Interim Senior Legal Counsel

Interim Senior Legal Counsel

Location: Remote within the UK, with occasional travel to Brighton and other locations.

Band: E.

INTO University Partnerships is looking for an experienced legal professional to join our welcoming, collaborative Legal team on a 12-month maternity cover contract. This role offers the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to a global organisation that supports learners and partners in international education.

Ideal for a February 2026 start to allow adequate handover.

At INTO, we believe in creating a supportive, accessible, and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. You’ll work alongside colleagues across the world in an organisation that is innovative, people-focused, and committed to equity and continuous learning.

This role offers:

• Work that is intellectually stimulating and purpose-driven.
• The chance to engage with a broad range of legal areas.
• Opportunities to influence strategy and support organisational growth.
• A flexible, remote-first approach to work.

About the Role

Reporting to the VP, Head of Legal, you will provide clear, pragmatic, and accessible legal advice to colleagues across INTO’s global operations. This is a varied generalist position offering exposure to a wide range of commercial, corporate, regulatory, and project-based work as well as legal operations development.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial & General Legal Support

• Provide day‑to‑day, commercially focused legal advice across areas such as commercial contracts, intellectual property, competition law, sanctions, corporate governance, data protection, dispute resolution, consumer, property, and other regulatory matters.

Contract Drafting & Negotiation

• Draft, negotiate and review commercial agreements related to our global partnerships, programmes, and suppliers.
• Support the full contract lifecycle including renewal and termination.

Corporate & Operational Support

• Partner with corporate teams (Finance, Compliance, Tax, IT, HR, Operations, Marketing, Property, Recruitment, and more) to manage legal risk and support informed decision‑making.
• Work on company secretarial matters across the global Group.

Business Partnering

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior teams, providing legal and strategic support across multiple regions and functions.
• Liaise with external parties to build and maintain relationships and exchange information.

Governance & Compliance

• Support the development and implementation of legal policies, compliance practices, and risk management frameworks.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements across the higher education sector.

Projects & Bids

• Contribute to strategic projects and advise on RFIs/RFPs throughout the bid process.
• Lead or assist with dispute resolution and regulatory matters, including drafting responses and engaging with external counsel where appropriate.

Training & Knowledge Sharing

• Create and deliver clear, inclusive legal training and resources for colleagues across the business.
• Develop and deliver Legal Operations efficiencies.
• Support and, when required, deputise for the VP, Head of Legal.
• Line‑manage a junior team member.
• Collaborate with and coach members of the Legal and Data Protection teams.

About You

We welcome applications from candidates with a wide range of experiences and backgrounds. You will be a qualified lawyer with approximately six years’ post‑qualification experience, ideally including experience gained in an in‑house environment, strong experience in commercial and/or general corporate law, and you will bring:

• The ability to communicate complex information clearly and accessibly.
• A collaborative working style and commitment to building strong relationships and supporting colleagues.
• Sound judgement and a balanced, pragmatic approach to legal risk.
• Comfort working in a varied role that spans multiple jurisdictions.
• An interest in continuous learning and staying informed about legal developments.

If you’re excited by a role with scope, diversity, and real impact, this may be an excellent fit.

Work Location & Flexibility

This role is offered on a predominantly remote‑working basis within the UK. Some travel to our Brighton head office and other locations will be required for key meetings or events. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments and supporting flexible working where possible.

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and experiences who believe they are suitable for the role to apply. All applications will be reviewed and will receive a response.