Lead Counsel - E-Commerce, Ops & Marketing

Responsibilities

The Team We are seeking a senior-level UK or EU-qualified lawyer to lead the Ops & Marketing legal team for EMEA within our Global Ecommerce legal function and support our rapidly expanding e-commerce business. The Global Ecommerce legal team provides strategic and operational legal guidance across TikTok's e-commerce business, supporting multiple markets across EMEA - currently spanning the UK, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Austria, Greece, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Netherlands, Belgium. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a dynamic, high-growth environment where legal expertise directly influences the success of a fast-scaling business. The Role We are looking for an accomplished legal leader with deep, on-the-ground experience advising e-commerce or technology businesses. In this role, you will oversee the EMEA Ops & Marketing legal team supporting multiple markets across the region, drawing on first-hand experience navigating the regulatory landscape and advising digital commerce platforms on compliance, commercial, and operational matters across EMEA. In this course, you will have an opportunity to work with other team members and cross function key stakeholders on the global level. Your expertise will be instrumental in helping TikTok's e-commerce business grow while ensuring adherence to UK, Europe and broader EMEA legal frameworks. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced, high-performance environment that demands sound judgment, agility, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and jurisdictions simultaneously. You will bring a proactive approach, strong ownership, and the ability to anticipate legal challenges while advancing business objectives. This role will be based in London. Responsibilities You will lead a team committed to delivering pragmatic legal solutions that empower the business. Your responsibilities will include: - Leading the Ops & Marketing regional legal team supporting TikTok's e-commerce operations across multiple EMEA markets -currently the UK, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Austria, Greece, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands, and Belgium - and overseeing the full range of commercial and operational legal matters, including transactions, advertising, product enablement, vendor engagement, marketing clearance, user operations, third-party disputes, and regulatory inquiries. - Drafting, negotiating, and managing commercial agreements for digital and e-commerce platforms, including partnerships with merchants, creators, and advertisers, and reviewing consumer- and business-facing disclosures, policies, and terms to ensure regulatory compliance. - Driving compliant market launches and expansion, including localising core contract templates and policy frameworks, enabling merchant and creator incentive programmes, and negotiating global key account partnerships that support strategic sellers and drive strong annual revenue growth. - Building scalable legal and contracting infrastructure, including self-service resources for routine contracting, structured triage frameworks that deliver executive-ready risk assessments, and repeatable market-entry playbooks. - Providing proactive posture to defend business by monitoring e-commerce related regulatory development and translating complex EU and national regulation into practical commercial guidance and advising on major initiatives such as cross-border selling models, IP and data acquisition strategies, pricing and commission structures, creator compliance tools, seasonal campaigns, gamified commerce features, and merchant management programmes.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: - Strong academic background with legal qualifications in a major UK or EU market. - Extensive legal practice experience, including substantial experience advising e-commerce businesses operating in EMEA. - In-depth knowledge of UK and EU laws governing digital platforms, retail, and e-commerce, including platform liability, consumer protection, advertising, marketing and intellectual property. - Significant experience drafting and negotiating commercial agreements across the retail, creative, and advertising industries. - Demonstrated ability to lead legal teams and manage end-to-end commercial projects across multiple jurisdictions in a high-growth environment. - Strong documentation, presentation, and communication skills, with professional fluency in English, with the ability to simplify complex legal concepts for business stakeholders. - Ability to manage multiple projects independently in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Preferred Qualifications: - In-house experience in an international, matrixed organisation. - Experience engaging with regulatory bodies, industry associations, or broader compliance initiatives relevant to e-commerce in EMEA. - Understanding of the evolving regulatory landscape for digital commerce and online marketplaces across EMEA.

Job Information