Overview
Senior Legal Counsel (Technology) | £72,000 - £77,000 (+ Benefits) | Grade: P3 | Reports to: Head of Legal | Contract: Permanent | Hours: Full time 35 hours per week | Location: Stratford, London. Office-based with high flexibility (1-2 days per week in the office) | Visa sponsorship: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Cancer Research UK is not able to offer visa sponsorship. Closing date: 20 February 2026, 23:55. This vacancy may close earlier if a high volume of applications is received or once a suitable candidate is found, therefore we strongly recommend that you apply early to avoid disappointment. If you require more time to apply as part of a reasonable adjustment, please contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk as soon as possible.
This is an opportunity to join Cancer Research UK’s Legal Service team, who are essential to our Strategy. The Legal Service provides credible legal advice across our workforce of hundreds of shops and 2,500+ office staff that enables us to be an inclusive, sustainable, and agile organisation. This involves legally safeguarding the charity whilst maximising efficiency and effectiveness.
What will I be doing?
* Leading on legal matters relating to cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI (GenAI), and day-to-day technology delivery.
* Leading and negotiating a range of technology contracts (e.g. SaaS, cloud services, software licensing, data sharing, etc.) to support Technology operations and strategic initiatives.
* Providing both strategic and operational legal support and expert advice to Cancer Research UK’s Technology team, enabling the successful delivery of the organisation’s digital transformation, innovation, and regulatory compliance.
* Leading on legal risk assessments for new technology initiatives, ensuring alignment with legislation, ethical standards, and Cancer Research UK’s values.
* Mentoring and fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation.
* Contributing to the development of internal legal capabilities and external legal partnerships.
* Represent Cancer Research UK’s Legal team in cross-functional working groups focused on digital transformation, responsible technology, and innovation governance.
* Monitoring and interpreting legal developments in emerging technologies, contributing to Cancer Research UK’s stance on the responsible use of AI and digital ethics.
* Acting as a member of the Legal Senior Leadership Team (SLT), supporting the wider team by modelling leadership behaviours, championing Cancer Research UK’s values, and driving strategic change within the team.
* Promoting Cancer Research UK’s values (Bold, Human, Together, Credible) through collaborative, transparent, and forward-thinking legal support.
What skills will I need?
* Qualified lawyer with post-qualification experience in technology law and expertise in cybersecurity, AI/GenAI regulation, data protection, and digital contracting.
* Strong interpersonal, communication, influencing, and negotiating skills.
* Strong prioritisation and organisation skills with the ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, manage clients’ expectations, and meet deadlines while maintaining strong attention to detail and accuracy.
* A proactive problem-solver with a continuous improvement mindset, capable of identifying and solving complex problems, championing innovation and promoting best practice.
* Demonstrated commitment to, and interest in, driving innovation and ensuring the ethical application of technology to advance Cancer Research UK’s mission and values.
Our organisation values are designed to guide all that we do. Bold: Act with ambition, courage and determination; Credible: Act with rigour and professionalism; Human: Act to have a positive impact on people; Together: Act inclusively and collaboratively. We’re looking for people who can embody these organisation values and use them to drive forward progress against our mission to beat cancer.
What will I gain?
We create a working environment that supports your wellbeing and provide a generous benefits package, a wide range of career and personal development opportunities and high-quality tools. Our policies and processes enable you to improve your work-life balance, take positive steps in your career and achieve your personal wellbeing goals. You can explore our benefits by visiting our careers web page.
Additional Information
Owing to the nature of this position, any offer of employment for this role will be subject to a satisfactory basic DBS check. For more information about working with us please visit our website or contact us at recruitment@cancer.org.uk. For more updates on our work and careers, follow us on: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. Our vision is to create a charity where everyone feels like they belong, benefits from and participates in the work we do. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented. We want to see every candidate performing at their best throughout the job application process, interview process and whilst at work. Please inform us of any concerns you have or any adjustments you might need to enable this to happen. Contact recruitment@cancer.org.uk or 020 3469 8400 as soon as possible. Unfortunately, we are unable to recruit anyone below the age of 18, so that we can protect young people from health & safety and safeguarding risks.
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