Head of Legal
| Posting date: | 09 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £125,000.0 to £160,000.0 per year |
| Additional salary information: | bonus |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 16 February 2026 |
| Location: | London, London, ec2v 6dn |
| Company: | Hays Specialist Recruitment |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 4768098_1770648455 |
Summary
Head of Legal / Sole Counsel
Location: London
A highly respected and fast-growing provider within the healthcare sector is now looking to recruit their first legal hire. Following recent investment from a leading private equity firm with an exceptional track record, the organisation is entering an exciting phase of expansion, transformation and strategic development. As they continue to scale, they are seeking a Head of Legal / Sole Counsel to establish, lead and mature the legal and compliance function. As mentioned, this will be the first legal hire within the organisation,reporting to the Chief Financial Officer and working closely with the CEO and wider C‑suite. You will operate as an executive and trusted adviser and play a pivotal role in shaping the company's legal strategy, safeguarding its regulatory compliance, and supporting its commercial and corporate ambitions. This is a highly visible, hands‑on role in a dynamic, fast‑paced environment.
The Role
As Head of Legal, you will act as the organisation's primary adviser on all legal, corporate, regulatory and compliance matters. You will develop and implement a legal and compliance framework aligned with the company's strategic objectives, whilst proactively monitoring legal developments, and advising the business on risk.You will provide support across a broad range of areas including commercial contracts, corporate, compliance, data protection, insurance, and company secretarial duties, and be a key decision maker within the organisation. This may well result in a team build. Key responsibilities include:
Compliance & Data Protection
- Ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, GDPR and sector‑specific standards.
- Develop and maintain a robust ethics and compliance programme, including policies, training and whistleblowing frameworks.
- Oversee data privacy compliance, including GDPR, data governance, and incident response processes.
- Work with internal teams to assess and manage legal, regulatory and operational risks across the organisation.
- Support compliance activities relating to corporate governance, AML, sanctions regimes, competition law, ESG and interactions with the company's private equity stakeholders.
Commercial Contracts
- Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements, including NDAs, supply and procurement contracts, service agreements, consultancy arrangements, IT and technology contracts.
- Lead negotiations with suppliers, partners and external stakeholders, ensuring optimal commercial outcomes and legal protection.
- Provide strategic input on contract structures, risk allocation and commercial strategy.
- Support claims, disputes and litigation management where required.
Corporate, Company Secretarial & M&A
- Act as the primary point of contact for all corporate matters.
- Support M&A activity, including due diligence, deal structuring, documentation and integration.
- Manage corporate housekeeping and governance across the group, ensuring compliance with statutory obligations.
- Oversee company secretarial duties, including board support, preparation of materials and drafting of minutes.
Insurance & Litigation
- Manage the group's insurance programme (Property, Business Interruption, Liability, D&O, Crime) in collaboration with brokers and insurers.
- Support insurance‑related projects, including risk‑mitigation initiatives such as cyber resilience and operational safety improvements.
- Advise the business on insurance coverage, claims and risk exposure.
- You will be responsible for support with claims and litigation.
Qualifications & Experience
- England & Wales (or Commonwealth) qualified lawyer with c.7+ PQE (guideline only).
- Experience advising senior stakeholders and managing external counsel.
- Ideally, experience within healthcare, healthcare services, pharma, manufacturing or retail, as well as being within a PE environment. However, they are open to all industries.
- Strong background in corporate, commercial, compliance, technology and data privacy.
- Experience in a fast‑paced, high‑growth or PE‑backed environment.
- Demonstrable experience managing complex legal matters and providing strategic, pragmatic advice.
- Highly organised, delivery‑focused and solutions‑driven, with the ability to implement effective processes and improvements.
- Familiarity with cross‑border transactions and international legal frameworks is advantageous.
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now. If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.
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