Chief Counsel – UK, Ireland and South Africa

Aon; London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Aon is seeking a Chief Counsel for the UK, Ireland, and South Africa (UKISA) who will lead a team of lawyers and provide legal advice to the UK Executive team. This role is crucial in helping the business navigate legal challenges and achieve strategic goals, ensuring compliance and fostering a high-performance legal culture across various sectors in the organization.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package

Global Wellbeing Days

Flexible working style solutions

Qualifications

• Extensive experience (10+ years) in a legal function leadership role within the financial services industry.
• Deep understanding of the financial services industry and associated regulations.
• Proven ability to lead and influence senior leadership and business teams effectively.

Responsibilities

• Provide quality commercial legal support and risk management guidance.
• Collaborate with business leaders and legal teams to deliver integrated legal support.
• Proactively identify and manage legal risks in collaboration with business lines.
• Lead legal projects related to process improvement and risk mitigation.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Legal Risk Management

Communication

Strategic Thinking

Job description

Chief Counsel – UK, Ireland and South Africa

The Aon UK, Ireland and South Africa Chief Counsel (UKISA) is part of the UK Law and Compliance function, who reports through to the Global Law and Compliance function. The Chief Counsel – UKISA is responsible for leading our UKISA-based team of lawyers and reports into the Chief Counsel - EMEA.

Within the UK, the role will work closely with the Aon UK Executive team and the Board of Directors to provide vital strategic advice and support, helping to anticipate, identify and handle business and legal challenges, and help the business accomplish its strategic and financial goals. The role will also oversee Aon’s UKISA business in the same way.

Supporting all Aon’s businesses in the UKISA sub-region, spanning Human Capital and Risk Capital (Commercial Risk, Wealth, Health, Talent, Reinsurance and Data & Analytics Solutions), you will play a vital strategic, leadership role and therefore expect the individual to be able to lead, advise as well as work closely with all partners to effectively collaborate as one team including with global and regional counterparts and other subject matter and jurisdictional experts, helping to anticipate, identify and handle business and legal challenges for Aon’s UKISA business, and help the business accomplish its strategic and financial goals. You will be expected to be an active leader, fully involved in all work and collaborating to handle risk and support existing and innovative business solutions, enabling sustainable growth for Aon.

The role is a key member of the EMEA Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and the Law and Compliance function, collaborating closely with the EMEA Chief Counsel and other regional and global legal leaders.

Aon is in the business of better decisions

At Aon, we shape decisions for the better to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world.

As an organization, we are united through trust as one inclusive, diverse team, and we are passionate about helping our colleagues and clients succeed.

What the day will look like

Executive Management

Legal Strategy: The provision of quality commercial legal support and risk management guidance to our growing mix of businesses within our UKISA sub-region, ensuring compliance with all applicable corporate policies, laws and regulations.

Advice and Guidance:

• Collaborate with UKISA business leaders, subject matter experts, and global Law and Compliance peers and their teams to deliver integrated legal support. Provide support as and may be required from time to time within the EMEA Region as well as Globally.
• Proactively Identify and manage legal risks in collaboration with the business line and work with the business teams to assess and effectively manage the same.
• Where appropriate, liaise and manage outside counsel on various matters to ratify legal advice to ensure compliance with local laws and regulations.
• Lead or support legal projects related to process improvement, risk mitigation, and policy development.
• Collaborate across Aon to support functional initiatives and model Aon’s core values.

Governance:

• Attend local entity Boards and relevant Country Executive and Risk Committees, and serving as a trusted advisor to UKISA leadership, supporting growth strategies.
• Advise on sub-regional corporate governance, including board and committee structures and decision-making authority.

EMEA Senior Leadership Team:

• Active member of the EMEA SLT. Collaborate and leverage knowledge and content with other EMEA SLT members
• Represent the Law and Compliance function within the EMEA SLT and contribute to Regional legal strategy, to support global strategies within the Law and Compliance function.

Team Leadership and Development: Act in accordance with Aon Values to

• Lead and develop the UKISA legal team, fostering engagement and career development aligned with the Law and Compliance function’s operating model.
• Foster a high-performance culture with a focus on continuous improvement and professional development

Skills and experience that will lead to success

• Extensive experience (10+ years) in a legal function leadership role within the financial services industry.
• Deep understanding of the financial services industry and associated regulations, as well as experience cross sectors (pensions, investment, insurance broking, banking, etc.), operating practices and technology including MiFID and IDD regulated services.
• Proven ability to lead and influence senior leadership and business teams effectively.
• Must be comfortable challenging the status quo of the organization and senior colleagues.
• Dynamic and proactive bringing energy and enthusiasm to legal subjects.
• Excellent people engagement skills and experience of influencing a multi-disciplinary team of professionals.
• Excellent oral/written communication, planning, project management, networking and influencing skills.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities, with a history of successfully managing compliance and conduct risks in a complex, commercial environment.
• Excellent stakeholder management, relationship building and influencing skills at senior management level.
• Confidence and credibility to advise and influence to the organisation’s most senior management and non-executive directors.

How we support our colleagues

In addition to our comprehensive benefits package, we encourage a diverse workforce. Plus, our agile, inclusive environment allows you to manage your wellbeing and work/life balance, ensuring you can be your best self at Aon. Furthermore, all colleagues enjoy two “Global Wellbeing Days” each year, encouraging you to take time to focus on yourself. We offer a variety of working style solutions, but we also recognise that flexibility goes beyond just the place of work... and we are all for it. We call this Smart Working!

