Head of Legal

Elwood; London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fintech startup in London is seeking a Head of Legal to shape its legal strategy and manage regulatory compliance. The role involves advising senior leadership on legal matters, drafting commercial contracts, and leading the legal function. This position offers a unique opportunity to work in the dynamic digital assets space, with a focus on compliance and corporate governance.

Benefits

Competitive salary and benefits

Fully paid medical and dental schemes

Generous time off and bank holidays

Enhanced parental leave after one year

Access to kitchen, Ubereats, gym discounts

Paid study and personal leave

Qualifications

• 7+ years PQE in fintech, financial services, or technology sectors.
• Experience advising regulators like the FCA is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead regulatory strategy and ensure compliance with global regulations.
• Draft and negotiate commercial agreements such as SaaS licenses.
• Manage legal risks and collaborate with Finance, Tax, and HR.

Skills

Commercial Law

Regulatory Law

Corporate Law

Communication

Education

Qualified Solicitor

Job description

Join to apply for the Head of Legal role at Elwood

Job Title: Head of Legal

Location: London/Hybrid (3 days in office per week). Reports to: CEO

About Elwood

Elwood Technologies is an FCA regulated firm that provides end-to-end institutional-grade digital asset Execution, Liquidity Access, and Portfolio Monitoring & Risk Management Software. Built with institutions for institutions, Elwood’s EMS offers best available price execution, smart order routing, and algorithmic tooling alongside a traditional finance-grade Portfolio Management System.

Built by industry experts with decades of combined experience in investment management and digital technology, we are now looking for a Head of Legal to contribute to the overall legal strategy and risk management of the organisation.

Overview:

Elwood is seeking a dynamic Head of Legal to lead our legal function. This role is central to shaping Elwood’s legal and regulatory strategy, supporting business functions, and providing expert legal guidance across a broad range of areas including regulation, commercial contracts, and corporate governance.

This is a unique opportunity for a commercially minded legal professional that is comfortable discerning regulatory issues and has an interest in the digital assets and fintech space. You will act as the principal legal advisor to the business, partnering closely with senior leadership and cross-functional team leads while owning and managing legal risks to the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Regulatory: Lead Elwood’s regulatory strategy and ensure compliance with existing and emerging global regulations. Provide strategic advice to senior leadership.
• Manage and coordinate regulatory projects with internal teams (e.g., Compliance and Business) and external stakeholders (e.g., counsel, regulatory bodies).
• Monitor regulatory developments in the digital assets space across jurisdictions and assess their impact on the business.

• Commercial: Lead drafting, negotiation, and execution of commercial agreements such as SaaS licenses, vendor contracts, and partnerships.
• Advise senior leadership on new product launches, marketing, and business development transactions.
• Ensure contracts align with risk appetite and business objectives.

• General: Collaborate with Finance, Tax, and HR to manage corporate structure and governance.
• Identify and mitigate legal and commercial risks, engaging external counsel as needed.
• Develop processes, policies, and templates to scale legal operations with business growth.
• Promote legal awareness and training within the organization.

Qualifications:

• Qualified solicitor with 7+ years PQE, ideally with experience in fintech, financial services, or technology sectors.
• Strong background in commercial, corporate, and regulatory law.
• Experience advising or engaging with regulators like the FCA is highly desirable.
• Experience with digital assets regulation or fintech legal frameworks is highly desirable.

Soft Skills:

• Hands-on approach and ability to work autonomously.
• Manage a broad workload with competing priorities.
• Commercially minded and pragmatic.
• Excellent communication skills, able to simplify complex legal concepts.
• Attention to detail, sound judgment, resilience under pressure.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, high-intensity environment.

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits.
• Fully paid medical and dental schemes.
• Generous time off and bank holidays.
• Enhanced parental leave after one year.
• Access to kitchen, Ubereats, gym discounts, and Employee Assistance Programme.
• Paid study and personal leave.

Why Elwood?

• Join a fintech startup with tier 1 institutional backing.
• Help shape the future of digital asset finance.
• Work with modern technology and solve complex problems.
• Be part of a diverse, client-focused team.
• Global presence with offices in London, New York, and Singapore.