Senior Legal Counsel (Technology)

Retail Human Resources plc; Welwyn; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel (Technology) to provide legal expertise in technology transactions, driving innovation and compliance. This role involves advising tech teams, negotiating contracts, and enhancing legal practices in a trusted partnership while building a culture of improvement and inclusivity.

Benefits

Annual bonus scheme of up to 20% of base salary

Holiday starting at 25 days plus a personal day

Private medical insurance

26 weeks maternity leave at full pay

Free 24/7 virtual GP service

Qualifications

• Experience in technology law and complex technology transactions.
• Proven ability to independently draft and negotiate SaaS and cloud agreements.
• Strong motivation for technology and innovation.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice on technology transactions including SaaS and AI.
• Support Technology team and manage high-value contract negotiations.
• Conduct regulatory horizon scanning and maintain legal templates.

Skills

Technology Law

Contract Negotiation

SaaS Agreements

Commercial Awareness

Communication Skills

Education

Qualified Solicitor

Job description

As Senior Legal Counsel (Technology), you will support Tesco’s evolving technology landscape by providing expert legal advice on complex technology transactions, including SaaS, cloud, and AI-related agreements. Acting as a trusted partner to our Technology and Procurement teams, you’ll play a key role in enabling innovation across the business while contributing to the Tesco Legal team’s transformation and continuous improvement journey.

You will be responsible for:

1. Act as a trusted advisor and business partner to our Technology team (including senior leadership) and Technology Procurement, supporting business objectives and enhancing competitiveness.
2. Support the Heads of Legal in building centres of expertise for Technology and AI.
3. Advise on a broad range of strategic technology projects and lead negotiations on high-value contracts.
4. Conduct horizon scanning and proactively anticipate legal and regulatory developments, providing timely input and training where needed.
5. Maintain and update legal templates to reflect changes in law, regulation, and market practice.
6. Manage external counsel on occasion, ensuring advice is appropriately scoped, cost-effective, and commercially focused.
7. Contribute to the Tesco Legal team’s transformation journey, fostering continuous improvement and innovation.
8. Provide coaching and guidance to more junior members of the team to support their development.

You will need:

• A qualified solicitor with experience specialising in technology law and technology transactions.
• A strong enthusiasm for technology, AI, and innovation, with broad commercial contracts experience.
• Proven ability to independently draft and negotiate SaaS, IT licensing, and cloud agreements.
• A customer-focused, solutions-oriented, and pragmatic approach, with strong commercial acumen.
• Comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and managing competing priorities.
• Ability to build trust and credibility with experienced internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex legal concepts and positively influence business decisions.

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What's in it for you:

We’re all about the little helps. That’s why we make sure our Tesco colleague benefits package takes care of you – both in and out of work. Click Here to find out more!

• Annual bonus scheme of up to 20% of base salary
• Holiday starting at 25 days plus a personal day (plus Bank holidays)
• Private medical insurance
• 26 weeks maternity and adoption leave (after 1 year's service) at full pay, followed by 13 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay or Statutory Adoption Pay, plus 6 weeks fully paid paternity leave
• Free 24/7 virtual GP service, Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for you and your family, free access to a range of experts to support your mental wellbeing

About us:

Our vision at Tesco is to become every customer's favourite way to shop, whether they are at home or out on the move. Our core purpose is 'Serving our customers, communities and planet a little better every day'. Serving means more than a transactional relationship with our customers. It means acting as a responsible and sustainable business for all stakeholders, for the communities we are part of and for the planet.

We are proud to have an inclusive culture at Tesco where everyone truly feels able to be themselves. We celebrate diversity and recognize the value it brings. We’re committed to creating a workplace where differences are valued, and all colleagues are given equal opportunities. As a large, diverse organization, we can accommodate various working patterns to suit you. Everyone is welcome at Tesco.

We have recently announced a move towards a more blended working week – combining office and remote work. Our offices will continue to be spaces for connection, collaboration, and innovation. Please discuss with us how this can work for you.

NOTE: Successful applicants will be required to provide bank details on your start date.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and are committed to an inclusive, accessible recruitment process. For support details, visit tesco-careers.com/accessibility.