Our continuous learning culture inspires and equips you to learn, share and grow, helping you achieve your fullest potential. As a result, at Aon, you are more connected, more relevant, and more valued.

Aon values an innovative, diverse workplace where all colleagues feel empowered to be their authentic selves. Aon is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

Aon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran, marital, domestic partner status, or other legally protected status.

We welcome applications from all and provide individuals with disabilities with reasonable adjustments to participate in the job application, interview process and to perform essential job functions once onboard. If you would like to learn more about the reasonable accommodations we provide, email [e-mail]

#LI-KB3 2565591 Chief Counsel – UK, Ireland and South Africa

The Aon UK, Ireland and South Africa Chief Counsel (UKISA) is part of the UK Law and Compliance function, who reports through to the Global Law and Compliance function. The Chief Counsel – UKISA is responsible for leading our UKISA-based team of lawyers and reports into the Chief Counsel - EMEA.

Within the UK, the role will work closely with the Aon UK Executive team and the Board of Directors to provide vital strategic advice and support, helping to anticipate, identify and handle business and legal challenges, and help the business accomplish its strategic and financial goals. The role will also oversee Aon’s UKISA business in the same way.

Supporting all Aon’s businesses in the UKISA sub-region, spanning Human Capital and Risk Capital (Commercial Risk, Wealth, Health, Talent, Reinsurance and Data & Analytics Solutions), you will play a vital strategic, leadership role and therefore expect the individual to be able to lead, advise as well as work closely with all partners to effectively collaborate as one team including with global and regional counterparts and other subject matter and jurisdictional experts, helping to anticipate, identify and handle business and legal challenges for Aon’s UKISA business, and help the business accomplish its strategic and financial goals. You will be expected to be an active leader, fully involved in all work and collaborating to handle risk and support existing and innovative business solutions, enabling sustainable growth for Aon.

The role is a key member of the EMEA Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and the Law and Compliance function, collaborating closely with the EMEA Chief Counsel and other regional and global legal leaders.

Aon is in the business of better decisions

At Aon, we shape decisions for the better to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world.

As an organization, we are united through trust as one inclusive, diverse team, and we are passionate about helping our colleagues and clients succeed.

What the day will look like

Executive Management

Legal Strategy: The provision of quality commercial legal support and risk management guidance to our growing mix of businesses within our UKISA sub-region, ensuring compliance with all applicable corporate policies, laws and regulations.

Advice and Guidance:

• Collaborate with UKISA business leaders, subject matter experts, and global Law and Compliance peers and their teams to deliver integrated legal support. Provide support as and may be required from time to time within the EMEA Region as well as Globally.
• Proactively Identify and manage legal risks in collaboration with the business line and work with the business teams to assess and effectively manage the same.
• Where appropriate, liaise and manage outside counsel on various matters to ratify legal advice to ensure compliance with local laws and regulations.
• Lead or support legal projects related to process improvement, risk mitigation, and policy development.
• Collaborate across Aon to support functional initiatives and model Aon’s core values.

Governance:

• Attend local entity Boards and relevant Country Executive and Risk Committees, and serving as a trusted advisor to UKISA leadership, supporting growth strategies.
• Advise on sub-regional corporate governance, including board and committee structures and decision-making authority.

EMEA Senior Leadership Team:

• Active member of the EMEA SLT. Collaborate and leverage knowledge and content with other EMEA SLT members
• Represent the Law and Compliance function within the EMEA SLT and contribute to Regional legal strategy, to support global strategies within the Law and Compliance function.

Team Leadership and Development: Act in accordance with Aon Values to

• Lead and develop the UKISA legal team, fostering engagement and career development aligned with the Law and Compliance function’s operating model.
• Foster a high-performance culture with a focus on continuous improvement and professional development

Skills and experience that will lead to success

• Extensive experience (10+ years) in a legal function leadership role within the financial services industry.
• Deep understanding of the financial services industry and associated regulations, as well as experience cross sectors (pensions, investment, insurance broking, banking, etc.), operating practices and technology including MiFID and IDD regulated services.
• Proven ability to lead and influence senior leadership and business teams effectively.
• Must be comfortable challenging the status quo of the organization and senior colleagues.
• Dynamic and proactive bringing energy and enthusiasm to legal subjects.
• Excellent people engagement skills and experience of influencing a multi-disciplinary team of professionals.
• Excellent oral/written communication, planning, project management, networking and influencing skills.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities, with a history of successfully managing compliance and conduct risks in a complex, commercial environment.
• Excellent stakeholder management, relationship building and influencing skills at senior management level.
• Confidence and credibility to advise and influence to the organisation’s most senior management and non-executive directors.

How we support our colleagues

In addition to our comprehensive benefits package, we encourage a diverse workforce. Plus, our agile, inclusive environment allows you to manage your wellbeing and work/life balance, ensuring you can be your best self at Aon. Furthermore, all colleagues enjoy two “Global Wellbeing Days” each year, encouraging you to take time to focus on yourself. We offer a variety of working style solutions, but we also recognise that flexibility goes beyond just the place of work... and we are all for it. We call this Smart Working!

Our continuous learning culture inspires and equips you to learn, share and grow, helping you achieve your fullest potential. As a result, at Aon, you are more connected, more relevant, and more valued.

Aon values an innovative, diverse workplace where all colleagues feel empowered to be their authentic selves. Aon is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

Aon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran, marital, domestic partner status, or other legally protected status.

We welcome applications from all and provide individuals with disabilities with reasonable adjustments to participate in the job application, interview process and to perform essential job functions once onboard. If you would like to learn more about the reasonable accommodations we provide, email [e-mail]

#LI-KB3