At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead legal strategy for Trainline's growth across Europe and navigate complex regulations.
- Company: Join Trainline, Europe's number 1 rail app, committed to sustainable travel.
- Benefits: Enjoy private healthcare, work from abroad policy, and generous family-friendly benefits.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with clear career paths and a commitment to diversity.
- Why this job: Shape the future of travel while making a positive impact in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Strong experience in EU regulatory matters and commercial negotiations required.
The predicted salary is between 75000 - 90000 £ per year.
About us
We are champions of rail, inspired to build a greener, more sustainable future of travel. Trainline enables millions of travellers to find and book the best value tickets across carriers, fares, and journey options through our highly rated mobile app, website, and B2B partner channels. Great journeys start with Trainline. Now Europe’s number 1 downloaded rail app, with over 135 million monthly visits and £6.3 billion in annual ticket sales, we collaborate with 270+ rail and coach companies in over 40 countries. We want to create a world where travel is as simple, seamless, eco-friendly and affordable as it should be. Today, we're a FTSE 250 company driven by our incredible team of over 1,000 Trainliners from 50+ nationalities, based across London, Paris, Barcelona, Milan, Edinburgh and Madrid. With our focus on growth in the UK and Europe, now is the perfect time to join us on this high-speed journey.
Introducing the Trainline Legal Team
At Trainline, our Legal team plays a critical role in enabling growth across Europe by helping the business to navigate complex regulatory landscapes, unlock commercial opportunities, and build trusted relationships with industry partners. As we continue to expand across non-UK markets, Legal works closely with teams across the business to shape strategy, support market entry, and ensure we can move forward with confidence in an evolving regulatory environment.
Reporting into the Deputy General Counsel, this Head of Legal role is a strategic leadership opportunity supporting Trainline’s European growth ambitions on a fixed term basis during a period of maternity leave. Operating at the intersection of regulation, commercial strategy and market expansion, you’ll help shape the business approach across multiple markets, translating complex and evolving frameworks into clear, pragmatic action that supports growth, product development and commercial outcomes.
In this role as the Head of Legal, you will...
- Support Trainline’s regulatory and competition strategy across the EU, shaping how the business navigates and influences evolving frameworks to influence commercial strategy and market expansion.
- Use legal and regulatory strategy as an enabler for growth and to accelerate innovative customer and industry propositions.
- Act as a senior escalation point for complex commercial contract negotiations, providing pragmatic and solutions-oriented legal guidance on high impact issues to shape commercial outcomes.
- Partner cross functionally with commercial, product and government relations teams to execute strategic priorities outside the UK.
- Lead and support a collaborative, high-performing legal team culture in line with our Team Charter, providing guidance to direct reports while representing Legal as a credible and confident advisor to the business.
- Drive continuous improvement across legal processes, including the adoption of AI and legal technology tools to improve efficiency, scalability, and business partnership.
We'd love to hear from you if you have...
- Strong experience advising on EU regulatory matters, ideally within complex, fast-moving, or highly regulated industries.
- Deep understanding of how legal and regulatory developments shape commercial strategy and market positioning.
- A preference for operating in areas of ambiguity, using sound judgment where precedent may be limited.
- A commercially minded approach to legal partnership, with experience balancing legal risk alongside growth, market opportunity, and customer impact.
- Experience supporting sophisticated commercial negotiations and providing business-facing legal advice to senior stakeholders.
- Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across multiple functions and communicate effectively at all levels.
- A hands-on, collaborative approach and a willingness to challenge constructively, support decision-making, and act as an enabling partner to the business.
More information:
Enjoy fantastic perks like private healthcare & dental insurance, a generous work from abroad policy, 2-for-1 share purchase plans, an EV Scheme to further reduce carbon emissions, extra festive time off, and excellent family-friendly benefits. We prioritise career growth with clear career paths, transparent pay bands, personal learning budgets, and regular learning days. Jump on board and supercharge your career from day one! We're operating a hybrid model and ask that Trainliners work from the office a minimum of 60% of their time over a 12-week period. We also have a 28-day Work from Abroad policy.
Our values represent the things that matter most to us and what we live and breathe every day, in everything we do: Think Big - We're building the future of rail, Own It - We focus on every customer, partner and journey, Travel Together - We're one team, Do Good - We make a positive impact.
We know that having a diverse team makes us better and helps us succeed. And we mean all forms of diversity - gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, nationality and diversity of thought. That's why we're committed to creating inclusive places to work, where everyone belongs and differences are valued and celebrated.
Interested in finding out more about what it's like to work at Trainline? Why not check us out on LinkedIn, Instagram and Glassdoor!
Head of Legal - 12 month Fixed Term Contract in Edinburgh employer: Trainline
Trainline is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that champions sustainability and innovation in travel. With a strong focus on employee growth, we provide clear career paths, personal learning budgets, and a hybrid working model that promotes work-life balance. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion ensures that every team member feels valued, making Trainline not just a workplace, but a community where you can thrive.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Legal - 12 month Fixed Term Contract in Edinburgh
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the legal field, especially those who have experience with EU regulations. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Trainline's recent projects and challenges in the legal landscape. Show us you’re not just another candidate; demonstrate how your expertise can help navigate complex regulatory frameworks.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your experience aligns with our mission of building a greener future in travel. We want to hear how you can contribute to our growth across Europe.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Trainline.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Legal - 12 month Fixed Term Contract in Edinburgh
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Travel:When you're writing your application, let your love for travel shine through! We want to see how your passion aligns with our mission to make travel simple and sustainable. Share any personal experiences or insights that connect you to the rail industry.
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application for the Head of Legal role. Highlight your experience with EU regulatory matters and how it relates to our growth ambitions. We appreciate candidates who take the time to show us why they’re a perfect fit!
Be Clear and Concise:We value clarity in communication, especially in legal contexts. Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use bullet points where necessary to make it easy for us to see your key achievements and skills.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at Trainline!
How to prepare for a job interview at Trainline
✨Know Your Regulatory Stuff
Make sure you brush up on EU regulatory matters, especially those that impact the rail industry. Be ready to discuss how these regulations can shape commercial strategies and market positioning. This will show that you understand the complexities of the role and can navigate them effectively.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've led teams in high-pressure situations or during complex negotiations. Highlight your ability to influence stakeholders across different functions. This is crucial for a Head of Legal role, so make sure you convey your leadership style and how it aligns with Trainline's collaborative culture.
✨Be Commercially Minded
Demonstrate your understanding of balancing legal risks with growth opportunities. Prepare to discuss past experiences where you provided business-facing legal advice that positively impacted commercial outcomes. This will help you stand out as a candidate who can think strategically and pragmatically.
✨Embrace the Ambiguity
Trainline operates in a fast-moving environment, so be ready to talk about how you've successfully navigated ambiguity in previous roles. Share specific examples where you used sound judgment to make decisions without clear precedents. This will show that you're adaptable and can thrive in dynamic situations.
