Legal & Contracts Advisor

As a key part of the Legal & Compliance team, you will work closely with the other members and be responsible for:

• Reviewing allocated contract documents and preparing contract qualifications in accordance with the contracting principles.
• Liaising with the client and internal stakeholders in order to expedite close out of contact exceptions with the best outcomes for the organisation, escalating any deviations and then ensuring the formalised agreement reflects what was agreed with the client.
• Focal point for allocated regions contract reviews and client negotiations.

Main Responsibilities:

• Review, prepare and record contract qualifications for each applicable set of client contract terms and co-ordinate negotiation process to close out all exceptions suitably in line with contracting principles and in good time.
• Focal point for review, qualification and acceptance of all purchase orders in compliance with agreed client terms or organisational standard terms and conditions for sale, rental and service.
• Liaise with the company’s insurers to ensure full coverage on wording and record and comply with advice.
• Notify all relevant internal parties of accepted contracts or orders and ensure full and clear handover of contractual obligations.
• Communicate regularly with and report progress to Legal & Compliance Director to ensure good level of awareness of workload and ongoing activities.
• Work closely with the Business Development team to ensure a collaborative approach to activities.
• Review any supplier qualifications or exceptions to the organisational standard terms for purchase as identified via the buying team and provide a reply based on organisational contracting principles.
• Escalate issues or deviations to internal stakeholders as appropriate to ensure close out in good time.
• Support the drafting and development of standard company documents, policies and procedures as they relate to the Legal & Compliance function.
• Engage, instruct and maintain relationships with external counsel as necessary.
• Manage and maintain the contract management database, and the internal review process for existing agreements to allow for timely rate escalations, and review of terms where they need to be revised to meet revised contracting principles.
• Identify gaps and escalate where appropriate to ensure timely close out within contract window.
• Prepare or assist with allocated prequalification questionnaires for submission.
• Support the delivery of the company’s compliance programme.
• Support management of the company’s intellectual property portfolio and liaise with external IP counsel where necessary.
• Participate in allocated tendering activities, preparing standard content and drafting and managing bid plan compliance through to submission stage.
• Assist the company with the management and resolving of contractual disputes with clients and/or suppliers.
• Conduct all activities in full compliance with the company’s policies, DOA and any other applicable company processes.
• Promote compliance to others and actively intervene and highlight/escalate any process deviations.
• Ensure all activities meet audit requirements in compliance with company guidelines, policies, ethical standards and procedures and UK/EU legislation in order to minimise any potential audit exceptions, legal claims or court action.

Experience:

• Minimum 3-5 years’ experience of contract review and qualification in an in-house environment, including drafting clause amendment proposals and negotiating to conclusion with required escalation as needed.
• Good, demonstrated knowledge and experience of contract law principles used in oil and gas sector UKCS and globally also beneficial.