Legal Manager (Fixed term to 31/07/27)

Leeds Beckett University; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous pension

Holiday entitlement

Flexible working

Fitness facilities

Job summary

Leeds Beckett University in Leeds is seeking an experienced in-house lawyer to lead its legal service, provide pragmatic advice, and manage external advisers. The role covers commercial contracts, data protection, IP and governance, with a focus on strategic risk management.

The post offers hybrid working between Headingley Campus and home, extensive professional development, and a supportive environment emphasising transparency and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Qualified UK lawyer with significant post qualification experience (>10 years).
• Experience in research, complex commercial contract negotiation, IP and data protection.
• Ability to understand the legal framework for UK universities.

Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate the University’s in-house legal service.
• Lead and develop the in-house legal team and supervise work quality.
• Act as principal liaison with external solicitors and advisers when needed.
• Provide legal advice across commercial contracts, governance, regulatory and compliance matters.

Skills

Legal expertise

Contract negotiation

Data protection

Communication

Management experience

Education

Qualified UK solicitor or barrister

Job description

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included. The Further Details for each job are in PDF format and you will need Adobe Acrobat in order to view these. To download a free version, please click on the image below.

Job details

Job reference REQ0002194 Date posted 22/10/2026 Application closing date: Midnight 26/11/2026 Location Leeds Salary Grade 8 (£51,258 - £59,390) Package Please refer to Candidate Pack Job category/type Administrative/Support, Professional/Managerial Attachments Candidate Pack REQ0002194.pdf

Are you passionate about information rights, transparency and protecting personal data?

Join our Legal team and play a key role in helping Leeds Beckett University manage its legal risks. You will manage and co-ordinate the University’s in-house Legal service, providing timely, pragmatic and risk-based legal advice to all University activities; lead and develop the in-house legal team, oversee the allocation and quality of legal work and act as the principal liaison with external solicitors and other specialist advisers, where external advice is necessary; and provide and oversee advice across a broad range of University activities, including commercial contracts, research and enterprise, intellectual property, data protection, disputes, governance, regulatory and compliance matters, acting as a key enabling function in support of the University’s strategic and operational objectives.

This is a varied role that offers the opportunity to work with colleagues from across the institution, tackle complex challenges and make a real impact on how information is managed and protected.

About You

We're looking for someone who:

• Is a qualified UK lawyer with significant post qualification experience (in excess of 10 years)
• Has knowledge and experience of one or more of the areas of legal expertise involved in the role (research, complex commercial contract negotiation, intellectual property law, data protection).
• Has knowledge or the ability to gain such knowledge quickly, of the legal framework within which Uk universities operate.
• Ideally has some management experience.
• Has excellent written and verbal communication skills and can explain technical issues clearly.
• Is organised, proactive and able to manage competing priorities.
• Enjoys building positive working relationships and delivering high-quality customer service.

Why Join Us?

This is an excellent opportunity to develop your career within a supportive and collaborative team. You'll have the chance to broaden your expertise while contributing to an organisation that values transparency, integrity and continuous improvement.

If you're looking for a role where your knowledge and judgement can make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you.

This role operates on a hybrid working model, combining on-campus presence, at Headingley Campus, and working from home. Working arrangements are dependent on the job role, team and University requirements and will be discussed with candidates at interview.

Working here means you’ll also have access to a wide range of benefits including our generous pension schemes, excellent holiday entitlements, flexible working, reduced study fees, subsidised fitness facilities and a lot more.

We welcome applications from all individuals and particularly from black and minority ethnic candidates as members of these groups are currently under-represented at this level of post. All appointments will be based on merit.

Leeds Beckett University is a Disability Confident Employer. Disabled candidates who demonstrate all essential criteria within the Person Specification will be invited to an interview.