General Counsel

General Legal Counsel & Corporate Secretary

Location: Ideally Southampton (Bristol and London may also be considered)

Salary: Up to £120,000 DOE + benefits

A leading global technology organisation is seeking a highly experienced General Legal Counsel & Corporate Secretary to support its strategic objectives. This is a senior, standalone role providing expert legal guidance to the executive team and ensuring robust governance across the business. The organisation operates internationally, delivering complex software and automation solutions to major financial institutions.

The Role

This position will act as the principal legal advisor to the leadership team, providing comprehensive legal support across all areas of the business. As Corporate Secretary, you will also play a key governance role, supporting the Board and Committees and ensuring full compliance with statutory and regulatory obligations. The organisation requires someone who can think strategically, operate autonomously, and bring strong knowledge of UK and international legal frameworks—experience within fintech or financial services is beneficial but not essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal advice to the executive team on corporate governance, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, data protection, and contractual matters.
• Oversee the drafting, negotiation, and execution of a broad range of commercial contracts, including software licensing, SaaS agreements, customer, vendor, and partner contracts.
• Monitor and ensure compliance with financial services regulations, data protection laws (including GDPR), and relevant industry standards, proactively identifying and managing legal risks.
• Manage intellectual property matters including patents, trademarks, and software licensing.
• Lead on data protection compliance, including designing and implementing privacy policies and supporting best practice across the organisation.
• Manage and resolve legal disputes, including working with external counsel and representing the organisation’s interests where required.
• Develop and maintain internal policies and procedures to support legal compliance and ethical business practice.
• Deliver training to staff on key legal topics, including data privacy, contract management, and intellectual property rights.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders across the business, providing legal insights to support and guide business initiatives.

Key Skills & Experience

• Qualified solicitor or barrister in the UK with a strong academic background.
• Minimum of 8 years’ post-qualification experience, ideally with exposure to fintech, financial services, or technology environments.
• Strong knowledge of UK financial regulations, data protection legislation, and relevant international legal frameworks.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Proven ability to manage diverse and complex legal matters in a fast-paced commercial environment.
• Experience leading and developing legal functions, with a collaborative and proactive approach.
• Highly organised, detail-focused, and able to work autonomously as well as part of a wider leadership team.