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About the Role

This is an exceptional opportunity to lead the legal function of a private equity-backed, highly acquisitive international group currently operating across 26 jurisdictions and looking to further expand. Reporting directly to the Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and working closely with the Group Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and the wider executive management team, you will play a critical role in supporting the business through its continued growth strategy while providing pragmatic, solution-focused legal leadership across a broad range of commercial and operational matters. This is a hands-on role, requiring someone who is equally comfortable advising on strategic matters as executing complex and routine legal work independently.

Responsibilities

Driving the execution of M&A activity, including in jurisdictions where we have existing operations and entry into new countries.
Working closely with the Head of M&A and CCO, as well as the Investment & Partnerships team, in all aspects of M&A execution and integration.
Overseeing all legal aspects of cross-border acquisitions with the support of external counsel.
Supporting post-acquisition integration activities, ensuring legal workstreams are delivered effectively and on time.
Dealing with legal aspects of relationships with minority shareholders and local partners where applicable.
Providing legal support across a broad range of day-to-day matters, including commercial contracts and customer agreements.
Managing intellectual property protection and management.
Overseeing corporate governance, including in respect of the ongoing development of the corporate governance programme.
Managing disputes and oversight of contentious matters.
Advising on evolving data privacy and cyber security frameworks.
Providing legal support relating to ongoing equity and debt financing arrangements.
Collaborating cross-functionally with teams such as tax, treasury, HR, and finance.
Addressing general commercial, operational, and strategic legal issues arising across the Group.

Requirements

Proven experience in executing international M&A transactions from inception through to post-completion.
Experience in overseeing all legal aspects of cross-border acquisitions, including letters of intent, due diligence, transaction documentation, signing and completion.
Experience supporting post-acquisition integration activities.
Experience dealing with legal aspects of relationships with minority shareholders and local partners where applicable.
Experience providing legal support across a broad range of day-to-day matters.
Experience managing intellectual property protection and management.
Experience overseeing corporate governance.
Experience managing disputes and oversight of contentious matters.
Experience advising on evolving data privacy and cyber security frameworks.
Experience providing legal support relating to ongoing equity and debt financing arrangements.
Experience collaborating cross-functionally.
Experience addressing general commercial, operational, and strategic legal issues.
Ability to lead a lean but highly effective central legal function and a small number of regional in-house counsel.
Ability to take ownership of matters and execute them to conclusion.
Ability to provide pragmatic, commercially focused legal advice to senior management and business stakeholders.
Ability to operate autonomously across a diverse range of legal matters while prioritizing effectively in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to minimize reliance on external counsel by providing practical, high-quality in-house advice and determining when specialist support is genuinely required.
Significant and proven experience of cross-border M&A transactions (from initial structuring through to post-completion integration) and international businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions.
Proven experience operating at a senior level within an in-house legal function, partnering with executive leadership teams.
Strong commercial contracting and general corporate legal experience.
Experience advising on corporate governance and broader commercial legal matters.
Demonstrable ability to manage a varied legal workload autonomously, and manage a team doing the same.
Excellent judgement, strong stakeholder management skills and the confidence to influence senior decision-makers.
A proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with the ability to anticipate issues before they become problems.
Proven ability to collaborate effectively across multiple business functions and cultures.

Skills

M&A
Commercial contracts
Intellectual property
Corporate governance
Dispute management
Data privacy
Cyber security
Financing arrangements
Cross-functional collaboration
Legal leadership
Pragmatic advice
Autonomous operation
Stakeholder management
Influencing senior decision-makers
Solutions-oriented mindset

Location

Hybrid – minimum 2 days (Tuesday & Thursday) in the Wimbledon office

Work Type

Fixed Term (12–14 Months)
Hybrid

Experience Level

12-14 Month Maternity Cover
8-10+ years' post-qualification experience (PQE)

Education Level

Qualified solicitor

About the Company

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender expression, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics.

Equal Opportunity

ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender expression, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics.