What you will be doing
as Senior Legal Counsel (Environmental)
1. Responsible for managing complex and material environmental enforcement proceedings and litigation and regulatory issues either in house or in conjunction with external legal providers, extending to high court litigation and/or disputes and regulatory investigations.
2. Ensure the quality of advice and service
3. Setting and working within budgetary constraints.
4. Ensure appropriate and adequate reporting of material matters at an Executive and Board level.
5. Responsible for managing, supporting and promoting good corporate governance, as far as this relates to environmental legal compliance
6. Interface with regulators on matters relating to environmental compliance
7. Report to the Director of Legal (Environmental) or other parts of the business on all aspects of environmental legal compliance, material projects/matters and litigation risk
8. Responsible for the management of external Legal Service Provider and panel law firms when providing environmental legal support, and for a significant external legal spend.
Location - Hybrid, Reading
36 Hours a week
What you should bring to the role?
To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need are:
9. You will be a Qualified Solicitor or Barrister in England & Wales (or qualified overseas solicitor in a recognised jurisdiction) with extensive post-qualification experience with expertise of providing environmental legal advice within a regulated environment and within agreed budgetary and timing constraints.
10. Experience of working in a fast-paced environment working on complex matters and/or projects.
11. Good/advanced IT aptitude; be proficient in Office products.
12. Experience of or proven aptitude to effectively manage and work well within a team (whether internal or external) and significant experience in the management and supervision of external legal providers from a performance/budgetary perspective is desirable.
13. A resilient self-starter and team player with the confidence to operate in a rapidly changing and fast paced environment at management level, with regular Executive level exposure.
Must able to demonstrate:-
14. Commercial acumen and awareness of internal and external impacts;
15. Ability to prioritise changing demands and demonstrate resilience under pressure;
16. Willingness to accept responsibility and to ensure Legal Service Provider and panel law firm delivery of key outputs and projects;
17. Strong decision-making based on analysis, risk assessment and sound judgement;
18. Subject matter expertise in environmental law;
19. An understanding of the relationship between corporate governance and environmental compliance risk;
20. Ability to manage issues in short and medium term, and ability to relate to longer term goals;
21. Ability to work closely with external law firms and be trusted to become a senior, integral part of the team;
22. Ability to interface with regulatory agencies, Ofwat and the Environment Agency
23. Strong ability to engage and influence teams (both within and outside the Legal Department);
24. Sound, senior experience working on in-house matters in a regulated environment, enforcement, major projects, developments, property, and/or transactional experience; and
25. Experience of risk management and legal compliance reporting, including managing and reporting material and commercial risks.
What's in it for you?
This is a challenging, high profile opportunity, joining a company going through a positive turnaround plan, working within a dedicated, talented and supportive team.
26. Competitive salary
27. Car Allowance - £5,800.
28. Private Health Insurance.
29. Performance-related pay plan: directly linked to both company and individual performance
30. Annual Leave: 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service. (Plus bank holidays)
31. Contributory pension – Defined Contribution - Maximum of 12% -2x employee contribution.
32. Personal Medical Assessments – Open to all once a year.
33. Wider benefits scheme including our benefits hub, which is packed full of offers and information to save you money and support your wellbeing.