Head of Legal / In-House Counsel
Full-time
LOCATION
Remote and HQ in Edinburgh when required
Overview
We’re looking for a pragmatic, commercially minded legal leader ready to shape the foundation of a new kind of financial institution. You’re comfortable drafting from scratch, negotiating under pressure, and navigating regulatory landscapes that rarely have simple answers.
You know how to balance risk with ambition. You thrive in early-stage environments where structure must be built, not inherited. This is not a legal back-office role. This is strategy, negotiation, and execution rolled into one.
What You'll Do
- Serve as Caledonia’s principal legal advisor across all areas of the business: regulatory, corporate, commercial, data, and employment
- Build and lead the legal department from scratch, creating policies, systems, and risk frameworks suited to a high-growth financial company
- Advise on financial licensing, regulatory engagement, and operational legal risks as we prepare to become an EMI (Electronic Money Institution)
- Own the full contract lifecycle, from drafting NDAs to negotiating multi-million pound commercial agreements
- Partner with product, compliance, operations, and technology teams to help develop services that are both innovative and legally sound
- Act as board-level counsel across corporate structure, governance, fundraising, tokenomics, and stakeholder management
- Select and manage external counsel, control budgets, and ensure tight coordination between internal and external legal work
What You'll Bring
- Qualified solicitor or barrister (UK or equivalent) with at least 8 years post-qualification experience. A mix of top-tier firm and in-house experience is strongly preferred
- Deep understanding of financial services regulation, especially UK EMI frameworks, payments law, and digital assets
- Firsthand experience leading legal operations in a high-growth or startup environment
- A commercial mindset. You see legal as a tool for progress, not an obstacle
- Confidence when advising senior leadership and board members, even in uncertain situations
- Excellent contract drafting, negotiation, and risk evaluation skills
- A willingness to work without a roadmap and help write it as you go
About Caledonia
Caledonia is a next-generation financial company focused on serving freelancers, creators, and independent professionals. We’re building adaptive, AI-powered banking infrastructure that challenges the legacy systems of the past — and we’re doing it from the ground up.
We are not yet a licensed EMI or bank. That’s part of what you’ll help us achieve.
Who You’ll Work With
This role reports directly to the COO and collaborates closely with the Head of Risk & Compliance, the product team, and Caledonia’s co-founders.
Apply Now
Think you’re a fit? Use the form below to send us your CV and a short note about why you’re interested. We review every application personally.