Something Extraordinary Every Day™
We are seeking a confident, commercially minded, highly motivated and energetic lawyer to fill the key role of Assistant Legal Counsel for Bicester Village. In this broad in-house role you will support the general advisory activities of the Bicester Village Legal Team, with specific focus on real estate, leasing and commercial contracts. This is a varied role with an abundance of opportunities to develop as an in-house lawyer working in our great and well-established team and with the wider Village community.
Our culture is underpinned by an uncompromising commitment to excellence. We are results driven and we deliver practical legal solutions to our colleagues to facilitate their meeting the aggressive business targets that underpin Value Retail's continued success.
You must be able to fit into such a culture and be comfortable working with a diverse group of colleagues (including across multiple global villages). Essential legal knowledge will be expected, although ongoing training will be provided in conjunction with a continuous personalised development plan. Equally important for Value Retail are personality, fit with the culture and the soft skills required to fulfil this key role.
What you will be doing
The key responsibilities of this role will include some or all the following:
- Supporting the Legal Director and the Real Estate Director in the implementation of a multi-dimensional long-term village expansion project.
- In connection with the above, and generally, supporting various additional Value Retail departments, including Planning, Construction, Facilities Management, Operations, Retail Development and Procurement with advice on and the drafting and negotiation of commercial contracts, as well as risk management, compliance and reporting.
- Supporting the Leasing Team on the preparation and negotiation of leases, licences and partner agreements with our luxury retail and F&B brand partners throughout the village.
- Supporting the development of Legal process efficiencies (largely IT driven) and cross-village contract and process simplification.
- Supporting the Legal Director with the delivery of Legal training.
- Active participation in our global legal team working groups (will be expected to join two groups of your choice - a wide range of subjects are covered).
- Legal Administration including supplier set up, contract approval and legal record keeping.
What makes you special
We are looking for an individual who can display the following experience and skills:
- English law qualified lawyer with up to 5 years' post qualification experience at a law firm and/or equivalent in-house experience.
- Good experience in Real Estate.
- Creative, sociable and solutions-driven.
There's no one quite like us
The Bicester Collection are the worlds' leading luxury shopping destinations, and we are committed to creating magical and memorable experiences for our guests. Taking the name of the founding Village, The Bicester Collection distinguishes the 11 Villages in Europe and China as one collection of destinations for our guests, our brand partners, our travel and tourism partners, our corporate and financial media, and our internal teams.
Our Vision is to be the best shopping destination in the world.
Our Mission is to make the lives of others better including our brands, our guests, our people and our communities.
Our Brand Promise is to offer something extraordinary every day.
Our Five Values are the glue that bind us together and allows us to lead ahead:
- Authenticity - Always do the right thing
- Innovation - Think outside of the box
- Passion - Do what you love and love what you do!
- Critical Thinking - Challenge the obvious
- Vision - Be mission driven always
Why we're exceptional
The key to our success is the quality and commitment of our people. In return for your hard work and commitment to our values, you'll receive a generous salary and we'll also reward you through our Feel Good Programme which offers the following benefits:
- Lifestyle - Our Lifestyle benefits include life assurance, income protection, pension, leisure travel insurance, an electric car scheme, a discounted shopping portal, discounts across our Villages, a referral bonus and season ticket loans.
- Physical - Our Physical health benefits include private medical cover, virtual doctor support, dental insurance, health screening, a cycle-to-work scheme, eye care and flu vaccinations.
- Mental - Our Mental health benefits include access to professionals as well as support from trained mental health 'first aiders' from across the business, an employee assistance programme and free access to Headspace and Thrive, two of the most well respected mental well-being apps.
- Social - Our social programme is designed to help us connect and, most importantly, have fun! Benefits include yoga classes, summer parties, outdoor team activities, time away from the office to enjoy special occasions such as birthdays, getting married, moving house and, of course, taking a well-deserved break.
Come and live your story with us
At The Bicester Collection, we are focused on attracting and retaining the best talent. We believe in fostering an open culture, which supports our people to thrive and creates a sense of belonging. Working at the Bicester Collection means entering an inclusive space where all perspectives are valued, ideas are shared freely, and creativity is encouraged.