Senior Legal Counsel

National Express UK is a leading public transport company, headquartered in Birmingham, that operate bus and coach services in the UK and Ireland.  We are looking for an England and Wales law qualified commercial solicitor to help protect and grow our business.  As you will be working directly with business colleagues, it is important that your legal skills are matched by sound commercial awareness, clear and concise communications skills and pragmatism in finding solutions to business challenges.

This is a rare opportunity for a commercial solicitor to within a fast paced in-house environment, whilst also broadening and developing their skillset by advising our UK and Irish businesses on a wide range of non-contentious matters. 

This role is a full time, permanent position working flexibly between home and our office in Birmingham.

In this role, you will:

• Provide legal advice and assistance to the Mobico Group PLC's UK and Irish transport businesses and such other divisions/businesses as Mobico Group PLC may acquire at any time during your employment.  This will include:
  • drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts;
  • reviewing and advising on public and private tender documents; and
  • providing ad hoc legal advice on all manner of legal matters.
• Provide legal advice and assistance to Mobico Group PLC's UK and Irish functions, including finance, human resources, pensions, procurement and property and wider Group's tax and treasury functions.
  
• Assist with ensuring compliance by Mobico Group PLC's UK and Irish subsidiaries and their officers and employees with their respective legal obligations (including, for example, in relation to anti trust, anti bribery and corruption, anti slavery and data protection).
  
• Provide legal support for bids and tenders for the provision of transport services to Mobico Group PLC's UK and Irish customers in the public and private sectors and, subsequently, draft and negotiate contracts, including:
  • reviewing tender documentation, raising clarification questions and ensuring compliance with bid timetables and instructions;
  • assessing and advising on the risk profile of contracts for the provision of transport services;
  • working with multiple stakeholders to obtain relevant input to bids and ensure a clear understanding of bid and contract requirements; and
  • assisting with contract compliance.

• Provide ad hoc legal advice on a wide range of issues, including (for example):
  • anti trust;
  • anti bribery and corruption;
  • public procurement regulations;
  • consumer law; 
  • transport regulations; and
  • data protection

• Support the Head of UK Legal in managing the relationships with Mobico Group PLC's UK and Irish legal panel of external advisers, including:
  • giving and managing instructions;
  • issuing purchase orders and managed spend; and
  • ensuring compliance with agreed protocols and provision of the agreed value added services.
    
• Work with the Mobico Group PLC's UK and Irish businesses to improve business standards and reduce risk, including by:
  • drafting and assisting in the roll-out of new policies and procedures; and
  • providing training on legal issues.

Candidate's Profile 

The successful candidate will possess a high attention to detail, be diligent and the desire to thrive in a fast paced and dynamic environment.

You will have the following qualifications, experience and skills:

• Fully qualified solicitor with considerable PQE.
• A training in, and substantial experience of advising on, commercial contracts.
• Preferably also wider experience of advising on some or all of: 
  • public procurement matters;
  • competition law matters; 
  • general commercial contracts; 
  • IT and IP matters; and
  • data protection; and
  • consumer issues,
• Advanced written and oral communication skills, including the ability to influence outcomes.
• Strong team working skills, with the ability to work collaboratively.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills and commercial awareness of the context in which legal advice/assistance is given/received.  

What's on offer 

The role offers an attractive basic salary, plus a good benefits package, including annual bonus opportunity and pension.  It represents an exceptional opportunity, either for a commercial contracts private practice lawyer looking for their first move in-house or an in-house lawyer looking for career progression.

National Express is proud to be a Disability Committed organisation. We therefore welcome applications from disabled candidates. Please let us know in your application if you have any accessibility needs.

At National Express, we are really proud of our health and safety record and as a result, we operate a Drugs and Alcohol Policy which is applicable to all employees.