diff --git a/jws/jws.go b/jws/jws.go
index 6b86a3e..e300001 100644
--- a/jws/jws.go
+++ b/jws/jws.go
@@ -119,8 +119,11 @@
 	return c, err
 }
 
-// Encode encodes a signed JWS with provided header and claim set.
-func Encode(header *Header, c *ClaimSet, signature *rsa.PrivateKey) (string, error) {
+// Signer returns a signature for the given data.
+type Signer func(data []byte) (sig []byte, err error)
+
+// EncodeWithSigner encodes a header and claim set with the provided signer.
+func EncodeWithSigner(header *Header, c *ClaimSet, sg Signer) (string, error) {
 	head, err := header.encode()
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
@@ -130,14 +133,22 @@
 		return "", err
 	}
 	ss := fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", head, cs)
-	h := sha256.New()
-	h.Write([]byte(ss))
-	b, err := rsa.SignPKCS1v15(rand.Reader, signature, crypto.SHA256, h.Sum(nil))
+	sig, err := sg([]byte(ss))
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
-	sig := base64Encode(b)
-	return fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", ss, sig), nil
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", ss, base64Encode(sig)), nil
+}
+
+// Encode encodes a signed JWS with provided header and claim set.
+// This invokes EncodeWithSigner using crypto/rsa.SignPKCS1v15 with the given RSA private key.
+func Encode(header *Header, c *ClaimSet, key *rsa.PrivateKey) (string, error) {
+	sg := func(data []byte) (sig []byte, err error) {
+		h := sha256.New()
+		h.Write([]byte(data))
+		return rsa.SignPKCS1v15(rand.Reader, key, crypto.SHA256, h.Sum(nil))
+	}
+	return EncodeWithSigner(header, c, sg)
 }
 
 // base64Encode returns and Base64url encoded version of the input string with any