Group Legal Counsel

Job Introduction

A fantastic opportunity has arisen within our Global Legal team for a talented Group Legal Counsel – Global Tech and procurement with experience in advising on a wide range of Commercial agreements and Supply Chain and IT contracts.

In this role, you’ll be responsible for reviewing, negotiating and drafting a diverse range of supplier contracts, you’ll be confident in advising on complex legal issues and regulatory requirements as they arise.  Your ability to build strong relationships across our different business segments, engage, work closely and collaboratively with stakeholders at all levels throughout our organisation will be pivotal to your success.

You’ll be a highly credible, capable and a solutions-oriented lawyer, with strong commercial acumen you’ll be comfortable working within an entrepreneurial and driven environment and enjoy the diversity and breadth of challenge this role will bring. You’ll have strong communication skills, be proactive, enthusiastic, enjoy working autonomously and being professionally challenged.

This is a career enhancing opportunity for a commercial lawyer to operate within complex global platforms, develop key strategic relationships and gain further exposure in providing effective legal and commercial services within an organisation that values its employees and corporate & social responsibilities.

The position is based in our Stevenage office and flexibility is provided in line with our internal policies. You’ll collaborate with colleagues globally and therefor occasional travel or unsocial hours may be required.

Role Responsibility

• Provide effective legal and commercial advice and assistance as required by the functions supported
• Draft and negotiate supply contracts
• Assist the functions supported regarding the assessment and management of legal and commercial risk
• Train the functions supported on legal, commercial and regulatory issues
• Help to ensure that business is conducted in accordance with relevant law and Sodexo’s internal governance processes
• Being the point of contact with the ability to work collaboratively with all members of the Group Legal Department and other functions across the group in order to ensure seamless legal support
• Provide preliminary advice on disputes
• Advise on regulatory compliance
• Comply with company policies and Group Legal Department processes
• Act within area of work and seek guidance where appropriate
• Support a range of standard and bespoke supply contracts and queries with relatively low to medium levels of revenues, complexity and impact

The Ideal Candidate

• Newly qualified lawyers or qualified solicitor (3 PQE level of experience)
• Good technical knowledge and experience of the law (including contract / commercial law), contracts and practice relevant to the functions supported
• Exceptional technical contract drafting and negotiation skills - ability to demonstrate a strong track record in negotiating and drafting commercial contracts,
• Brilliant problem-solving skills, the ability to identify and analyse key information to make balanced and appropriate decisions
• Ability to provide high quality advise on legal and commercial options and preliminary advice on
• Confident challenging others with humility where necessary, a clear communicator with excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to manage relationships successfully with Sodexo representatives, internal and external stakeholders and suppliers / partners.

Package Description

About the Company

In the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs around 30,000 people, and partners with clients in many sectors across business and industry; schools and universities; sports and leisure; energy and resources; government and agencies; healthcare; justice and defence.

Sodexo’s connected; people-centric approach brings together a diverse range of expertise. The breadth of services it offers ranges from food and hospitality; cleaning; reception; concierge (Circles); security; property management and technical services through to data driven workplace strategy and design (Wx); employee engagement and recognition services (Sodexo Engage) and personal home services through Prestige Nursing + Care and the Good Care Group.  

Vital Spaces is Sodexo’s value proposition that puts people at the heart of everything we do, bringing together services and solutions and focusing on the productivity and wellbeing of people wherever they are.

Sodexo is committed to being an inclusive employer; we welcome and encourage applications from people with a diverse variety of experiences, backgrounds and identities.

We’re a Disability Confident Leader employer. We’re committed to changing attitudes towards disability, and making sure disabled people have the chance to fulfil their aspirations. 

We are building on our support to the Armed Forces community through the development of specific pathways within our recruitment process to  support ex-forces personnel and reservists, those applying for jobs with us who meet the ideal candidate criteria for the role advertised are guaranteed to progress to the selection process