Senior Legal Counsel in London

Smart Pension – Join Smart to make a difference in global retirement solutions. At Smart, our mission is to transform retirement, savings and financial wellbeing, across all generations, around the world.

The Role

We are looking for a driven and experienced commercial lawyer to join our expanding Legal Team to advise on a range of technology and commercial contracts as well as all aspects of commercial law in a fast‑paced and growing business.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, negotiate and finalise a range of commercial contracts including non‑disclosure agreements, complex or high‑value supplier contracts (IT and non‑IT), technology contracts and our platform‑as‑a‑service agreements issued to our platform clients.
• Provide high‑quality, business‑focused legal support directly to a growing and developing global business through a strong understanding of both legal requirements and commercial implications.
• Advise internal teams on contractual risk, compliance considerations and practical mitigations.
• Maintain contract templates and playbooks to ensure alignment with evolving regulatory, commercial and data protection requirements.
• Provide support and guidance on the protection, exploitation and enforcement of the company’s intellectual property rights.
• Advise the business on legal interpretations, internal standards and practices, new business initiatives and other commercial and regulatory matters.
• Build relationships with stakeholders and be a trusted legal adviser.
• Provide legal training to the business and be a knowledge hub of best practices.
• Support the implementation of improved processes including the creation and implementation of contract templates and playbooks.
• Guide junior members of the team and foster team development.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in drafting and negotiating commercial contracts, ideally within a technology‑driven environment; experience of SaaS and PaaS arrangements is an advantage.
• Confident and pragmatic approach to problem‑solving and managing legal risk.
• Proven ability to deal with ambiguity in a fast‑paced environment to meet deadlines while maintaining the utmost attention to detail.
• Comfortable managing internal and external stakeholders, including senior leadership, with strong written and verbal communication skills.
• 5+ years PQE with a strong background in commercial law.

Benefits

• 25 days’ holiday per year, increasing with length of service.
• £500 annual training budget to spend on professional development.
• Extensive private healthcare, including dental, eye care and Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Enhanced sick leave (three months’ pay per year).
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave (6 months fully paid for maternity; 3 weeks fully paid for paternity).
• Death in service insurance cover.
• Fully‑paid five‑week sabbatical after five years of employment.
• In‑office wellbeing activities such as manicures, massages and barbers.
• 50 % discount on orders from Arena Flowers, Britain's most ethical florist.

About Smart

We work in partnership with governments and financial institutions in the UK and internationally. Our cloud‑native digital platform is revolutionising how people around the world think about, and save for, their retirement. As a financial technology business, we focus on innovation, digital transformation, and putting the customer first.

Inclusion Statement

We are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to do their best work. We welcome differences in background, experience, thinking, and identity, and we recognise that innovation is strongest when built on inclusion and fairness. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences and do not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic. We believe reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process or in the workplace are possible – if you require them, please let us know.