Senior Legal Counsel

Senior Legal Counsel (Construction & Commercial)

£100,000 - £110,000

Manchester or Leeds (hybrid working)

Permanent, Full time

Sellick Partnership is partnered with a leading UK infrastructure and engineering business to recruit a Senior Legal Counsel.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a growing in-house legal function and work closely with the General Counsel across a broad range of construction, engineering and commercial matters.

The successful candidate will work closely with commercial and operational stakeholders, providing pragmatic legal advice throughout the contract lifecycle, from tender and procurement through to delivery and dispute avoidance. The role will also provide exposure to contentious matters, legal risk and the ongoing development of the wider legal function.

About the Role:

A growing UK-based infrastructure and services business is strengthening its in-house legal capability and is looking to appoint a key legal hire to work closely with the General Counsel.

This is a broad and commercially focused position, offering the opportunity to take significant ownership across construction, engineering and commercial matters, while also contributing to the development of the organisation's wider legal, governance and risk framework.

The role will involve working closely with commercial and operational stakeholders, providing practical advice throughout the contract lifecycle and supporting the business on contentious matters where required.

The position would ideally suit an experienced in-house lawyer who is comfortable operating autonomously and working closely with senior stakeholders. Applications will also be considered from private practice lawyers with strong, transferable construction and commercial experience who are looking to make the move in-house.

Key Responsibilities:

• Advise on construction and commercial contracts throughout their lifecycle, from tenders and procurement through to delivery, variations and termination.
• Draft, review and negotiate a range of construction and engineering agreements, including NEC, JCT and bespoke contracts
• Advise commercial and operational teams on contractual risk, liability, risk allocation and practical routes to resolution.
• Identify potential disputes at an early stage and work with internal stakeholders to minimise escalation wherever possible.
• Support disputes and alternative dispute resolution, including adjudication, mediation and commercial negotiations.
• Provide guidance and training to operational and commercial teams on contractual issues and recurring areas of risk.
• Develop and improve legal precedents, playbooks, guidance and standard contractual approaches.
• Support effective contract management, including execution, approvals, records, delegated authorities and governance requirements.
• Work with stakeholders to improve contract administration and reduce legal and commercial exposure.
• Contribute to the development of legal processes, systems and reporting across the wider business.
• Maintain appropriate records and audit trails relating to contracts, disputes and legal matters.
• Provide senior stakeholders with clear updates on legal risks, disputes and potential financial exposure.

About You:

We are looking for a commercially minded solicitor with strong experience across construction law, commercial contracts and/or disputes.

You will ideally have:

• 6+ years' PQE, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Previous in-house legal experience, ideally within a construction, infrastructure, engineering, utilities or related environment.
• Strong experience advising on construction and engineering contracts.
• Experience working with NEC, JCT and/or other standard form and bespoke agreements.
• Experience handling or supporting contentious contractual matters.
• Strong drafting, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• The ability to provide clear, practical and commercially focused advice.
• The confidence to operate independently and take ownership of matters.
• A pragmatic approach, with an understanding of the commercial realities of a fast-moving operational business.

What's on Offer:

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Discretionary bonus opportunity
• 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays
• Flexible/hybrid working arrangements
• Free on-site parking
• Company pension

How to Apply:

To apply for the Senior Legal Counsel role, please contact David Scott at Sellick Partnership. Alternatively, apply via the website now and a consultant will be in touch

Sellick Partnership is proud to be an inclusive and accessible recruitment business and we support applications from candidates of all backgrounds and circumstances. Please note, our advertisements use years' experience, hourly rates, and salary levels purely as a guide and we assess applications based on the experience and skills evidenced on the CV. For information on how your personal details may be used by Sellick Partnership, please review our data processing notice on our website.