Legal Counsel

Colt Technology Services; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Colt Technology Services is seeking an ambitious employment lawyer to join the corporate law team. You will report to the Employment Law Lead and act as a key contact for the global HR function, advising on multidisciplinary, cross‑jurisdictional projects and managing legal risk.

The role is hybrid, with preference for candidates with in-house and private practice experience. You will support strategic people priorities, provide training, and help navigate complex HR cases across regions.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor in England and Wales with c.5-7 years of PQE.
• Experience providing employment legal advice to multi-national employers.
• Experience supporting organisational design initiatives and restructures.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Exposure to employment law internationally; strong commercial acumen.

Responsibilities

• Engage with senior stakeholders including at the C-Suite level on employment law matters.
• Advice on redundancies, performance, sickness absence, TUPE and compensation and benefits.
• Draft, advise on and negotiate employment-related agreements and provide support on outsourcing and corporate matters.
• Advise on complex HR investigations, sickness absence, redundancy and disciplinary matters.
• Manage Acas conciliation and employment litigation with external counsel.
• Review HR processes and policies with local HR teams.
• Collaborate with the broader Legal Team and other functions (Reward, Tax, Procurement, Finance, Audit).
• Monitor changes in employment legislation and ensure timely implementation.
• Support Colt’s engagement with work councils and employee representatives.
• Provide regular training and updates for HR stakeholders on compliance.

Skills

Qualified solicitor England & Wales

Employment law advisory (multinational

Organisational design & restructures

Organisational skills

International employment law

Commercial acumen

Prioritisation

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Flexibility & adaptability

Job description

Why we need this role

We have a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious and talented employment lawyer to join our corporate law team, reporting to the Employment Law Lead who has responsibility for employment law globally. This role is a key contact point for the wider global HR function and will support the business on a range of employment law matters, including providing advice on complex, cross-functional, and multi-jurisdictional transformation projects supporting Colt’s business and HR priorities; managing legal and employee relations risk for the business; and supporting delivery against our strategic people priorities. We are interested in candidates who are available on a full-time basis. Ideally you will have in-house as well as private practice experience.

Short Description

Function: General Counsel

Reports to: Employment Law Lead

Set up: Hybrid

Why we need this role

We have a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious and talented employment lawyer to join our corporate law team, reporting to the Employment Law Lead who has responsibility for employment law globally. This role is a key contact point for the wider global HR function and will support the business on a range of employment law matters, including providing advice on complex, cross-functional, and multi-jurisdictional transformation projects supporting Colt’s business and HR priorities; managing legal and employee relations risk for the business; and supporting delivery against our strategic people priorities. We are interested in candidates who are available on a full-time basis. Ideally you will have in-house as well as private practice experience.

What You Will Do

• Engage with senior stakeholders including at the C-Suite level on employment law matters. Provide critical support and lead the employment law advice required on strategic projects both on a national and global level.
• Manage and advise on a wide range of strategic employment law risks and issues including: redundancy, performance, sickness absence, TUPE and compensation and benefits.
• Draft, advise on and negotiate, as required, a variety of employment-related agreements, including contracts of employment, settlement agreements and provide support on general commercial outsourcing and supplier contracts and corporate matters / transactional work.
• Advise on complex HR cases including internal investigations, sickness absence, redundancy and disciplinary/grievance matters.
• Manage Acas pre-claim conciliation and employment litigation with the support of external counsel
• Review and advise on HR processes and policies, working closely with our local HR teams
• Partner with members of our broader Legal Team and other functional stakeholders as appropriate such as Reward, Tax, Procurement, Finance and Audit and our Data Protection Office.
• Proactively monitor upcoming changes in employment legislation, regulations, guidelines and industry best practice affecting Colt, ensuring they are tracked, analysed, evaluated and implemented timely, as required.
• Provide support and advice on Colt’s engagement with European and national work councils, and other employee representative bodies.
• Providing regular training and updates for HR stakeholders on employment law compliance.

What We're Looking For

Typical tasks and responsibilities will include:

• Qualified solicitor in England and Wales with c.5-7 years of post-qualification experience (PQE).
• Experience of providing contentious and non-contentious employment legal advice to multi-national employer organisations, used to dealing directly with senior decision-makers.
• Experience supporting organisational design initiatives and restructures.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Exposure to employment law internationally.Strong commercial acumen with a solution-oriented approach.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and handle a varied workload effectively.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, capable of delivering difficult messages positively and working collaboratively.
• Clear and concise communication skills – confident in presenting to and advising key stakeholders.
• Flexibility and adaptability to meet deadlines and manage time efficiently.

It Would Be Desirable

• Experience in engaging with (and advising on) works council or union negotiations in Europe.
• Working knowledge of additional European languages.
• Experience of advising on employment law aspects of post-acquisition integration and harmonisation of terms and conditions.
• Experience of the telecoms/technology sector.
• Experience with advising on social plan or similar negotiations in multiple jurisdictions.