Salary: £155,000–£174,000 plus up to 15% Performance Related Pay (PRP), capped at £25,000

Location: Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridgeshire and Euston, London (hybrid)

The Health Data Research Service (HDRS) has been created to transform how health and care data is accessed for research across the UK. Backed by up to £600 million of investment from the UK Government and Wellcome, HDRS will provide a secure, trusted single access point to national-scale health data, accelerating medical breakthroughs, improving patient outcomes and strengthening the UK's position as a global leader in life sciences and health research. 

Operating across all four UK nations, HDRS brings together government, the NHS, researchers, industry and patients to create a more joined-up, secure and efficient health data ecosystem. Public trust, security and collaboration sit at the heart of everything it does.

As a government-owned company operating across all four UK nations, HDRS combines public purpose with commercial ambition. It is now seeking an exceptional General Counsel, Company Secretary & Data Protection Officer to help establish the legal, governance and compliance foundations of the organisation.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, this is a pivotal executive leadership role, providing strategic legal advice to the Executive Team and Board whilst leading all legal, governance, company secretarial and data protection functions. You will play a central role in enabling HDRS to achieve its ambitions, ensuring the organisation operates with the highest standards of integrity, accountability and public trust, while supporting innovation and growth.

This is a rare opportunity to shape a nationally significant organisation from its inception. You will establish the legal frameworks, governance arrangements and compliance culture that will underpin HDRS's success, advising on complex issues including data access and sharing, commercial partnerships, intellectual property, corporate governance, ethics and regulatory engagement.

We are seeking an accomplished legal leader with experience as a General Counsel, Head of Legal or equivalent within a complex organisation. You will bring broad expertise across commercial law, governance and UK data protection, together with experience of advising Boards and Executive Teams on strategic legal and regulatory matters. You will be a trusted adviser, combining sound judgement with commercial pragmatism, and will be comfortable balancing robust governance with organisational pace and ambition. Experience within healthcare, research, life sciences or another knowledge-intensive sector would be advantageous.

Above all, you will be a collaborative, values-driven leader with the credibility, integrity and judgement to help build one of the UK's most important new public institutions.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to the HDRS on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit roles.saxbam.com using reference GCAYD. Alternatively email belinda.beck@saxbam.com. Applications should be received 12 noon on Monday 24^th August 2026.