Overview
Are you a legal expert looking for a role where your advice directly shapes critical infrastructure? Do you want to move away from the churn of external practice and become a valued, strategic partner within a dedicated, friendly in‑house legal team? You have knowledge of NEC contracts and their use within infrastructure. You’ll join us as Construction Lawyer to be the dedicated legal lead for our engineering and infrastructure development.
We are gearing up for a massive increase in our capital delivery, driven by a bold business plan of £1.9 billion over the next five years. As we mainly utilise NEC contracts, previous experience and knowledge is key; this is a unique opportunity to apply your technical expertise to complex, large‑scale water projects that will serve our community for generations.
Main responsibilities
* Draft, review, negotiate and advise on NEC construction contract documents from pre‑tender stage to completion, and advise on contractual issues or disputes during the life of the contract, working closely with Construction, Engineering and Procurement teams.
* Provide early support to Engineering teams in relation to contract administration and compensation event management and final account negotiations with a view to reducing or resolving contract disputes.
* Manage all aspects of formal adjudication, preparing claims/responses, instructing expert witnesses, and liaising with external counsel.
* Ensure the company's contractual positions are robust, legally sound, and strategically aligned with project delivery objectives, with a specialised focus on the intricacies of the New Engineering Contract (NEC) suite.
* Produce precedents, update standard company Z clauses and provide guidance documents and updates to the Engineering team.
* When amicable resolution is not possible, manage and execute formal dispute proceedings.
* Support the Head of Legal as may be required.
Skills, qualifications and experience
* A legal professional qualification.
* Experience in drafting, negotiating and reviewing construction contracts.
* Provide advice from inception and on disputes and end‑of‑contract claims.
* Ability to operate with limited supervision, managing a substantial workload and prioritising effectively in a fast‑paced project environment.
* Self‑motivated, committed and organised.
Benefits package
* Excellent stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.
* 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.
* Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.
* Paid volunteering days.
* Cycle‑to‑work scheme.
* Health cash plan.
* Life assurance.
* Well‑being related benefits.
Recruitment information
* To apply for this position, please submit your CV on our careers website.
* It is necessary to have the legal right to work in the UK when you begin employment with South East Water.
* As part of the employment offer, you will need to pass background, identity and employment referencing checks.
Compensation package
Market Rate
Equal Opportunities
We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity, not similarity. That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity. You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.
Recruitment Notice
South East Water kindly asks that recruitment agencies refrain from submitting CVs to our employees or associates without explicit invitation from our HR Resourcing team. CVs sent on a speculative basis will not be acknowledged and will not assume any responsibility for fees or commissions in the event that we hire a candidate who applied directly or subsequently introduced by an instructed agency.
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