Legal Director in Birmingham

LHH have been exclusively retained to secure a Legal Director for our client - a global business with a HQ in the Midlands region.

The Opportunity

Our client, a global, growth-focused industrial organisation, is seeking an accomplished Legal Director to join its senior leadership team. This is a pivotal role for a commercially minded, pragmatic lawyer who combines technical excellence with strong interpersonal influence. The successful candidate will serve as a trusted advisor to the business, shaping commercial decisions through balanced, well-reasoned counsel while fostering a collaborative, solutions-oriented culture.

Role Overview

The Legal Director will be hands-on, with a business-partnering approach. This individual will engage directly with stakeholders across jurisdictions, offering clear, calm and practical guidance on complex legal matters. Rather than functioning as a barrier, the Legal Director will work to build confidence, supporting growth, managing risk proportionately, and promoting an ethical, compliant operating environment. The position requires onsite working at HQ.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal leadership to senior executives while remaining accessible and engaged with operational teams.
• Guide commercial decision-making through pragmatic, risk-based analysis—focusing on key issues rather than immaterial points.
• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial contracts (customer & supplier), acting as a hands-on practitioner rather than delegating work externally unless necessary.
• Explain legal concepts clearly and diplomatically to non-lawyers, influencing effectively across the organisation.
• Maintain legal records, corporate governance documentation and compliance registers.
• Manage corporate legal matters including NDAs, maintenance of corporate books, and preparation of board-level summaries and reports.
• Oversee risk management and compliance activities, including sanctions, anti-bribery and corruption, and export controls.
• Lead proactive litigation strategy and manage external counsel as needed.
• Build strong cross-functional relationships, earning trust and credibility at all levels of the organisation.
• Operate with the highest ethical standards, sound judgment and professional integrity.

Candidate Profile

• Minimum 10 years’ post-qualification experience (exceptional candidates with 10 years considered).
• Training and experience from at least a medium-sized private practice firm (ideally a large international firm) with a focus on commercial work.
• Prior in-house experience.
• Demonstrated experience working on cross-border matters; UK-US exposure highly advantageous.
• Broad in-house exposure across commercial, corporate, compliance, and risk issues (excluding employment law).
• Negotiation experience with external counterparties.

• Strong commercial and corporate contracting expertise, familiar with recurring issues in industrial supply chains.
• Proven ability to draft and negotiate agreements efficiently and effectively.
• Experience with compliance frameworks, including sanctions, ABC, export controls, and related regulatory regimes.
• Familiarity with litigation strategy (proactive and reactive).
• Optional experience in M&A and IT law is beneficial.

• Collaborative, open listener who seeks input from those with operational or industry expertise.
• Confident yet diplomatic communicator, comfortable engaging firmly and constructively across all levels.
• Pragmatic negotiator—assertive when required but personable, balanced, and non-political.
• Able to operate at pace, manage multiple matters concurrently and take ownership for delivery.
• Detail-oriented with excellent administrative discipline.
• Respected team player who integrates seamlessly into senior leadership rather than working in isolation.
• Culturally aware, with international experience and sensitivity to varied business practices.

Package and remuneration is excellent and will be subject to experience.

This position is being managed exclusively by Bethany Machon LHH.