Job Description: Senior Legal Advisor Location: Belfast (Hybrid) Department: Legal & Regulatory Affairs Overview MCS are delighted to partner with a public sector regulatory body who are seeking a skilled and forward-thinking Senior Legal Counsel to join their Legal & Regulatory Affairs team. This is a vital, high-impact role, providing expert legal advice across a wide range of matters tied to statutory obligations, governance, and regulation in the energy, utilities and water sectors. Reporting directly to the Head of Legal, the successful candidate will play a pivotal part in enabling regulatory compliance, managing legal risks, and supporting strategic decision-making within the organisation. Key Responsibilities Legal Advice & Risk Management Deliver prompt, clear and pragmatic legal advice to internal stakeholders across various directorates. Advise on statutory functions, regulatory enforcement, corporate governance, and administrative law. Offer support on licensing frameworks, dispute resolution, and litigation strategies. Interpret domestic and international legislation (including EU-related developments) and advise on operational implementation. Strategic Legal Support Contribute to the formulation and execution of the organisation's legal strategy. Work with senior leadership, including the Chief Executive, to identify and mitigate emerging legal challenges. Oversee or assist in drafting and amending key regulatory documents, including licences and legal frameworks. Proactively assess legal risks and propose solutions that balance risk, compliance, and strategic objectives. Stakeholder Engagement Liaise with external legal providers, government departments, and partner regulators. Support engagement with legal panels and manage outsourced legal work to ensure quality and cost-efficiency. Build collaborative relationships with key internal and external stakeholders on complex regulatory matters. Operational Support Support compliance and enforcement activities, including investigations and regulatory interventions. Conduct legal research and contribute to legal knowledge-sharing across teams. Monitor developments in relevant legal areas and update policies and processes accordingly. Provide mentoring and leadership within the legal team and wider department. Essential Criteria Qualified solicitor or barrister entitled to practise in Northern Ireland (or equivalent jurisdiction). Demonstrated post-qualification experience in administrative, regulatory, or public law, ideally in a public sector, energy, utilities or similar regulatory environment. Excellent legal drafting and analytical skills. Experience in advising at senior level and influencing strategic decisions. Ability to manage a varied and dynamic caseload under pressure. Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to explain complex legal concepts clearly. Desirable Attributes Knowledge of competition law and consumer protection frameworks. Experience in managing external legal counsel. Familiarity with governance frameworks in a public body or regulator. Experience leading or contributing to legal strategy and reform. What's on Offer Competitive Salary Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) pension scheme. 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 after two years), plus 12 public and privilege holidays. Hybrid model with a Belfast HQ base. Strong focus on professional growth and ongoing legal education. How to Apply To speak in absolute confidence about this opportunity, please send an up-to-date CV via the link provided or contact Samuel Neilly, Legal Recruitment Specialist at MCS Group, on Not all agencies are the sameMCS Group is passionate about providing a first-class service to all our customers and has an independent review rating of 4.9 stars on Google. Even if this position isn't right for you, we may have others that are. Please visit MCS Group to view a wide selection of our current. Skills: Regulatory Energy Advisor