General Counsel - Head of Legal and Risk

Company Description

At Insights, we're passionate about helping people understand themselves and others, because when people grow, organisations thrive. As a global learning and development company, we partner with organisations around the world to create more self-aware, connected and high-performing cultures through the power of self-understanding.

As we continue to grow and evolve our products, partnerships and global reach, we're looking for an exceptional legal leader to help us navigate complexity, protect what makes us unique and support our ambitions for the future.

As a purpose-led organisation, making a positive difference matters deeply to us. Through the Insights Foundation, we deliver our Gift of Discovery to charities and communities around the world, helping people better understand themselves and unlock their potential.

Joining our senior leadership team, you'll lead the evolution of our Legal & Risk function at a pivotal point in our journey. From safeguarding intellectual property and supporting commercial growth to shaping our approach to risk, you'll play a key role in enabling the business to grow with confidence while staying true to our purpose and values.

Job Description

As our new General Counsel and Head of Legal & Risk, you'll lead and develop a high-performing global Legal & Risk function, providing pragmatic, commercially focused advice across all areas of the business.

You'll balance risk and opportunity, shape our governance and compliance agenda, protect and maximise the value of our intellectual property, and provide strategic counsel to senior leaders. You'll also build and embed a proactive enterprise-wide risk framework that supports sustainable growth while enabling innovation.

This is a role for someone who enjoys thinking strategically whilst remaining close to the commercial realities of a fast-moving international business.

As a senior leadership role, regular in-person collaboration is important. Whilst we offer significant flexibility in where work is undertaken, you'll be expected to spend time in our Dundee office at least once every fortnight to build relationships, influence key stakeholders and support the wider leadership team.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead and develop a world-class Legal & Risk function, ensuring the team is equipped to support a growing global business.
• Partner with the Executive Team, Board and governance committees to provide strategic legal guidance and strengthen organisational governance.
• Act as a trusted adviser to senior leaders on legal, governance, compliance and risk matters.
• Build and embed a proactive enterprise risk management framework, governance structures and supporting committees.
• Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts, licensing agreements and strategic partnerships.
• Protect and maximise the value of our intellectual property portfolio, including trademarks, patents, copyrights and product innovations.
• Support the registration, protection and commercialisation of new products across international markets.
• Oversee commercial disputes, contentious matters and litigation, developing practical mitigation strategies where required.
• Monitor and respond to legislative and regulatory developments that may impact the organisation.
• Foster a strong culture of governance, compliance and risk awareness across the business.
• Partner closely with senior stakeholders to support strategic growth plans, acquisitions, partnerships and new business initiatives.
• Lead, coach and develop the Legal team, creating an environment where people can thrive and perform at their best.
• Manage budgets and external legal relationships to ensure effective and efficient delivery of services.

What Success Looks Like

You'll be someone who can:

• Balance commercial ambition with thoughtful risk management.
• Influence and challenge at executive level whilst building trusted relationships.
• Translate complex legal issues into practical business decisions.
• Create scalable processes that support a global organisation.
• Bring clarity, confidence and sound judgement to complex situations.
• Help unlock business growth through pragmatic and commercially focused advice.
• Champion high standards of governance while enabling innovation and change.

Qualifications

What You'll Bring

• Qualification as a solicitor in the UK.
• Extensive post-qualification legal expertise gained in private practice, in-house, or both.
• A strong track record of leading legal teams and developing legal capability.
• Deep expertise across commercial contracts, corporate governance, intellectual property and risk management.
• Proven ability to advise senior stakeholders on strategic and complex legal matters.
• Commercial awareness and the ability to make balanced, risk-based decisions.
• Familiarity with working in regulated environments.
• A track record of building trusted relationships and influencing at all levels.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working in international and multicultural environments.

Experience in any of the following would be particularly valuable:

• Intellectual property licensing, trademarks, patents and copyright
• Data protection and privacy legislation
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance
• Enterprise risk management frameworks

Who You Are

• A strategic thinker with strong commercial instincts.
• An inspiring and inclusive leader who brings people with you.
• Curious, proactive and solutions focused.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and navigating complexity.
• Resilient, adaptable and able to prioritise effectively.
• Passionate about enabling business success while protecting what matters most.

Additional Information

Benefits:

•    37 days holidays
•    Discretionary Annual Bonus
•    Private Medical Insurance/BUPA Menopause Plan
•    Income Protection
•    Pension Plan
•    Health Cash Plan
•    Life Assurance
•    Electric Car Scheme
•    Gym-flex
•    Employee Giving
•    My Advantage – Employee Discounts
•    Critical Illness cover
•    Employee Assistance Program
•    Holiday purchase option
•    Flexible working

Everyone is welcome at Insights. We’re dedicated to creating a space where you belong — that means accepting you for who you are now and supporting you on your journey towards whoever you want to become.

Our colourful solutions help people see themselves and others in a new light and we love encouraging our diverse global community to experience the transformational power of Insights Discovery. Through listening and learning, we will continue to foster the connections that matter to build a more inclusive culture.

It is in our nature to nurture. We have developed an organisation which puts care for our people, inclusion, belonging and wellbeing at the heart of our approach. We’re strengthened by a community where we work together to co-create a culture that celebrates difference and welcomes everybody.

We love learning. We want to be better tomorrow than we are today and we’re up for the journey. Unapologetically human, undoubtedly individual. Colourful to our core.

Read more about inclusivity at Insights via the vacancy page on our website: https://www.insights.com/inclusively-insights/