In-House Lawyer
Job Introduction
Overview
Responsible for providing legal advice across the SCS JV, the In-House Lawyer will support effective legal risk management across the project. They will be responsible for identifying legal risks and devising workable and cost-effective strategies for managing them. They will carve out effective relationships with internal clients and external providers alike, delivering best value legal services for the project to protect and enhance profitability, whilst delivering value for the taxpayer.
More about the role
Do you see your long-term future in in-house law? If so, this role represents a unique opportunity to develop a broader skillset and meaningful legal services management experience on a fast-paced and challenging mega-project.
Working as part of the legal, ethics and compliance team, the In-House Lawyer will report directly to the General Counsel and will be a key ambassador for the team.
The successful candidate
Although you will have meaningful construction law experience, you will also have an appetite to broaden your skillset through managing the full spectrum of legal services and advice that a business of this size and stature demands.
Committed to a long-term future in in-house legal practice, you will recognise and value the unique opportunities that accompany a role of this nature, in which you will regularly engage with key stakeholders and external providers.
You will be keen to develop broader legal services management skills or enhance existing skills in this area, including managing external lawyers.
You will have an appreciation for the importance of building relationships of trust and confidence with your internal clients.
In assessing competing workstreams, you will be able to establish clear priorities, based on the associated risks and value derived by the business. You will have the confidence and tenacity to find your way through a complex organisation to fact find and problem solve.
You will be pro-active, with an appreciation of the need to help deliver management or mitigation measures in response to identified risks. Working closely with business users, you will be ready to ‘roll up your sleeves’ and fix shared problems, rather than advising at arm’s length.
Detail-oriented, you will understand that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is often not appropriate, whilst still being able to identify and exploit efficiencies.
You will be highly organised and an excellent communicator, supporting effective reporting to, and over-sight from, senior management.
Finally, you will enjoy working in a fast-paced and complex commercial environment and will bring energy and commitment to the role.
Flexible working:
The role will be delivered on a full-time basis.
The legal, ethics and compliance team is a support function and needs to be both visible and accessible to our internal customers and users to be effective. For this role to be delivered successfully, the In-House Lawyer will need to get to know a highly complex project, its processes and workforce. This will be best supported by a presence at our offices for a minimum of 3 days per week.
SCS’s offices are located 10 minutes on foot from London’s Euston Station or just a few minutes from Mornington Crescent Tube Station.
Role Responsibility
- Reviewing and negotiating construction documents, including subcontracts, appointments and deeds of variation and novation.
- Providing day to day legal support to the procurement and supply chain team.
- Working closely with the Contracts Officer to provide legal guidance or carry out legal research.
- Providing legal support to a spectrum of other support functions including health and safety, environmental, technical, IT, consents, property and people - either directly or through external legal providers. Being an effective point of reference and escalation for the Data Protection Officer and the Ethics and Compliance Officer.
- Overseeing and managing monthly and annual reporting for the Legal, Ethics and Compliance Team.
- Enhancing existing policies, plans and procedures, and creating new ones where appropriate. Overseeing the team’s policy management plan.
- Delivering training and raising awareness of legal risks. Supporting the Contracts Officer, the Data Protection Officer and the Ethics and Compliance Officer in delivering their own subject matter expert training.
The Ideal Candidate
- UK qualified lawyer regulated to practice by the SRA.
- You will have between 4-9 years post-qualification experience.
- Meaningful construction law experience.
- Some in house experience.
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
- An understanding of UK corporate governance legislation including The Bribery Act, The Modern Slavery Act, UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act.
About the Company
The role will work on the HS2 project. HS2 is the UK’s new high speed rail network. It will be a catalyst for economic growth across Britain, freeing up space on the existing railways and connecting 8 out of the UK’s 10 biggest cities with fast, reliable and frequent high speed services
The Skanska | Costain | STRABAG (SCS JV) is delivering the HS2 London Tunnels Contract. Scope of works includes twin-bored tunnels (TBM), SCL tunnels, shaft sinking, bridge demolition and reconstruction, services diversions, earthworks and the construction of site compounds.
The team
You’ll be a welcomed member of the wider Legal, Ethics and Compliance Team, with opportunities to join one of our networks for women, military or LGBT+ staff, and participate in cultural and social events with the local community.
Your personal and professional development is important to us. We welcome a discussion about how we can support you with further study, or professional membership or attainment, for example.
HS2 – working with Skanska, Costain and STRABAG, closely monitors job applications, to ensure an inclusive recruitment process. To ensure we are able to maintain this, and to recruit a diverse workforce, we require candidates to complete the diversity form as part of their application so we are able to monitor and improve our approach to diversity. Please note, all responses are anonymous and we will not share any of your data with other parties. All data will be held securely, (as stated within the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR) and will be reported to HS2.
It is an SCSJV requirement that all employees, Design House, and Supply Chains must implement and comply with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System with guidance for use”, OHSAS 18001:2017 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Information Security Management System, Policies, Plans, Procedures and Processes, and statutory requirements as they affect the Joint Venture ‘s operations and ensure that the requirements, as applicable within their discipline, are effectively implemented on the project. Develop a culture of safety on the project through the absolute commitment to the Zero Accidents target and ethos, and develops a wider awareness of quality, environmental issues and demonstrates commitment to achieve continual improvement and Zero tolerance.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
SCS Railways is a Disability Confident Leader. We want to encourage disabled people to apply for our roles and have an opportunity to display your skills, talent, and abilities. We will ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the minimum criteria for this position will be offered an interview.
Please see the disability confident commitments:
To be considered for an interview under this scheme you have:
- A physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long-term effect (over 12 months) adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities
- Demonstrated in your application and pre-interview stage that you meet the minimum job criteria and person specification for the role
SCS Railways