Legal Counsel

Organisation: Invictus UK 2027 Ltd
Salary: £72,000-£80,000 FTE per annum
Location: Hybrid/ Birmingham/ London
Contract type: (Full time)
Closing date: 12 April 2026
Job Description: Legal Counsel

The role
We are looking for a Legal Counsel to join our fantastic team at Invictus UK 2027.
In this role you will be responsible for providing a proactive, pragmatic and commercially focused legal support across the organisation in this stand-alone role. The Legal Counsel will serve as the primary internal legal advisor, ensuring the organisation operates within its legal obligations and manages risk effectively.
The role will also manage the relationship with external legal providers, acting as the key liaison and ensuring efficient, cost-effective use of outsourced legal services.

This is a full time, fixed term role to 31/12/2027 (part time applications can be considered)

The salary range for this position is £72,000-£80,000 FTE per annum.

This role shall be based at our London & Birmingham offices and flexible, hybrid working arrangements are available with the Organisation.

Employee Benefits include:
- 30 days annual leave per annum plus public holidays
- Flexible working arrangements
- Wellbeing time

About Invictus UK 2027
Invictus UK 2027 is a charity and delivery organisation for Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, taking place in July 2027 at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) and Sandwell Aquatics Centre. Founded by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex in 2014, the Invictus Games uses adaptive sport to support the recovery of Wounded, Injured, and Sick (WIS) service personnel and veterans.
Birmingham 2027 will bring together 550 competitors from over 25 nations across 12 sports, including Archery, Athletics, Cycling, Esports, Indoor Rowing, Laser Run, Pickleball, Powerlifting, Sitting Volleyball, Swimming, Wheelchair Basketball, and Wheelchair Rugby.
The Games are about more than competition. Success is measured in every step forward, every challenge faced, every barrier overcome. Every throw, stride, and lift is a victory.
Our mission is to celebrate the unconquered spirit of WIS service personnel and veterans, deliver an outstanding Games, and create lasting social impact across Birmingham and the Midlands.
Through our Impact Programme, we will create recovery opportunities for thousands of WIS and their families, while delivering long-term benefits for Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Birmingham sits at the heart of this story, from life-saving care at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham to rehabilitation at the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre and support at Fisher House, with many competitors returning to the place that supported them.

Role Summary

This is a standalone in-house legal role providing proactive, pragmatic and commercially focused legal support across the organisation. The Legal Counsel will serve as the primary internal legal advisor, ensuring the organisation operates within its legal obligations and manages risk effectively.
The role will also manage the relationship with external legal providers, acting as the key liaison and ensuring efficient, cost-effective use of outsourced legal services.

Key Duties and Responsibilities
General Legal Support
• Provide in-house legal advice on a broad range of matters including commercial contracts, procurement, intellectual property, data protection, technology, HR/employment, regulatory compliance, and governance.
• Draft, review and negotiate a variety of contracts such as sponsorship agreements, supplier contracts, licensing agreements, broadcast/media rights, venue hire agreements and partnership MOUs.
• Create and manage the organisation contract register, ensuring that contract end dates are clearly understood and aligned to dissolution plans.
• Ensure legal risks are effectively identified, communicated, and mitigated across all business functions.
Commercial & Events Delivery
• Advise event delivery teams on legal matters related to planning, procurement, operations, ticketing, volunteering, safeguarding, health & safety, and venue operations.
• Support commercial teams on sponsorship, branding, marketing, hospitality, and rights management.
• Oversee contractual compliance throughout the lifecycle of sports events and related programmes. Support with the creation of the organisations dissolution plan.
External Legal Counsel Management
• Act as the main point of contact for the organisation’s external law firm.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with external lawyers.
• Manage the scope of work to ensure efficient use of external legal resources and cost discipline.
• Review and approve external legal advice, ensuring it is clear, practical and aligned with the organisation’s priorities.
Governance, Risk & Compliance
• Review, maintain and develop organisational policies, procedures and legal frameworks (e.g., data protection, safeguarding, whistleblowing, procurement).
• Provide support on regulatory obligations relevant to sports, charities and large-scale events.
• Support Board and executive governance processes, including advising on constitutional matters.
Data Protection & Privacy
• Supporting the Data Protection Officer by serving as a key internal adviser on UK GDPR and data protection compliance.
• Draft and review DPAs, privacy notices and information-sharing agreements.
• Support data governance activities including data audits, breach response, and training.
Employment & People
• Provide first-line employment law support on contracts, policies and HR matters.
• Liaise with external employment law advisors where specialist support is required.
Other Duties
• Deliver training and guidance to internal teams on relevant legal topics.
• Support organisational strategy, risk management and internal projects.
• Keep up to date with legal developments relevant to the sports and events sector.

Key Relationships
• To work across the organisation, acting as the point of contact for all legal queries.
• To develop good working relationships with key stakeholders within Invictus and our partners.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
• Solicitor qualified in England & Wales.
• 3–5 years PQE with strong commercial contracts experience.
Experience
Essential
• Broad-based commercial legal experience, ideally gained in-house or within a sports/events, entertainment, or charity environment
• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills
• Proven ability to manage a varied workload in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Experience instructing, managing and challenging external lawyers
• Excellent judgement, communication skills and stakeholder engagement abilities
• Ability to work autonomously as the sole legal expert within the organization
Desirable
• Experience in sports law, major events, sponsorship, or rights management.
• Knowledge of procurement rules and public sector contracting (if applicable)
• Experience with non-profit governance or charity law
Skills
Essential
• Pragmatic, solutions-focused and commercially minded
• Comfortable operating independently while forming strong cross-functional relationships
• Resilient, adaptable and confident in handling ambiguity
• High integrity, discretion and commitment to organisational values
How to apply: For an informal discussion about the role please contact Ben Shepherd (ben.shepherd@invictusgames2027.org) Please refer to https://www.invictusgames2027.org/join-the-team To apply please send a CV and covering letter to recruitment@Invictusgames2027.org. Please clearly state in the covering letter how your background, skills and experience meet the criteria set out in the Job Description and Person Specification. Closing date: 12th April 2026. (We reserve the right to close the listing early should we receive sufficient number of candidates before the closing date) Interview date: TBC in April 2026. Equal Opportunities Invictus Games 2027 is committed to providing equal opportunities for all. We value diversity and welcome applications from candidates from diverse backgrounds. Invictus Games 2027 is responsible for ensuring that no job applicant receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, gender, disability, ethnic origin, race, colour, parental or marital status, pregnancy, social or class background, nationality, religious belief, sexual preference or political belief.