Senior Legal Counsel

N BROWN; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading digital retailer is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel in Manchester. This proactive role requires a qualified solicitor with strong experience in commercial contract drafting and negotiation. You will work alongside business stakeholders to mitigate legal risks while overseeing legal compliance and mentoring junior team members. The position offers hybrid working and a comprehensive benefits package, including generous holidays and mental health support.

Benefits

Hybrid working

24 days holiday (+8 bank holidays)

Annual bonus scheme

Enhanced maternity and adoption leave

Company pension with up to 8% contribution

Mental Health support

Colleague discount

Onsite café with subsidized rates

Life Assurance and Private Medical Insurance

Paid volunteer time

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor with 4+ years PQE.
• Strong commercial contract drafting and negotiation experience.
• Retail and Financial Services knowledge helpful but not essential.
• Ability to work autonomously under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Draft and negotiate high value commercial contracts.
• Advise on general commercial, IT, IP, and data protection.
• Supervise and mentor junior members of the Legal team.
• Coordinate with external legal advisers.

Skills

Commercial contract drafting

Negotiation experience

Communication skills

Team player

Organized workload management

Education

Qualified solicitor with 4+ years PQE

Job description

Overview

Senior Legal Counsel position at N Brown based at our Head Office in central Manchester. The Legal team seeks a proactive lawyer to support a busy, agile digital retail business and handle a variety of retail-focused, commercial legal issues across our brands and business areas. The role reports to the Head of Legal and offers exposure to all parts of the business with opportunities to develop skills in areas including intellectual property, IT, advertising, data and privacy, Financial Services regulation, and dispute resolution/litigation.

You will work with business stakeholders to understand and mitigate legal risks, provide pragmatic legal advice, and help stakeholders to make informed commercial decisions as cost-effectively as possible.

Responsibilities

• Act as a business partner and lead advisor on company-wide projects, drafting and negotiating high value, business-critical commercial contracts.
• Advise on a wide range of legal areas as part of day-to-day duties, including: general commercial; IT; IP; marketing/advertising; consumer (including advising on/ drafting consumer-facing T&Cs, promotions, consumer credit, etc.); and data protection/GDPR.
• Take ownership of specific Consumer Credit, Financial Services and Regulated Activities workstreams.
• Develop leadership and management skills with responsibility for supervising and mentoring junior members of the Legal team.
• Lead development and implementation of new initiatives (including AI and other legal tech) to improve the competence, effectiveness and productivity of the Legal team.
• Coordinate and manage external legal advisers, ensuring efficiency and value for money.
• Stay up to date with future legislation and regulatory changes and proactively identify risks, updating the business and implementing mitigations where necessary.
• Support the Data Governance team with respect to GDPR compliance and other data protection-related inquiries.
• Assist with the design and delivery of training and updates on regulatory and legislative matters and best practices in areas such as consumer rights and data protection.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor with 4+ years PQE
• Strong commercial contract drafting and negotiation experience
• Retail and Financial Services knowledge and experience would be helpful but not essential
• Strong written and verbal communication skills (including legal drafting)
• Team player with a positive "can do" attitude
• Ability to work autonomously under pressure in a fast-paced digital environment
• Organised and able to manage own workload and prioritise tasks accordingly

What’s in it for you?

• Hybrid working - 3 days in the office, 2 days working from home
• 24 days holiday (+8 bank holidays)
• Annual bonus scheme
• Enhanced maternity and adoption leave
• Company pension with up to 8% N Brown contribution
• Mental Health support both internally and externally, including access to wellbeing champions and counselling services
• A range of financial wellbeing support
• Colleague discount across all N Brown brands
• Onsite café with subsidised rates and local restaurant discounts
• Life Assurance and Private Medical Insurance
• Paid volunteer time - full day paid to volunteer for a charity of your choice

About N Brown

At N Brown, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive environment that values equality for all. Our vision is that by championing inclusion, we’ll become the most loved and trusted fashion retailer. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging are at the heart of our culture.

We’re a forward-thinking digital retailer with a financial services proposition to be proud of. We’re customer-obsessed, serving three core brands: JD Williams, Simply Be, and Jacamo. We’re experienced, with over 160 years of trading. We’re inclusive and sustainable, striving to make as little impact on the planet as possible.

In May 2024 we were named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2024. We work hard to create a happy and inclusive culture for everyone and we’re proud to have made this list.

Ways of Working

We offer hybrid working which varies across the business depending on the role. Our Head Office is in Manchester City Centre. Working hours are 36.17 per week with core hours 10:00–16:00 and flexible patterns to suit you.

Our Promise to You

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

What Happens When You Apply

We’ll acknowledge receipt of your application by email and aim to respond as soon as possible. Good luck!