We have been instructed to act on behalf of one of our key clients to recruit a Legal Counsel as a result of continued growth. The expectation is to work in the office with the team two days per week.

Purpose of the role:

To provide legal, regulatory and data protection advice and support to the firms stakeholders in a timely and commercial manner to support business projects and requirements and to maintain legal, regulatory and data protection compliance within the businesses. Working within a small, friendly, supportive team you will be part of the Legal Department which includes the Company Secretary and Corporate Governance function and is part of the broader Risk Department.

Work will include contract negotiations, drafting confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements, project support to the commercial teams, data protection advice, horizon scanning for future legal, regulatory and data protection developments and risks. The role will also provide effective and efficient secretariat services to the Board and ensure the business is governed effectively.

Key responsibilities:

• Providing legal, regulatory and data protection advice to facilitate the delivery of new projects, products and services to customers including related contracts
• Review and negotiate contracts with suppliers and third parties to protect the Company's interest
• Contracts database management to ensure contracts are securely stored, accessible and managed in accordance with the contract term
• Identify, review and implement new legal, regulatory and data protection changes as required
• Supporting the development of new business-critical projects
• Identifying, assessing, monitoring, managing and reporting on legal, regulatory and data protection risks
• Reviewing new and existing product specifications and other business documentation
• Drafting, planning and/or implementing policies and procedures for legal, regulatory and data protection matters across different business units
• General legal, regulatory and data protection advice and support to Departments and stakeholders, ensuing compliance with such matters are achieved and maintained
• Provide first line support to Departments in relation to legal, regulatory and data protection matters and respond to queries in a timely manner
• Supporting data protection requirements including general data protection advice, data protection registers, data protection impact assessments, personal data processing, consent management and personal data management including access rights, retention periods and breach reporting
• Attending and contributing to data privacy committees, providing key business updates from a data protection and data privacy perspective
• Litigation and dispute resolution and management
• Identifying training gaps in relation to legal and regulatory principles and implementing such training
• Develop the governance framework, maintain statutory records and Companies House filings

Required skills & knowledge:

• Qualified to practice as a Solicitor or Barrister in England and Wales
• In-house experience preferably gained from your work in financial services, insurance or legal, regulatory and data protection
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Confident in assessing complex situations and making robust decisions
• Ability to manage multiple projects and prioritise workload, adhering to business requirements, timescales and deadlines
• Sound legal and commercial judgment and ability to build robust relationships throughout the organisation and with suppliers
• Mentoring and supervising colleagues in other Departments where required to encourage legal, regulatory and data protection compliance
• Ideally, able to demonstrate experience in any/all of the following: Financial Conduct Authority, Consumer Credit Source Book ("CONC"), Insurance Conduct of Business ("ICOBS"), Consumer Credit Act, Financial Ombudsman Service, Complaints handling/dispute resolution, Advertising Regulations and Data Protection
• Previous experience in supporting financial services and new product development would be desirable
• Previous experience in providing secretariat services would be desirable

Benefits include a company car, competitive pension and private healthcare.