Relevent Football Partners

Legal Director, Commercial
London, UK

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About Relevent

Relevent is the world’s leading privately owned commercial partner with a dedicated focus on international football. They specialise in delivering top-tier commercial partnerships, innovative marketing strategies, and exceptional brand representation on a global scale. Their mission is to maximise value for their clients through strategic collaborations and innovative revenue-generating opportunities.

Following the UC3 tender process, Relevent Football Partners was awarded the commercial rights to the UEFA men’s club competitions (Champions League, Europa League and Conference League) on a global basis for the 2027 to 2033 cycle.

As such, Relevent Football Partners is now seeking to build a truly world class business focused on the monetisation of these commercial rights.

Role Overview

Relevent Football Partner’s Legal Director, Commercial is a key leadership position reporting to the Chief Legal Officer. They will be responsible for leading and managing the commercial legal team in its role of negotiation and execution of all partnership and licensing contracts globally across the UEFA Men’s Club Competitions, and will work closely with the commercial strategy and sales teams to deliver those deals alongside UC3. At the outset they will work with the Chief Legal Officer in building out the commercial legal function from the ground up and will have a mandate to lead a best-in-class function, with a team of lawyers reporting directly to them.

The Legal Director, Commercial will be a key cultural pillar in a team characterised as collaborative, pragmatic, dedicated and world-leading. They will act as an inspirational team leader, motivating the commercial legal team to ensure the strongest possible performance. They will be a seasoned, personable executive, able to quickly build trust and cross-functional relationships.

The Legal Director, Commercial will possess a deeply informed and nuanced perspective on global sports partnerships and licensing, enabling them to hit the ground running in the role, and they will have a strong track record of leading the contractual negotiation of related agreements. They will have a passion for football and be driven to contribute to the growth of the UEFA Men’s Club Competitions.

The Legal Director, Commercial will be based in Relevent Football Partners’ London office.

Key Responsibilities

Execution

• Providing dedicated legal support for the Partnerships and Licensing teams, primarily through negotiating high value, innovative and industry leading agreements globally and ensuring beneficial long-term agreements.
• Supporting the Partnerships and Licensing teams in the planning and execution of successful deal structuring and strategy.
• Assist the relevant relationship management teams in the life-cycle management of multiple partners and licensees and their agreements.
• Advising on day-to-day queries that arise in respect of wider commercial matters impacting the business.
• Working closely with members of the wider legal team, particularly with the Legal Director, Media Rights and with the UC3 legal team to ensure effective collaboration and interaction. Working with and managing external legal counsel, as required. 

Market and Legal Intelligence

• Staying ahead of trends in the sports partnership and brand licensing landscape, including the rise of new digital platforms and assets.
• Possessing strategic thinking and a long-term view on the sports partnerships and the brand licensing landscape to ensure that legal advice given to the business is of the highest standard and reflective of relevant recent legal developments.  

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Developing and managing a high-performing legal commercial team, with headcount based in London, challenging the team to consistently strive for best-in-class performance.
• Collaborating with internal cross-functional teams, including the Partnerships and Licensing teams, to ensure successful and expedient execution of deals whilst guarding against risk, as appropriate
• Providing guidance, mentorship, and oversight to team members, engendering a positive, collaborative, non-hierarchical workplace culture.

 Required Experience & Skills

• 10+ years of post-qualification experience (preferably English law qualified) including time spent in the sports industry, with a proven track record of successfully leading the negotiation of complex and high-value partnership and licensing agreements for premium sports properties.
• Excellent technical legal skills alongside strong strategic thinking, with the ability to balance high level vision and detailed execution.
• Proven track record in distilling complex legal issues and risks and an ability to think laterally and identify creative, commercially-focused solutions.
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration skills and experience in influencing and managing both junior and senior stakeholders.
• Proven team leadership skills, with a track record of mentoring and developing junior colleagues.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to engage with a diverse group of stakeholders, including senior leadership and external partners.
• Brand literate with a detailed working knowledge of the international sports marketing landscape, particularly with regards to commercial partnerships and licensing and related emerging trends.

Personal Qualities

• Driven, ambitious, positive and hardworking, with a proactive approach.
• Growth mindset and resilient, with a strong drive to succeed.
• Ability to cope with pressurised situations and tight timeframes whilst maintaining a professional approach.
• Strong executive presence, comfortable operating with senior stakeholders, both internal and external.
• Innovative mindset.
• Equally high IQ and EQ.
• Strong intercultural communication skills and capability to act as an ambassador for the business.
• A global citizen that is culturally sensitive and naturally comfortable working across multiple international markets and cultures.
• High levels of integrity and confidentiality.
• Mission driven, committed and aligned to Relevent’s values.
• Trusted advisor with a reputation for discretion and sound judgment in sensitive matters.
• Ability to influence and collaborate.

What Relevent Offer

• A high-impact leadership role at the forefront of one of the most prestigious sports properties in the world.
• Working with a dynamic team of industry experts in a fast-paced, high-impact environment.  
• Competitive compensation package.