured handover to support a smooth transition at the end of the assignment.
What We're Looking For
The non-negotiable is strong M&A or corporate development experience — buy-side and/or sell-side — at a senior level. You will be someone who can genuinely hit the ground running in a new environment and thrive in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced culture with limited hand-holding.
Experience in private equity-backed businesses and/or the Food & Beverage / FMCG sector would be viewed favourably, but is not a prerequisite. What matters most is your track record of delivery in complex, international transactions and your ability to build trusted relationships with senior leadership quickly.
The Detail
9-month fixed-term contract (maternity cover). Start date: September 2026. Competitive basic salary + benefits (pro-rata). Central London office — 3 days per week in-office.
If you are a commercially astute, senior lawyer with a strong M&A pedigree and the confidence to lead a group legal function from day one, we'd love to hear from you. Please reach out directly or apply below.
Head of Legal employer: Hansen Filler Associates
Join a dynamic and fast-paced PE-backed Food & Beverage business in Central London, where you will play a pivotal role as the Group Head of Legal. With a strong focus on employee growth and a collaborative work culture, this position offers competitive remuneration and the opportunity to lead a newly established in-house legal team while engaging in high-stakes M&A and strategic transactions. Embrace the entrepreneurial spirit of our organisation, where your expertise will be valued and your contributions will directly impact our international operations.
