Senior Legal Counsel

Senior Legal Counsel

£70-£80k FTE DOE

Part time (3 days per week - 2 on-site with 1 from home)

Mid Devon (close to the M5)

About the company

Our client is an established and admired B2B supplier with a national reach, which is known for its focus on quality, customer service and reliability. Driven by their values, this highly successful company has gone from strength to strength over several decades, and is now one of the leading companies in its sector. The company employs around 300 people, and has invested thoughtfully to create a welcoming and enjoyable on-site environment where colleagues feel motivated, valued and appreciated.

About the role

This newly created role will bring responsibility for all legal matters in-house, ensuring legal compliance across all areas of business operations whilst providing strategic legal advice to support business objectives. You will have the opportunity to shape and lead the legal function in-house, which is fully supported and endorsed by the Executive Board, with the role reporting to the Chief Financial Officer. Working part-time across 3 days with two days being based in on-site (close to the M5 in Mid Devon), you will be balancing a varied workload of legal, compliance and business regulatory matters. Administrative resource will be made available where needed and the business appreciates that over time, the team may need to grow as demand increases.

Primary responsibilities include:

Commercial Contracts:

• Providing support to business stakeholders to review, draft and negotiate contracts and agreements with suppliers, customers, partners and other third parties. This activity is essential in order to safeguard the company's interests whilst ensuring compliance with legal requirements and company policies.
• Maintaining and updating the contracts database to ensure accuracy and accessibility of contract information.

Data Privacy & Intellectual Property:

• Ensuring full compliance with GDPR regulations. Implementing and maintaining data protection policies and procedures.
• Protecting the organization's Intellectual Property rights through application of relevant trademarks, copyrights, patents and trade secrets law. This includes conducting IP audits, filing applications for protection, and enforcing IP rights against infringement.

Company Secretarial:

• Liaising with external partners to manage all company secretarial duties including filings, registrations, and compliance with statutory requirements.
• Preparing and maintaining accurate board meeting minutes, and assisting with the preparation of dividend documentation as required.

Employment Law:

• Working closely with HR colleagues to provide appropriate and timely legal guidance and support on employment law matters. This may involve assisting in resolving employment related disputes and advising on workforce issues as and when they arise.

Regulatory:

• Monitoring regulatory developments relevant to the organisation's industry and advising on regulatory compliance. This may involve interacting with regulatory agencies and ensuring that the organisation adheres to regulatory requirements.

Other:

• General Insurance Programme Management: Overseeing the company’s general insurance policy renewal and claims management.
• Risk Management Framework: Facilitating the rolling company risk management approach through working with business stakeholders to identify and appropriately mitigate key risks. Providing appropriate Board governance & reporting.
• Business Continuity Plan: Maintaining and updating the Company business continuity plan to ensure resilience and preparedness.
• General Policy & Compliance Ownership & Governance: Maintaining company policies to ensure compliance with legal & agreed governance standards. Establishing and maintaining governance frameworks for policy communication and adherence.
• Training and Education: Providing legal training and education to employees to ensure awareness of legal risks and compliance obligations.
• Ad-hoc Activities: Undertaking various legal and compliance-related tasks as required by the business.

What we’re looking for

Our client is seeking an experienced Commercial Lawyer with at least five years’ post-qualification experience in the UK. You might be working within private practice or already in an in-house counsel or similar business-based legal role. Stepping into an entirely new role, your ability to develop positive relationship with key stakeholders across the business, and with external partners, will be crucial. The company has a strongly collaborative and open culture and you will have access to and support from the Board and leadership team when you need it, as you familiarise yourself with the business, its priorities and preferences. You will be warmly welcomed as an important addition to the leadership of the company, and can expect to see the impact of your work over a short period of time.

It's essential that you are a confident Commercial Lawyer who can work independently and advise on a variety of matters when needed. Given the breadth of this role, you will be accustomed to working flexibly, responding to changing priorities and demands from different parts of the business, and frequently assessing where your time is most effectively spent.

You will have proven technical knowledge of:

• Procurement and supply chain contracts, including negotiation and management
• Company secretarial practices and statutory compliance requirements
• GDPR regulations and data protection practices

Given the nature of the role, you will work closely with HR colleagues on matters relating to employment, providing practical and informed advice when they need it. You will be able to demonstrate expertise in a commercial environment, showing your understanding of commercial decision making and risk management. You will thrive in an environment where variety and collaboration is the norm, and possess excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.

Being an effective communicator, you listen and absorb information readily and are accustomed to considering and providing appropriate advice in reasonable timescales. You will be positioned to advise and influence stakeholders at all levels and enjoy researching aspects which will be new to you.

It’s beneficial (but not essential) for you to have gained experience in:

• Managing general insurance programmes and employment law matters
• Employment law matters
• Working as part of a sales & distribution business environment

Benefits include

• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays
• Free on-site parking
• Hybrid working
• Private Healthcare Assurance, with Employee Assistance Programme and access to Remote GP
• Life assurance
• Contributory company pension
• Enhanced sick pay (post probation)

The company also supports their workforce with:

• Mental Health First Aid Team
• Wellness initiatives
• Subsidised on-site restaurant
• EV car charging scheme
• Free Wi-Fi
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee referral scheme
• Free tea and coffee facilities
• Free work events including a summer family BBQ, sports day and Christmas party

Find Out More…

If you would like to find out more information in confidence and without commitment, please contact Charlotte Ferguson, Recruitment Manager on 01392 712003 or 07342 840879 or via email at cferguson@cathedralappointments.co.uk