Legal Counsel, Labour Law

Location: Frimley, Surrey. We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements with a requirement to be in the office on average two days per week with occasional travel to other business sites across the UK.

Salary: £80,000-£95,000 depending on experience plus executive benefits including car allowance.

What you'll be doing: As Legal Counsel - Labour Law, you will work as part of a team of six employment lawyers supporting BAE Systems' defence, security and aerospace businesses worldwide. You will deliver pragmatic advice and solutions in relation to complex employment law matters. You will work as part of a team providing professional and pro-active employment law support to internal customers not just to ensure compliance with BAE Systems policies and procedures but to provide solutions to deliver business advantage. The work will be mainly UK focussed but in a growing, diverse and international business, you'll also be required to help deliver solutions across the globe. You'll be well supported to achieve this with an in-house labour law team and external legal resource where needed. This role will provide you with the opportunity to work as part of the Head Office Legal function, reporting into Chief Counsel - Labour Law, working closely with relevant stakeholders across the business, developing solid business relationships. You will be expected to work as a true SME within employment law using your expertise to partner with the businesses.

Your skills and experiences: You will already be a solicitor or barrister qualified in England and Wales. There is no fixed experience for this role but you will likely be between 7-10 years PQE. Employment law experience at a large corporate or regional law firm or with appropriate in-house experience.

Benefits: As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems also offers employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts - you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

The Legal Team: This role offers an exciting opportunity to be a key member of the Head Office Legal team, reporting into the Chief Counsel - Labour Law. You will collaborate closely with various stakeholders across the business, forging solid relationships and acting as a true Subject Matter Expert in employment law. Your expertise will be essential in partnering with the business to deliver pragmatic advice and solutions on complex employment law matters. Working within a dynamic team of six employment lawyers, including two Senior Legal Counsels, three Legal Counsels, and the Chief Counsel, you will thrive in an environment that values your practical experience and ability to navigate intricate legal challenges. This role is ideal for someone with solid private practice experience from a reputable firm, or previous in-house experience, ready to take their career to the next level within a supportive and innovative company.

Why BAE Systems? This is a place where you'll be able to make a real difference. You'll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you'll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and particularly from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our industry, including women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals. We also want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (for example, dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder, etc.) that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

Security Clearance: Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date: 21st April 2025. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.