At Manchester United, we believe that excellence on the pitch starts with excellence off the pitch. Our team thrives in a high-performance environment, united by a shared passion for success. We aim to elevate the standard of performance through collaboration and continuous growth, creating a space where everyone can contribute their best to our common goals.
We work together at our iconic Manchester United offices, enabling connection and innovation as we look ahead to what we can achieve as a global football club. We are excited to bring in passionate people who share our vision and drive for success.
Key Responsibilities
To provide commercially focused legal advice and support to Manchester United’s football and commercial operations, supporting the delivery of the Club’s objectives through effective legal assistance on key commercial transactions, football matters and wider business initiatives.
As part of the Football & Commercial Legal team, the successful candidate will assist with a broad range of projects and transactions across the Club’s football and commercial functions, working closely with internal stakeholders to provide practical legal support that balances legal risk with commercial and operational considerations.
- Drafting, negotiating and advising on a broad range of commercial agreements supporting Manchester United’s global business, including:
o Sponsorship and commercial partnership agreements;
o Media, broadcasting and content distribution agreements;
o Merchandise, retail and product licensing agreements; and
o Agreements relating to tours, friendly matches and other events.
- Drafting, negotiating and advising on football-related matters across the men’s, women’s and academy teams, including:
o Playing contracts and image rights agreements;
o Domestic and international transfers and loan transactions;
o Academy recruitment matters; and
o Football regulatory matters.
- Providing pragmatic, commercially focused legal advice to stakeholders across the Club’s commercial, media, retail and football functions
- Building strong relationships with stakeholders across football and commercial functions and acting as a trusted adviser to the business.
- Supporting the development of in-house expertise and knowledge and training programmes.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
Essential Skills and Experience:
- Strong experience of drafting, negotiating and advising on commercial contracts, including sponsorship, licensing, media or other similar complex commercial arrangements.
- Sound understanding of non-contentious intellectual property matters.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to excellence.
- Ability to prioritise competing demands, manage a varied workload and deliver high-quality advice under time pressure.
Desirable Skills and Experience:
- An understanding of the commercial and regulatory environment of professional football.
- Experience of media and content distribution agreements.
The successful candidate must be able to:
- Build strong relationships across the Club and establish credibility as a trusted adviser, able to influence stakeholders and inspire confidence.
- Work both independently and as part of a team, providing technically sound and commercially focused legal advice.
- Exercise sound judgement and balance legal, commercial, operational and reputational considerations when advising stakeholders.
- Be committed, service-oriented, and flexible, with the capability to manage multiple workstreams under tight deadlines.
- Communicate effectively, explaining legal principles in clear, straightforward terms.
- Balance accurate legal advice with practical, commercially focused solutions, maintaining composure under pressure and tight deadlines, and when working on matters which may have a significant media profile and time pressures.
- Be motivated by the opportunity to work within one of the world’s leading sports organisations.
What we offer
At Manchester United, we recognise that our people are at the heart of our success. That’s why we offer a range of rewards designed to support your professional and personal well-being:
- Annual Incentive Scheme to reward your dedication and hard work
- 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) and an opportunity to purchase additional holiday days
- Electric Vehicle scheme via Octopus and cycle to work scheme
- Health Cash Plan: Supporting you with your everyday healthcare needs
- Wellness Support with access to mental health resources, digital health checks, and & nutritionists through Aviva Digicare+ Workplace
- Exclusive Discounts through our United Rewards platform, giving you access to exclusive deals from the club and partners
- Gym Facilities in our onsite locations and opportunities for regular social events and team-building activities
- Enhanced family Leave Benefits and policies
- Enhanced Career Development with access to professional learning platforms like LinkedIn Learning, and internal training programs
- A Supportive Work Environment that values diversity, equity and inclusion, and individual growth
