Senior Lawyer

Senior Lawyer (In house) Position Title: Senior Lawyer (In house) Reports to: General Counsel Location: UK Remote Contract Type: Part-time/Permanent (3 days per week) About BibliU BibliU is an award-winning, technology-led B2B company transforming the $65bn educational content industry. With a 90% CAGR the past 5 years, we are just getting started. We've cracked the code on Day 1 access to affordable digital course materials for students, while delivering comprehensive campus store solutions that foster human relationships, and increase our stickiness in the world of AI. The result? Measurable impact: 10% higher student retention, 1-point GPA increases, and partnerships with 170 universities serving 600,000 students each year. We've fundamentally changed how universities procure, distribute, and manage learning content. We partner with 4,000+ publishers, including Pearson, Oxford University Press, and Wiley to deliver content to universities, and provide rich engagement data and interactive tools like quizzes that help students actually learn. Here's what makes our story compelling: Founded in late 2015 as an Oxford University spin out, we've grown explosively with 90% CAGR over the last five years, including 65% in FY25, reaching $100m in annual revenue. Our Series B raised $23m led by Nesta Impact Investments (with Guinness Asset Management, Stonehage Fleming, and Oxford Sciences Enterprises). In late 2023, we acquired Texas Book Company (now 'BibliU Campus') to become the only fully vertically integrated player in the market, driving US organic growth which now represents 90% of our business. We're hungry for more. We're actively building our M&A pipeline as we compete head-to-head against legacy bricks-and-mortar providers to improve the faculty and student experience while boosting the financial sustainability of universities. Our culture is collaborative, high-growth, and agile. You’ll join an experienced and motivated executive team with backgrounds from Instructure (Canvas) and other successful edtech companies with exit experience. We operate as a distributed team across the UK and US, with offices in London. Position Overview This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced lawyer to join BibliU's in-house legal team , working three days per week and reporting directly to the General Counsel. As a senior legal hire, you will work closely alongside a sole General Counsel and be expected to step in seamlessly and operate fully independently during periods of leave or absence. You will provide senior-level legal support across a broad range of commercial, corporate, and operational matters in a fast-paced edtech environment spanning the US and UK markets. You will be a trusted legal partner to the business - at all levels - including the Board and our investors - helping to manage risk while enabling growth. What you will be doing: Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a wide range of commercial contracts including publisher agreements, customer contracts, vendor agreements, NDAs, and SaaS/licensing arrangements across UK and US markets. Reviewing and responding to Requests for Proposals (RFPs), ensuring legal terms are appropriate and risks are identified and managed effectively. Supporting the General Counsel on all aspects of the company's legal needs, including providing pragmatic legal advice directly to business stakeholders across commercial, product, HR, and finance teams. Advising on data protection and privacy matters, including UK GDPR, US state privacy laws, and maintaining internal compliance frameworks. Assisting with corporate governance matters, including board resolutions, filings, and maintaining statutory records. Supporting M&A activity, due diligence processes, and any integration-related legal work as the business continues to grow. Advising on employment law matters in both the UK and US, working alongside HR on contracts, policies, and employee relations issues. Identifying and managing legal risk across the business, flagging issues proactively and contributing to the development of legal processes and templates. Conducting horizon scanning across UK, EU, and US jurisdictions, monitoring incoming legislation and regulatory developments relevant to BibliU's business (including edtech, publishing, and higher education, data protection, AI, and employment), assessing their relevance and potential impact, and communicating findings clearly to the General Counsel and relevant business stakeholders. Building and maintaining strong relationships with internal stakeholders across commercial, product, finance, and HR teams, as well as external stakeholders including investors, external counsel, and key commercial partners. Presenting legal matters and risk positions clearly and confidently to the Board and investors when required, acting as a credible and approachable legal partner at all levels of the organisation. Attending and supporting internal committee meetings (including any legal, risk, compliance, or