Senior Legal Counsel

Alliance Healthcare; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Cencora is seeking a Senior Commercial Counsel to support the UK Legal team and General Counsel. The role focuses on drafting, negotiating and advising on commercial contracts, ensuring regulatory compliance and managing complex projects in a fast-paced environment.

Hybrid working is available with office in Chessington, Surrey. Strong PQE and broad commercial legal knowledge are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor in England and Wales with 5+ years PQE.
• Experience at a major City or regional law firm.
• In‑house experience is desirable.
• Strong knowledge of data protection, TUPE, IP, anti-trust and general contract law.
• Ability to handle a heavy workload in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage legal risk across the breadth of the business to support commercial success.
• Ensure compliance with current and future legal and regulatory requirements and train non-legal colleagues where appropriate.
• Communicate, direct and influence all levels of the business, including Senior Leadership Team.
• Draft, negotiate and advise on commercial agreements reflecting company strategy and objectives.
• Independently handle complex legal projects with minimal supervision.
• Represent the business in contract negotiations and governance matters as needed.
• Demonstrate decision‑making with business‑oriented and legally compliant solutions.
• Manage multiple matters with effective prioritisation to ensure timely delivery.

Skills

Drafting

Negotiation

Commercial awareness

Legal analysis

Job description

Our team members are at the heart of everything we do. At Cencora, we are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures, and every person here is essential to us being able to deliver on that purpose. If you want to make a difference at the center of health, come join our innovative company and help us improve the lives of people and animals everywhere.

Job Details

Supporting the General Counsel and UK Legal team in the provision of a high quality and commercially focused legal advice to support the needs of the business and protect the interests of Alliance Healthcare pharmaceutical wholesale division including Alliance Healthcare (Distribution) Limited, OTC Direct Limited, Alloga UK Limited and Alcura UK Limited.

This role will suit a pragmatic lawyer who will thrive in a challenging, complex, busy and diverse role with high levels of responsibility within a fast-paced, market leading and entrepreneurial business.

Responsibilities

• Managing legal risk across the breadth of the business in a manner that supports and facilities the continued commercial success of the business.
• Ensuring compliance with any current and future legal and regulatory requirements and providing training to non-legal colleagues where appropriate.
• The role holder will need to communicate, direct and influence all levels of the business, including members of the Senior Leadership Team.
• Draft, negotiate and advise on commercial agreements to ensure that these contracts accurately reflect company strategy and objectives and minimise exposure to legal and regulatory risk.
• Independently handle complex legal projects, utilising relevant technical legal skills and provide legal advice on legal matters and issues arising, with minimal supervision
• Represent the business and relevant client groups on regular business contract negotiations and other business matters, including commercial services agreements, quality agreements, corporate governance and regulatory compliance. The Senior Commercial Counsel will often be required to play an integral part in both legal and business negotiations in these situations.
• Demonstrate decision‑making capability, in particular offering both business‑oriented and legally compliant solutions to clients.
• Manage multiple matters and effectively prioritise tasks to ensure that work is completed in a timely and efficient matter.

Requirements

• Lawyer admitted in England and Wales with at least 5 years PQE.
• Strong academic credentials with substantial experience at a major City or regional law firm. Some in‑house experience is highly desirable.
• Strong and broad technical legal knowledge and excellent drafting and negotiation skills are essential.
• Experience in broad commercial, rather than narrow, functional roles.
• Strong technical commercial legal knowledge is essential, including detailed knowledge of commercial contracts as well as a knowledge of data protection, TUPE, IP, Anti‑Trust and general contract law.
• Experience in a fast‑paced, commercial environment.
• Ability to deal with a heavy workload and competing priorities.
• Confident and comfortable in working with a wide range of different types of clients, both in terms of seniority and legal/contractual knowledge. Ability to explain complex legal issues in a simple way.
• Ability to influence major decisions having legal ramifications through reasoned analysis and business understanding; willingness to make hard decisions on legal advice and strategic business initiatives.
• Strong commercial acumen and a business‑focussed approach in providing legal support.
• Hybrid working availability required - office location: Chessington, Surrey

What Cencora offers

Benefit offerings outside the US may vary by country and will be aligned to local market practice. The eligibility and effective date may differ for some benefits and for team members covered under collective bargaining agreements.

Full time

Affiliated Companies

Affiliated Companies: Alliance Healthcare Management Services Limited

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cencora is committed to providing equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or membership in any other class protected by federal, state or local law.

The company’s continued success depends on the full and effective utilization of qualified individuals. Therefore, harassment is prohibited and all matters related to recruiting, training, compensation, benefits, promotions and transfers comply with equal opportunity principles and are non‑discriminatory.

Cencora is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the employment process which are consistent with legal requirements. If you wish to request an accommodation while seeking employment, please call 888.692.2272 or email [e-mail]. We will make accommodation determinations on a request‑by‑request basis. Messages and emails regarding anything other than accommodations requests will not be returned