Commercial & Technology Legal Counsel

Overview of the Opportunity

Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited is currently recruiting for a Commercial & Technology Legal Counsel on behalf of a large, highly regulated, international organisation operating at the forefront of innovation, technology, and financial services. Located in Manchester, England, this full-time, mid-senior level role offers an exceptional opportunity for a legal professional to join a strategic, in-house legal function recognized as a centre of excellence.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will join a global commercial legal team and act as a trusted legal partner to stakeholders across procurement, technology, and frontline business teams. Key duties include:

• Strategic Legal Advice: Providing comprehensive legal counsel across commercial, innovation, technology, real estate, sponsorship, and data licensing activities.
• Contract Management: Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a wide array of supplier and client-facing agreements, including SaaS, cloud services, software/hardware maintenance, and sponsorship arrangements.
• Risk Mitigation: Proactively identifying legal and regulatory risks, developing best practice legal strategies, and ensuring compliance with organizational policies and governance frameworks.
• Regulatory Monitoring: Keeping abreast of changes in relevant laws, rules, and regulations, and translating these into actionable corporate policies and controls.
• Dispute Resolution & Training: Supporting or representing the organization in litigation, arbitration, or regulatory investigations, and designing and delivering legal training to internal business units.

Eligibility & Requirements

To be considered for this position, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Professional Qualification: Qualified as a Solicitor, Barrister, or equivalent in the UK or a comparable jurisdiction.
• Experience: A minimum of 2 years of post-qualification experience (PQE).
• Domain Expertise: Proven experience in advising on complex commercial and technology agreements, specifically software licenses, SaaS, cloud services, and data/index licensing.
• Key Skills: Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and collaborate effectively with diverse internal stakeholders.

Compensation & Benefits

The position offers a highly competitive compensation package, including:

• Base Salary: £70,000.00 to £80,000.00 per year (depending on skills and experience).
• Financial Perks: Performance-related bonus and an exceptionally generous pension scheme.
• Health & Wellbeing: Private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection, and access to gym memberships.
• Work-Life Balance: 25 days of annual leave (plus bank holidays) with options to buy/sell days, alongside a robust hybrid working model.

Application Procedure

Interested candidates should apply directly through the official application portal. For a confidential discussion regarding the role or to submit an updated CV, applicants can contact the recruitment team directly at 0161 228 7770.