Free and Open Source Software Licensing SME CGEMJP

Role Title: Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) Licensing SME

Duration: contract to run until 30/11/2026

Location: Sheffield, Hybrid 3 days per week onsite

Rate: up to £529 p/d Umbrella inside IR35

Role purpose/summary

Bank is seeking a Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) Licensing Subject Matter Expert (SME) to support the definition, enhancement, and ongoing governance of policies, processes, and controls related to the consumption and contribution of open source software across the organisation.

This role sits within the Engineering Practice team in the Client's Technology CTO function and requires close collaboration with engineering teams as well as the client's Legal. The successful candidate will bring strong expertise in open source licensing, copyright considerations, and regulatory implications within a controlled financial services environment.

The role is suited to a self starter who can operate independently, manage competing priorities, and deliver high quality outcomes under tight deadlines.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess and clearly communicate the implications of FOSS licenses (including copyright, modification, and distribution) to engineering teams
• Support training and awareness initiatives across engineering teams on FOSS licensing implications
• Categorise and assess licenses not recognised by automated tooling into the Client's defined categories (Liberal, Permissible, Weak Copyleft, Copyleft, Banned)
• Review the Client's existing treatment of open source licenses and recommend improvements, exceptions, or conditional usage approaches
• Contribute to the selection, assessment, and continuous improvement of automated license evaluation tooling
• Act as a liaison between Engineering, Legal, and Risk stakeholders to ensure compliant and scalable adoption of open source software

Required Skills & Experience

Essential

• Post graduate experience in copyright law or contract law
• Strong interest in and practical exposure to software development
• Hands on experience with open source software, either from a usage or contribution standpoint
• Prior experience working within a regulated or controlled environment (eg financial services, risk, compliance)
• Excellent attention to detail, organisation, and stakeholder communication skills

Desirable

• Formal legal training with a focus on copyright or software licensing
• Exposure to DevSecOps practices
• Experience working in an Agile delivery environment
• Experience with FOSS compliance and evaluation tooling (eg Nexus IQ Server, Black Duck, or equivalent)

All profiles will be reviewed against the required skills and experience. Due to the high number of applications we will only be able to respond to successful applicants in the first instance. We thank you for your interest and the time taken to apply!