Location: Sunderland (Hybrid – 3 days in office)
Contract: FTC (10 months initially, maternity cover)
Start date: Mid-April to ensure thorough handover
Reports to: Group General Counsel & Company Secretary
Salary: Competitive salary along with bonus eligibility
Direct reports: 3
About the Organisation
We are partnered with a major European transport organisation operating across 10 European countries and delivering millions of passenger journeys each year. With a dynamic shareholder, an ambitious growth agenda and significant upcoming corporate activity, this is a pivotal moment to join the business.
This maternity cover role sits at the centre of the Corporate Centre, reporting directly into the General Counsel and Company Secretary and working closely with a high‑calibre, sophisticated board. It offers exceptional exposure to senior leadership and strategic decision‑making.
The Role (Maternity Cover)
Leadership of the Legal & Secretariat Function
Lead, develop and mentor a team of legal and company secretarial professionals.
Foster a culture of operational excellence, best‑practice governance and strong risk management.
Provide visible, people‑focused leadership within a highly engaged team.
Corporate Centre Legal & Strategic Advisory
Advise senior leaders on complex corporate, commercial, regulatory and strategic matters.
Support key initiatives including group reorganisations, technology transformations, refinancing, funding arrangements, general treasury support and intragroup lending.
Lead contractual execution for major Corporate Centre projects including framework agreements, IP and IT.
Manage external counsel and engage effectively with senior stakeholders across the business and shareholder representatives.
Governance & Company Secretariat
Oversee governance, board administration and statutory compliance for the organisation's top‑tier board and its committees, and the Corporate Centre's funding and operational entities.
Oversee governance for the organisation's Executive Management Committee led by the CEO.
Serve as the senior governance conduit for the shareholder, including managing KYC and UBO requirements.
Ensure compliance with legal obligations, regulatory filings and maintenance of corporate records.
Close Partnership with a High‑Performing Board
This role provides substantial exposure to a sophisticated, internationally experienced board. You will work closely with the Executive Chair, CEO, senior executives and support independent non‑executive directors with backgrounds across major global transport, infrastructure and financial institutions.
Technology, Strategy & Continuous Improvement
Support enhancements to legal and governance technology and reporting.
Contribute to succession planning and continuous improvement across the wider legal function.
About You
Experience & Expertise
Qualified lawyer with at least 10 years' PQE.
Strong in‑house experience supported by a solid private practice background.
Experience handling complex, multi‑entity, multinational corporate or commercial matters.
Leadership & Personal Attributes
Proven team leadership experience.
Confident, resilient and able to challenge appropriately.
Excellent communicator with strong stakeholder management skills.
Pragmatic, commercially minded and collaborative.