Legal Counsel

Jobtrain; York and North Yorkshire; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellbeing

Work-Life Balance

Pension

Career Development

Cycle to Work

Free onsite gym

Free parking

Job summary

Benenden Health in York is seeking an experienced Legal Counsel to provide in-house advice across commercial and operational matters. You’ll work with stakeholders across the Benenden Society and its subsidiaries, delivering pragmatic legal solutions that support informed decision-making.

The role spans a broad portfolio, partnering with senior stakeholders and guiding commercial initiatives, operational changes and strategic projects while developing expertise in a supportive, values-driven

Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor with 5+ years PQE and in-house experience preferred.
• Ability to deliver commercial legal advice across a broad range of contracts and business matters.
• Strong communication of complex legal issues to both legal and non-legal audiences.
• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building with senior colleagues.
• Ability to balance legal risk with practical business outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organisational skills and ownership of matters through to completion.

Responsibilities

• Develop proportionate legal solutions aligned to organisational priorities and risk appetite.
• Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Lead negotiations with suppliers, service providers, and other counterparties with senior stakeholders.
• Advise on product, service and operational changes and their legal implications.
• Identify and mitigate legal and commercial risks early in projects.
• Develop and enhance template contracts, policies, and processes for consistency.
• Manage legal matters autonomously and escalate high-risk issues as needed.

Skills

Commercial awareness

Stakeholder management

Clear communication

Analytical thinking

Risk assessment

Pragmatic advice

Project coordination

Education

Qualified Solicitor with 5+ years PQE

Job description

Role: Legal Counsel
Location: York (Hybrid working, 2 days a week in the office)
Salary: Negotiable depending on experience
Working Pattern: Full-time or 4 days per week considered

We're seeking an experienced Legal Counsel to provide high-quality in-house legal advice across a broad range of commercial and operational matters. Working closely with stakeholders across the Benenden Society and its subsidiaries, you'll deliver clear, pragmatic and commercially focused legal solutions that enable informed decision-making while effectively identifying and managing legal risk.

This role offers the opportunity to work across a broad legal portfolio, partnering with senior stakeholders and contributing to decisions that directly impact both the business and our members. You'll play a key role in supporting commercial initiatives, operational change and strategic projects, while developing your expertise within a supportive and values-driven environment.

Key responsibilities

• Partnering with stakeholders across the business to develop proportionate legal solutions aligned to organisational priorities, member outcomes and risk appetite.
• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating a wide range of commercial agreements throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Leading legal negotiations with suppliers, service providers and other counterparties, working collaboratively with senior stakeholders and subject matter experts.
• Advising on product, service and operational changes, identifying legal implications and helping teams achieve positive outcomes for current and future members.
• Identifying legal and commercial risks at an early stage and working with colleagues to manage and mitigate them effectively.
• Developing, reviewing and enhancing template contracts, business collateral, corporate policies and processes to ensure they remain practical, consistent and fit for purpose.
• Managing legal matters with an appropriate degree of autonomy, escalating complex, novel or high-risk issues where required.

Skills and Experience

You'll be a qualified legal professional with strong commercial awareness and the ability to balance legal risk with practical business outcomes.

• Qualified Solicitor with 5+ years post-qualification experience.
• Experience gained within an in-house legal team and/or advising commercial clients in private practice.
• Proven experience delivering legal advice across a broad range of commercial contracts and business matters.
• Ability to communicate complex legal issues clearly and succinctly to both legal and non-legal audiences.
• Strong commercial judgement and experience of providing pragmatic, solutions-focused advice within a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills with the confidence to build relationships and positively influence senior colleagues.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and take ownership of matters through to completion.

Why Benenden Health?

With a 120-year history, Benenden Health is a unique place to work. Whatever the department, no two days are ever the same and the opportunities are as diverse as the members we serve.

Working for a business with a strong commitment to ‘doing the right thing’, you can expect a broad range of benefits, including.

• Health & Wellbeing: Free Benenden Health membership, Benenden Cash Plan and Employee Assistance Programme.
• Work-Life Balance: Hybrid working and 35 days' holiday, including bank holidays.
• Financial Benefits: Pension with up to 10% employer contributions, employee discounts and cashback schemes.
• Career Development: Training, professional development and career progression opportunities.
• Lifestyle Perks: Cycle to Work scheme, free onsite gym, free parking and complimentary hot drinks at our York office.
• Giving Back: Opportunities to support local charities, employee events and Give as You Earn initiatives.

We believe that different perspectives make us stronger. At Benenden Health, we're committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and able to be their authentic self. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and communities, and are committed to providing an accessible recruitment process. If there's anything we can do to support you during your application or interview, please let us know.

Any offer of employment for this role will be made under Benenden Health terms and conditions.