Senior Commercial Lawyer - #1672752

• Senior Commercial Lawyer |Solicitor | Barrister


• Perm


• Reading or Leamington Spa | Hybrid (3 days per week onsite)

Are you a UK-qualified lawyer with a talent for commercial contracts including construction standard forms? Whether you're from an in-house or private practice background, we want you to bring your expertise to our dynamic commercial legal team, working closely with our In-Building Solutions and Procurement teams. You will be at the forefront of reviewing, drafting, and negotiating tender documents, contracts, and other crucial legal documents, including supplier/vendor agreements, licensing agreements, and services and maintenance agreements.

You will play a pivotal role in supporting our mission to connect every corner of the UK. If you're a qualified solicitor or barrister passionate about reducing digital inequality and driving forward 21st-century communications infrastructure, we want to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities

The postholder will be responsible for providing legal services and commercially focused legal advice to various internal teams, primarily the In-Building Solutions team as well as the Procurement team and Senior Management. Significant areas of practice will include the following:

• Acting as business partner for the In-Building Solutions commercial and operations teams, building strong relationships, implementing effective ways of working to analyse and manage risk effectively while supporting the business to achieve sales targets and timelines.


• Leading and being accountable for customer negotiations on design and build, installation and services and maintenance contracts, as well as concession agreements and negotiations with mobile network operators/ other communications providers, often involving competing priorities within tight deadlines.


• Advising on public procurement tenders and framework agreements with channel partners.


• Maintaining a comprehensive knowledge of relevant legislation and regulation as it applies to the organisation and to contracts with third parties, including security (notably the Telecommunications Security Act), data protection and compliance issues, ensuring contracts comply with UK data protection legislation and policies.


• Maintaining and developing standard templates, playbook, and clear guidance, primarily for the In-Building Solutions business area, to empower the business teams to pursue sales opportunities.


• Supervising the work of more junior members of the Commercial Legal team, overseeing complex matters as required, and providing coaching and development.


• Providing strategic and proactive legal advice to Board directors and Executive Committee on contractual risks, working with and influencing senior stakeholders and teams across the business on managing and mitigating risks.


• Proactively understanding and keeping up to date with market trends; relevant technology; growth opportunities; and competition environment, fostering relevant external relationships.


• Accountable for identifying and implementing relevant process improvements within the legal team and across the organisation; developing and refining precedent documents; and delivering relevant training to internal colleagues.

Experience

• Lawyer qualified to practise in England & Wales


• Likely 10+ PQE


• Able to manage a full portfolio of matters, including organising and providing high level reporting on progress, effectively prioritising based on risk and reward, and adaptable to changing priorities


• Able to work proactively and independently with sales and delivery teams, Executive team, external lawyers and advisors, escalating decisions to Head of Legal where required


• Demonstrates drive and enthusiasm to pursue matters to completion, working across business and support teams


• Substantial experience of construction contracts (NEC3, NEC4, JCT)


• Substantial experience of customer and supply contracts such as framework agreements with call-off structures, master services agreements, services agreements


• Demonstrable experience of and interest in understanding products and services in a technology/ B2B environment


• Experience of procurement contracting working on standard and non-standard terms


• Good working knowledge of public procurement rules or demonstrable experience of working in a regulated sector and interest in developing public procurement knowledge