Interim Corporate Counsel - 12 months mat cover in London

UNiDAYS, the world's leading Student Affinity Network, is seeking an experienced commercial lawyer to join us as Interim Senior Corporate Counsel for 12 months maternity cover. You will be the primary commercial lawyer supporting our student-verification platform operating across 118 regions and our 800+ global brand partnerships. We are looking for a strong operator who can negotiate high-volume, high-impact commercial agreements, understands affiliate and CPA based partnership models, and brings discipline to contracting workflows and systems (Salesforce and DocuSign CLM). This is a strategic and hands-on role, reporting to the Global General Counsel and partnering closely with senior commercial leaders, and our New Business, Commercial, Finance and Operations teams, while ensuring our contracting processes are efficient, organised and scalable.

Job Requirements

• Qualified lawyer (UK or equivalent); minimum ~6 years' post-qualification experience with significant commercial contracting experience.
• Hands-on experience with affiliate partnerships, CPA models or performance-based digital marketing agreements is a plus.
• Proven ability to work at pace in a high-growth environment, ideally with multi-jurisdictional commercial operations and complex partnership ecosystems.
• Track record of building or significantly improving commercial legal processes, templates and risk management frameworks.
• Experience working directly with or closely alongside commercial stakeholders, finance and operations teams.
• Strong negotiation and communication skills: can distil complex legal issues into clear, business-relevant guidance and commercial solutions.
• Pragmatic, commercially minded approach with collaborative, hands-on style and ability to work autonomously.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead the commercial contracting function, ensuring frameworks and processes support growth across the UK, US, Germany, Australia, India and other key markets.
• Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements, including complex partnership agreements, brand marketing contracts and insertion orders.
• Advise New Business and Commercial teams on deal structures, risk allocation, commercial levers and operational implications.
• Maintain and continuously improve templates, playbooks, approval paths and workflows, ensuring contracting is organised, efficient and aligned with Salesforce-driven processes.
• Oversee the full contract lifecycle from initial negotiation through execution, amendment and renewal, working with cross-functional teams to ensure compliance and performance.
• Partner with Operations team to keep systems accurate and optimised.
• Track regulatory and industry developments affecting commercial arrangements, interpret business impact and translate into actionable contract provisions.
• Prepare concise, clear executive reporting on contracting pipeline, risks and commercial trends.
• Deliver training and guidance to commercial teams on contract fundamentals and operational best practices.

This is your opportunity to join the world’s largest student verification network and help shape the future of how brands connect with the next generation. We engage a community of 23M+ verified students and graduates across 115 markets, making us a truly global platform. Our brand is a powerhouse in the UK, and we’re rapidly accelerating our presence worldwide—especially in the US, Germany, India, France, Canada, and Australia. We partner with 850+ of the world’s biggest brands, bringing their products and services to the hearts and minds of tomorrow’s professionals—driving engagement, building affinity, and delivering real results. We offer a fast-paced, fun, and social working environment where you can truly make an impact. We believe work should enhance and complement your life, which is why we provide a flexible hybrid working model. While there are expectations to attend the London campus periodically, you and your manager will determine the most appropriate balance together, ensuring both your needs and the needs of the business are met. We work hard at UNiDAYS, and we believe in fair compensation for that hard work. That’s why we’re proud to offer all employees full access to our comprehensive benefits package.

Benefits

• 25 days holiday per year increasing with length of service, plus bank holidays
• 4pm finishes every Friday
• Company pension scheme
• Private health insurance (BUPA)
• Dental Insurance (BUPA)
• Income protection policy
• Life assurance policy
• Employee Assistance Program
• Enhanced parental leave pay
• Regular team building activities
• £150 pounds towards your home office set up

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability status.