Legal Counsel

Role: Legal Counsel

Salary: £65k - £80k (£80k max)

Duration: 6-12 months (maternity cover)

Location: Thatcham (hybrid working), 4 days per week

Brief Role Description: The Legal team provides in-house legal advice and assistance to all divisions of the business, aligned with the group’s business strategy. The Legal team is committed to working in trusted partnership with all business areas to deliver commercially focused legal advice in respect of its activities and initiatives.

The core work of our Legal team is drafting and negotiating robust and fair contractual terms to underpin relationships with the group’s clients, distributors and suppliers, and to mitigate and manage any potential legal and compliance risks. Increasingly, the Legal team also provides contractual advice and legal support to the group’s international customer base in the Orthopaedic and Spine industry.

Due to maternity leave, the group is looking to hire a Legal Counsel, with 2+PQE to work alongside the group General Counsel with all Legal projects and processes across all group companies as required.

This role will offer the successful candidate the opportunity to take responsibility for a variety of commercial contracting processes, and play an integral role in strengthening the group’s Legal infrastructure. The role will enhance and develop the successful candidate’s Legal career in a dynamic and rapidly growing business.

Reporting To: General Counsel

Hours per Week: 37.5

Responsibilities:

• Legal contracting processes on behalf of the OCG group companies, (draft, review, negotiate and arrange execution of a variety of contracts including distribution agreements, consultancy service contracts, supplier contracts, NHS/hospital contracts and NDAs)
• Manage and maintain the groups’ contract templates, drafting and updating templates as required
• Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to assist with the group’s potential and existing contractual relationships and related legal projects
• Implement continuous improvement of administrative processes for more efficient workflow and overall contract management
• Manage legal documentation and correspondence in strict confidence
• Provide assistance to the QARA team as required to ensure regulatory compliance
• Support the execution of the compliance monitoring programme among group staff
• Keep up to date with legal and regulatory updates in the appropriate sectors
• Carry out legal research in respect of ongoing work to supplement existing knowledge, and share know-how and experiences across the Legal team
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with colleagues in all divisions and provide legal support and advice as directed by the General Counsel.
• File and manage the proper storage of the groups’ contracts and other Legal documentation, maintaining an up-to-date database of all live contracts
• Review and efficiently process legal documents for signing by the group’s directors and authorised signatories
• Perform general administrative tasks to support legal activities
• Report to the group General Counsel.

Essential:

• Excellent existing knowledge and experience of commercial contracts, including distribution, agency, supplier, consultancy and confidentiality agreements;
• High level of written and verbal communication skills, with ability to assimilate and articulate complex information;
• Exceptional attention to detail;
• Proactive, meticulous and enthusiastic approach;
• A growth mindset and appetite for continuous improvement;
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a small but dynamic team;
• Discretion when dealing with sensitive information;
• Flexibility and ability to work under pressure - must be able to deal with different levels of workload,
• Excellent team player;
• Polite, positive and professional approach to all internal and external stakeholders;
• Computer literacy – able to utilise a range of Microsoft Office applications and other appropriate company systems when required (including MS Word, Outlook, basic knowledge of Excel);

Highly Desirable:

• Preferred qualifications: Qualified UK solicitor with 2+ years PQE in either a law firm or other in-house legal setting.
• In-house experience would be beneficial.
• Previous experience working in a fast paced and dynamic environment within the medical devices sectors would be preferred but not essential.

Equipment / software packages used: Microsoft Office, SalesForce, Xero

Competencies:

• Drafting, reviewing, negotiation and execution of a variety of commercial contracts, including distribution, agency, supplier, consultancy and confidentiality agreements.
• Confident communicator (electronic and face to face) with people internally and externally to the business – including C-suite professionals.
• Execution of compliance monitoring programmes.
• Continuous improvement mindset and delivery of programmes within legal team.

This Job description is not exhaustive but outlines the main requirements.