governance committees), preparing materials, taking actions, and providing legal input as required. Developing, implementing, and maintaining BibliU's AI usage policy and governance framework, including setting and updating parameters for responsible AI use across the business and monitoring developments in AI regulation in the UK, EU, and US. Managing and maintaining BibliU's Record of Processing Activities (ROPA) under UK GDPR, keeping it current as new processing activities are introduced and ensuring it reflects the company's data flows accurately. Supporting the administration and management of BibliU's share incentive plans, including liaising with external advisers, maintaining plan documentation, and advising on participant queries and regulatory requirements. Providing pragmatic, commercially-focused advice on US state laws as they affect BibliU's operations, including privacy, employment, and commercial matters, and knowing when to escalate to or instruct external US counsel. What we are looking for Must have: Qualified solicitor (England & Wales) with a current practising certificate, with at least 5 years' post-qualification experience (PQE). Proven experience in commercial law, with a strong track record of drafting, reviewing and negotiating complex commercial contracts, including NDAs and general commercial agreements. Demonstrated ability to work independently and to cover for a sole General Counsel seamlessly, exercising sound judgement with minimal supervision. Solid understanding of data protection law, including UK GDPR, with hands-on experience managing or contributing to a ROPA. Practical experience advising on US state laws (including privacy, employment, and commercial matters) and a clear understanding of when to seek external US legal support. Confidence and gravitas to present legal matters and risk positions to Board-level and investor audiences. Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships both internally (at all levels of the business) and externally (investors, external counsel, commercial partners). Familiarity with US legal concepts and cross-border contracting, particularly in a commercial or technology context. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey legal concepts clearly and pragmatically to non-lawyers. Ability to work autonomously, manage competing priorities, and deliver practical, commercially-focused legal advice. A proactive approach to legal risk management with strong commercial awareness and the ability to balance legal risk against business objectives. Good to have: Experience in or exposure to the edtech, publishing, higher education, or SaaS sector. Experience working in a start-up or scale-up environment comfortable operating with limited resource and a broad remit. Knowledge of US contract law and/or experience supporting a US-facing business across multiple states. Experience with RFP processes in an educational or public sector contracting context. Familiarity with IP licensing agreements, particularly in a content or software context. Experience developing, implementing, or maintaining an AI usage policy or AI governance framework, including setting parameters for responsible AI use and monitoring emerging AI regulation (UK AI Opportunities Action Plan, EU AI Act, and US state AI laws). Experience conducting legal horizon scanning and producing regulatory impact assessments across multiple jurisdictions (UK, EU, and US), translating legislative developments into clear, actionable business guidance. Experience managing or administering share incentive plans (e.g. EMI, or US equity plans), including liaising with advisers and maintaining plan documentation. Familiarity with UK Companies House filings, board governance, and corporate secretarial matters. Experience instructing and managing external counsel across multiple jurisdictions, including cost management. Benefits Our benefits are all aimed at supporting a healthy work-life balance and cultivating a company culture where you can bring your whole, human self to work. Here's what we offer: 🌴 35 days holiday per year (excluding public holidays!) - yep, that’s not a typo! 🎂 Your birthday off 🌱 12 scheduled company wellness Fridays off per year ❤️ Enhanced maternity & paternity allowance ⏰ Flexible working hours - we’re a remote team spread across the US and UK 💻 Work-from-home allowance to help you set up your dream WFH station 🚴 Cycle-to-work scheme (UK) 🛟 Life Insurance up to 4 x salary ❤️ Private health insurance We strongly encourage candidates of all different backgrounds, experiences and identities to apply. Each new hire is an opportunity for us to bring in a different perspective and BibliU is committed to building an inclusive and supportive workplace where everyone can do rewarding work. Please note: We do not work with external recruiters/recruitment agencies. This position will be filled directly by BibliU and we kindly request that external recruiters/recruitment agencies refrain from submitting candidates for this role.