Commercial Legal Counsel - Fixed Term (March 2026 - April 2027 Maternity Cover)

Funding Circle; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial technology company in Greater London seeks a Commercial Legal Counsel for a 13-month fixed-term contract. You will collaborate with various departments to draft and negotiate commercial contracts, advise on legal implications for new products, and enhance the efficiency of the legal function. Candidates should be qualified solicitors with approximately 4 years of experience, strong drafting and negotiation skills, and the ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly. This role offers a range of benefits tailored to your needs and a flexible working environment.

Benefits

Private Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Health Cash Plan

Electric Car Scheme

Qualifications

• Around 4 years of post-qualified experience.
• In-house experience at a technology company is beneficial.
• Strong knowledge of data protection laws.

Responsibilities

• Partner with stakeholders to draft and negotiate agreements.
• Advise on legal requirements for product launches.
• Identify and evaluate legal and operational risks.

Skills

Drafting skills

Negotiation

Communication

Problem-solving

Education

Qualified Solicitor (England & Wales)

Job description

Description

Commercial Legal Counsel - Fixed Term (March 2026 - April 2027 Maternity Cover)

We are looking for a Commercial Legal Counsel to join our in‑house legal team on a 13‑month fixed term contract. Reporting to the Head of Legal, you will be a hands‑on business partner from day one. You won’t just be reviewing contracts; you will be working with teams across Compliance, Product, Technology, Sales, Brand, and Marketing to launch products.

Start date – Monday 16th March 2026

Who we are

We’re Funding Circle. We back small businesses to succeed. At Funding Circle, we believe the world needs small businesses. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to help them get the finance they need to grow. With more than a decade of expertise under our belt, we’ve built a game‑changer platform with cutting‑edge data and technology that’s reshaping the SME lending landscape. Say goodbye to lengthy applications and hello to lightning‑fast decisions! In just minutes, SMEs across the UK can get a decision, giving them access to competitive funding in a flash. We know that good business is about good people. So we pride ourselves on providing meaningful, human support as well as fast, hassle‑free processes to deliver an unbeatable customer experience.

The role

Commercial Contracting: Partner with stakeholders to draft and negotiate a diverse range of commercial agreements, including technology service contracts, strategic partnerships, and agreements with marketing and brand affiliates.

Product & Innovation: Work alongside commercial and product stakeholders to enable the launch of new products, advising on various legal requirements such as customer‑journey updates, terms and conditions, privacy implications, keeping stakeholders informed throughout.

Data Protection & Privacy: Translate data protection requirements into practical advice including privacy by design, privacy impact assessments, reviewing and responding to requests from data subjects.

Risk Radar: Act as a proactive problem solver, identifying, evaluating, and advising on legal, regulatory, and operational risks that arise in day‑to‑day business.

Legal Optimisation: Take a hands‑on role in optimising the legal function, identifying areas for greater efficiency through technology, automation, and generative AI. Offer guidance and training to junior team members.

What we’re looking for

• You are a qualified Solicitor (England & Wales) with around 4 years of post‑qualified experience. In‑house experience at a technology company is beneficial.
• You have strong drafting skills and can negotiate commercial contracts with minimal supervision, and a working knowledge of data protection laws to apply to real‑world product questions.
• You are a clear communicator: you can advise stakeholders confidently and succinctly, acting as a translator who explains complex legal risks to non‑legal colleagues without jargon.
• You have a ‘can‑do’ attitude and are comfortable working in a fast‑paced environment, prioritising a varied workload and meeting deadlines.
• You are collaborative: a team player who contributes to team initiatives and supports colleagues, someone your teammates can depend on.

At Funding Circle we are committed to building diverse teams, so please apply even if your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with the requirements.

Why join us?

We have a huge impact on the businesses that borrow through our platform, the communities they serve and the overall economy (last year £7.2bn of GDP generated). You can read our full Impact Report here: …

To see what our customers think, visit our Trustpilot page: …

And we’re still evolving! Our award‑winning multi‑product platform is solving more SME finance challenges than ever before. We think big, rally together and meet the needs of SME customers like no other.

Flexibility: We provide you with a benefit allowance so that you can tailor your benefit selection to your needs and your family’s.

Health: Private Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, Health Cash Plan, Health Assessments (including female fertility health assessments), eye‑care vouchers, flu jabs, Wellhub (for discounted flexible gym membership and access to wellbeing apps), access to a free Employee Assistance Programme and free Digital GP for you and children under 16.

Wealth: Life Assurance, Income Protection, Critical Illness Cover, financial coaching through Octopus Money Coach, a tax‑advantaged share scheme, a free mortgage adviser partnership and discounts across numerous retailers through Perks at Work.

Development: Dedicated annual Learning & Development allowance and full access to internal learning platform.

Lifestyle: Electric Car Scheme, Cycle to Work scheme, Season Ticket Loans, and more!

We also have award‑winning parental leave policies supporting parents through enhanced maternity, partner and adoption leave, as well as additional leave for parental bereavement and for fertility treatments.

We’re proud to be an equal‑opportunity workplace and affirmative‑action employer. As a flexible‑first employer we offer hybrid working and expect our teams to be in the London office three times a week.

Ready to make a difference? We’d love to hear from you.