VP Legal / Senior Director Legal – 12-month FTC
VP Legal / Senior Director Legal – 12-month FTC
London | Hybrid | Immediate start required
Taylor Root is working with a rapidly growing, venture-backed TechBio business operating at the intersection of life sciences, artificial intelligence and data to appoint a senior legal leader for a 12-month maternity cover contract.
This is a broad and highly visible role for an experienced in-house lawyer who can combine strategic legal leadership with a hands-on, commercially focused approach. Working closely with the Board, investors and senior leadership team, the successful candidate will advise across complex commercial contracts, data, technology, corporate governance and potential transactional activity.
The role
* Act as a trusted legal adviser to the Board, investors and senior leadership team.
* Draft, review and negotiate complex commercial contracts and strategic partnership arrangements.
* Advise on SaaS, technology licensing, intellectual property, research collaborations and data-rich commercial arrangements.
* Support sensitive data, data-sharing, data-licensing and cross-border data matters.
* Advise on corporate governance, company law, shareholder matters and complex capital structures.
* Support any fundraising, investment, sale process or other significant corporate transaction arising during the contract.
* Provide leadership and continuity for a small legal team while remaining comfortable with day-to-day legal delivery.
* Develop practical legal processes, templates and guidance to support a scaling business.
The ideal candidate
* Qualified lawyer with at least 15 years’ relevant PQE.
* Significant senior in-house experience and a strong corporate and commercial background.
* Previous experience in a scale-up, high-growth, venture-backed or private equity-backed business.
* Extensive experience negotiating complex commercial contracts.
* Strong Board, NED, investor and senior stakeholder exposure.
* Experience advising on corporate governance, company law, capital structures and shareholder arrangements.
* Good understanding of technology, SaaS, licensing, IP, data protection and cross-border data issues.
* A pragmatic, commercial and solutions-focused approach, with the confidence to assess risk proportionately.
Experience in life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, AI, software or another regulated and data-rich sector would be advantageous, but direct life sciences experience is not essential.
Package and timing
* 12-month fixed-term contract.
* London hybrid working, with two to three days per week in the King’s Cross office
* Immediate availability is required. CVs will be presented within the next two to three days and interviews will be arranged immediately.
Please apply as soon as possible or contact Sophie Chown at Taylor Root for a confidential discussion.
Please note our advertisements use PQE/salary levels purely as a guide. However we are happy to consider applications from all candidates who are able to demonstrate the skills necessary to fulfil the role.
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