General Counsel in London

Our Future Health is the UK’s largest ever health research programme, bringing people together to develop new ways to detect, prevent and treat diseases. We’re looking for an exceptional General Counsel to be our senior legal adviser and lead our Legal function at an important point in our development. This is a broad and influential role. You’ll be the organisation’s principal legal adviser, working closely with our Board, Executive Team and senior leaders to navigate complex legal, commercial and regulatory questions and enable Our Future Health to deliver its mission responsibly and at pace.

You’ll work across everything from strategic partnerships, commercial contracting and public funding to charity law, governance, health data, technology and intellectual property. Just as importantly, you’ll build a Legal function that is pragmatic, responsive and seen as a trusted partner across the organisation.

What you’ll be doing

As General Counsel, you’ll provide strategic, pragmatic and commercially focused legal leadership across Our Future Health. You’ll operate at the intersection of law, ethics, science, technology, public purpose and commercial partnerships, helping our leaders understand risk, make well-informed decisions and find proportionate ways forward.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Acting as the principal legal adviser to Our Future Health, providing clear, practical and risk-based advice to our Board, Executive Team and senior leaders.
• Providing legal input into organisational strategy, major programmes, strategic partnerships and significant commercial and operational decisions.
• Identifying emerging legal and regulatory risks and translating complex issues into clear options and recommendations.
• Advising on our responsibilities as a charitable organisation, including charity law, governance, constitutional arrangements and the duties of trustees and directors.
• Advising on the legal implications of receiving and deploying significant government and public funding, including funding agreements, grant conditions and associated assurance requirements.
• Supporting relationships and contractual arrangements with government departments, NHS bodies, research organisations and other public-sector partners.
• Leading the legal approach to significant commercial agreements, strategic partnerships and procurement arrangements.
• Advising on and negotiating complex contracts with organisations including life sciences companies, technology providers, universities, research institutions, NHS organisations and suppliers.
• Working closely with our Data Protection Officer, Information Security and Technology teams on legal and contractual matters relating to the collection, use, access, sharing and protection of personal and health-related data.
• Advising on intellectual property, licensing and exploitation arising from research, technology development and commercial collaborations.
• Developing contracting standards, templates, playbooks and proportionate approval and escalation processes that help the organisation operate effectively and at pace.
• Leading, developing and supporting our Legal team, creating a collaborative, high-performing function and providing effective coaching and professional development.
• Managing external legal advisers and ensuring we use external expertise effectively and proportionately.

You’ll be a qualified lawyer with substantial post-qualification experience, bringing the credibility, judgement and breadth to operate as the senior legal adviser within a complex and high-profile organisation. We’re particularly interested in someone who can combine excellent technical legal expertise with pragmatism. You’ll know when an issue requires close legal scrutiny – and when the organisation needs a clear, proportionate recommendation that enables it to move forward.

You’ll bring:

• Significant experience operating at General Counsel, Legal Director or an equivalent senior level.
• Broad commercial legal experience, including negotiating complex and strategically significant contracts and partnerships.
• Experience advising Boards, executives and senior leaders on complex legal, governance and risk matters.
• A strong understanding of corporate governance and the responsibilities of directors and/or charity trustees.
• Experience building and operating an effective in-house Legal function.
• Strong people leadership skills, with experience managing, coaching and developing lawyers and junior legal colleagues.
• Experience managing external legal advisers and legal budgets.
• Excellent legal judgement and the ability to distinguish theoretical legal risk from risk that is material to organisational objectives.
• The ability to operate confidently in environments where legal, commercial, regulatory, ethical and reputational considerations overlap.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation and communication skills, with an ability to make complex issues understandable and actionable.

It would be particularly valuable if you have experience in some of the following:

• Charities or organisations combining public-purpose and commercial activities.
• Organisations receiving significant government or other public funding.
• Healthcare, life sciences, pharmaceutical partnerships, medical research or scientific research.
• Working with the NHS, government, universities or other public-sector organisations.
• Data protection, health data or information governance.
• Large-scale technology, data or digital programmes.
• Research collaborations, intellectual property or technology contracting.

You don’t need to have worked across every one of these areas. We’re looking for someone with the breadth, judgement and curiosity to navigate a varied legal landscape, build strong relationships and quickly get to the heart of complex issues.

Closing date for applications: 12pm, 11th September. Salary from £110,000. Generous Pension Scheme – We invest in your future with employer contributions of up to 12%. 30 Days Holiday +