Head of Legal - Corporate and Finance

Ocado Group; Hatfield; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Ocado Group is seeking a Head of Legal for Corporate and Finance to provide strategic legal counsel across corporate finance and M&A transactions. The ideal candidate should have a strong corporate background with at least 7 years PQE, excellent negotiation skills, and the ability to work closely with executive leadership. The role includes coaching junior team members and driving strategic decisions within the business.

Benefits

30 days ‘working from anywhere in the world’ policy

25 days annual leave, plus optional holiday purchase

Generous Private Medical Insurance

Pension scheme with employer contribution matching

Income Protection (up to 50% of salary for 3 years)

Life Assurance (3 x annual salary)

Free shuttle bus to Hatfield Train Station

15% discount on Ocado.com

Qualifications

• At least 7 years PQE in corporate law.
• Experience with complex M&A transactions.
• Strong ability to work with senior management.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of strategic legal advice for corporate finance and M&A.
• Supervise and develop junior Legal Counsel.
• Ensure corporate governance compliance.

Skills

Corporate Law

Mergers and Acquisitions

Corporate Finance

Negotiation

Education

Qualified solicitor or barrister

Strong academic credentials

Job description

Ocado Group is an equal opportunities employer and as such makes every effort to ensure that all potential employees are treated fairly and equally, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, age, or disability or union membership status.

About Us

Our teams are putting the world’s retailers online using the cloud, robotics, AI, and IoT. We provide services to partner clients globally via our innovative advanced robotics technology, known as the Ocado Smart Platform (OSP), this drives our highly automated, multi-million pound Customer Fulfilment Centres (CFCs). In our CFCs - together with the proprietary software applications - we operate a world-class online grocery business that automates the single pick of products, ready for your online delivery.

About The Role

The Head of Legal – Corporate and Finance will lead the delivery of strategic legal and commercial advice across the Ocado Group, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, capital markets, and other transactional matters—both in the UK and internationally. This role also includes the supervision and development of other Legal Counsel within the team.

The ideal candidate will provide high-quality, timely legal counsel on all aspects of corporate and finance law, playing a key role in shaping and executing the legal team’s strategic vision. A collaborative mindset is essential. The successful candidate will be expected to build strong, trusted partnerships across all levels of the organisation, including with executive leadership, to support Ocado’s continued and sustainable growth.

In addition, the role will provide critical support to the Associate General Counsel and may represent them in senior leadership and management forums—helping to drive strategic decisions and ensure legal considerations are embedded in the company’s broader business agenda.

Accountabilities

• Being a trusted strategic partner for key stakeholders across the business, including the CFO and other Executive Directors, and to be the go-to subject matter expert for all corporate and finance legal matters for Ocado Group.
• Proactively identifying legal changes that could affect our operations as well as strategic priorities for the business and work with the relevant stakeholders to agree solutions and take responsibility to achieve advantageous outcomes for the business.
• Takes a leading role in managing, coaching and developing junior members of the team to deliver high quality and commercial advice to Ocado Group in a timely manner.
• Overseeing all legal input in respect of drafting, negotiating and advising on a wide range of domestic and international corporate and M&A transactions, investments, corporate reorganisations and all corporate financing and capital market transactions;
• Drafting and advising on intra-group arrangements and agreements;
• Advising and supporting on integration aspects of both new and existing investments and acquisitions;
• Models, encourages, recognises and rewards a strong and unwavering focus on results.
• Anticipating, identifying and advising on a wide range of potential legal issues in the context of corporate and financing arrangements, working collaboratively with relevant teams across Legal and Act as a trusted strategic partner and subject matter expert for corporate and finance legal matters.
• Proactively identify legal changes and strategic priorities, develop solutions, and achieve advantageous outcomes.
• Lead, manage, coach, and develop junior team members to deliver high quality, commercial advice.
• Oversee all legal aspects of domestic and international corporate and M&A transactions, investments, reorganisations, financing, and capital market transactions.
• Draft and advise on intra-group arrangements and agreements.
• Advise on and support integration of new and existing investments and acquisitions.
• Model, encourage, recognize, and reward a results-oriented approach.
• Anticipate, identify, and advise on potential legal issues in corporate and financing arrangements, collaborating with relevant teams.
• Ensure corporate governance compliance (including competition/antitrust and market abuse policies) in transactions.
• Apply a pragmatic and customer-focused approach to risk management.
• Communicate flexibly and adapt responses to stakeholders in challenging situations.
• Liaise with and effectively manage external counsel for delivery, risk, and cost.
• Contribute to legal team strategy and raise its profile through initiatives.
• Develop and provide legal training and updates to the business.
• Create Ocado standard contract templates and know-how material for corporate and finance matters.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with external counsel, managing them effectively.
• Contribute to developing more efficient legal systems and operations, seeking improvements like automation.
• Support and manage the legal budget for corporate and finance transactions.
• Support, coach, and develop the wider Legal team.
  
  

About You

• Qualified solicitor or barrister with a corporate law specialism and at least 7 years PQE (candidates with less experience demonstrating the necessary skills will also be considered).
• Ideally trained at a leading law firm or a well-regarded in-house team, with a strong emphasis on corporate and finance transactions.
• Extensive experience in domestic and cross-border transactions, including advising on and managing complex corporate/M&A deals, capital raisings, other capital markets activities, reorganizations, and joint venture/collaboration agreements, as well as general corporate advisory work.
• Proven ability to work effectively with senior management, including executive-level stakeholders, and to operate with significant autonomy in challenging situations.
• Strong academic credentials.
  
  

Preferred (in Addition To Minimum)

• Previous experience within an in-house legal team
• Antitrust / competition law expertise.
• Experience of working with technology organisations would be valued;
  
  

What We Offer You

Our employee benefits are designed for you, we care about people and we’ve ensured we have a wealth of benefits that focus on your well-being. We regularly review our benefits to ensure we are supporting our employees appropriately.

• 30 days ‘working from anywhere in the world’ policy
• Wellbeing support through dedicated apps and an Employee Assistance Programme
• 25 days annual leave, rising to 27 days after 5 years service (plus optional holiday purchase)
• Pension scheme (various options available including employer contribution matching up to 7%)
• Generous Private Medical Insurance (within the first month of joining!)
• Income Protection (can be up to 50% of salary for 3 years) and Life Assurance (3 x annual salary)
• 22 weeks paid maternity leave and 6 weeks paid paternity leave (once relevant service requirements complete)
• Train Ticket loan (interest-free)
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Free shuttle bus to and from Hatfield Train Station to the Hatfield offices
• Free shuttle bus to and from Welwyn Garden City Train Station to the Welwyn Garden City offices
• Opportunity to participate in Sharesave and Buy as You Earn share schemes
• 15% discount on Ocado.com and free delivery for all employees (within the first month of joining!)