Legal Counsel

Sopra Steria - UK; Hemel Hempstead; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a qualified legal professional to join a dynamic team focused on public procurement and commercial law. This role offers the opportunity to work collaboratively with various government agencies, providing legal advice and support on procurement processes. The position is designed for a proactive individual who can navigate complex legal landscapes and build strong relationships across business units. With a hybrid working model and a range of flexible arrangements available, this role promises to enhance your career while making a significant impact in the public sector. Join a forward-thinking company committed to delivering sustainable growth and innovative solutions.

Benefits

£5,400 car allowance

25 days annual leave

Private medical

Life assurance

Pension

Generous flexible benefits fund

Qualifications

• Qualified legal professional with strong procurement and commercial experience.
• Technical legal expertise in non-contentious procurement environment.

Responsibilities

• Review and advise on public procurement and commercial law matters.
• Engage and train business units on procurement regulations and practices.

Skills

Procurement Law

Commercial Law

Negotiation Skills

Risk Assessment

Communication Skills

Education

Qualified Legal Professional (Solicitor or Barrister)

Job description

Do you want to take the next step in your Legal career?

Reporting directly to the Senior Procurement Legal Counsel, you will have responsibility to NHS SBS on matters of public procurement and commercial law with a broad remit to advise on a range of public procurement, commercial, and contractual matters interacting with multiple government agencies.

The role will be thrusting you into a collaborative and high-achieving team that will provide you with support and guidance as you progress through your experience and career at Sopra Steria. Based out of either London or Hemel Hempstead, the role will be conducted in a hybrid variable work pattern with regular team events.

What you will be doing:

• Review processes, guidance documents, governance, and standards applicable to contracts and public procurement operations.
• Engage with and train business units on procurement regulations, best procurement practice, and use of standard documentation.
• Provide support under the supervision of the Senior Legal Counsel around challenges to the procurement process (whether formal or informal), contractual claims and disputes including dispute resolution process and strategy.
• Provide general legal advice on commercial matters.
• Develop close engagement and strong working relationships with business teams.
• Be a trusted and visible ‘go-to person’ for procurement concerns and issues.
• Stay abreast of regulatory changes in the procurement landscape and proactively advise the business in anticipation of those changes.

What you’ll bring:

• Qualified legal professional (Solicitor or Barrister) able to demonstrate strong procurement and commercial experience. In view of the nature of the role, it is likely the successful candidate will be working on procurement projects for either buyers, sellers, or bidders.
• Technical legal expertise in non-contentious procurement environment including NHS, local government, constitutional and administrative law with particular reference to contracts and procurement.
• Negotiation and influencing skills.
• Ability to work under own initiative, anticipate challenges, and deal with them proactively.
• Ability to work unsupervised and meet tight deadlines.
• Risk identification, mitigation, and assessment in relation to major transactions.
• Strong communications, both verbal and written, to be able to draft credible documentation and secure endorsement by all stakeholders.

It would be great if you had:

• Ability to develop relationships with client business units and Sopra Steria senior executives and establish strong cross-company networks.
• Ability to handle complexity and multiple parallel activities.

If you are interested in this role but not sure if your skills and experience are exactly what we’re looking for, please do apply; we’d love to hear from you!

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent
Location: London
Security Clearance Level: NA
Internal Recruiter: Alex
Salary: Competitive
Benefits: £5,400 car allowance, 25 days annual leave with the option to buy additional days, private medical, life assurance, pension, and generous flexible benefits fund.

Although this role is advertised as full-time, we support many ways of working and can offer a range of flexible working arrangements. So, if you’re interested and need to work flexibly, we encourage you to apply and talk to us about what might be possible.

Loved reading about this job and want to know more about us?

Our business is, first and foremost, about people. And it always has been. The solutions we develop are driven by the connections they make and the problems they solve. Our services only matter if they work for people and if they serve a greater purpose. Known for our collaborative approach, we provide consulting and digital services, creating innovative solutions, at scale, to deliver sustainable growth and services that make life better.
Our work touches many lives in the UK. From helping the Government provide essential public and health services that offer more convenience and choice, to improving financial services to deliver fairer, customer-centric solutions.

Together we are building a better future by delivering real and lasting value.

We are just at the start of what we can achieve together. Come and join us!