At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead B&Q’s Commercial Legal Team, managing legal risks and advising on contracts and compliance.
- Company: Join B&Q, a leading retail company committed to diversity and inclusion.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus, 6.6 weeks holiday, hybrid working, and wellness support.
- Other info: Dynamic team culture with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment while protecting the business.
- Qualifications: Qualified Solicitor with experience in commercial law and strong negotiation skills.
The predicted salary is between 85000 - 85000 € per year.
From £85,000 + Bonus + Pension + PMI + ShareSave + 6.6 weeks holiday + Hybrid Working
Southampton, Store Support Office
Reporting into B&Q’s Head of Legal, this role supports the Head of Legal in leading B&Q’s Commercial Legal Team in partnering and protecting the business. As trusted strategic partners, the Legal team play a critical role in delivering business goals in the right way, aligned with B&Q’s Purpose and Behaviours.
What’s the job?
The role is exciting, hugely varied and fast paced. No one day is the same, but you will manage legal risk, advise and support the Business on all manner of commercial contracts and new projects as well as provide advice on competition law, intellectual property, insolvency, data protection, litigation and much more. You will help lead the Legal Team to partner our business and drive growth, whilst protecting B&Q, Kingfisher, our colleagues and our assets.
Key Accountabilities / Responsibilities:
- Working with the Head of Legal and the Business to prioritise workload for B&Q’s Commercial Legal Team.
- Reviewing, drafting and negotiating complex commercial/strategic contracts for all relevant Business areas including for both digital and non-digital channels and for goods not for resale and goods for resale arrangements.
- Partnering the Business on project strategy on an end-to-end basis and act as "lead lawyer" as required.
- Advising on templates/precedents.
- Supporting the Business on data protection law compliance, including interactions with Regulators and advise and support on data incidents/investigations and complex data subject complaints.
- Case managing commercial litigation including deciding tactics and strategy.
- Advising on competition law compliance and training including dawn raid training programmes and interactions with Regulators.
- Advising on Intellectual Property matters: including managing B&Q's IP portfolio; advising on IP infringement risk and IP licences; and liaising with Kingfisher Legal Team on Kingfisher Group IP matters.
- Managing compliance within Kingfisher Group’s/B&Q's Authority Limits and policies.
- Providing excellent customer service with sound legal, commercially focussed advice.
- Regularly interacting with Kingfisher Group’s Legal Teams and panel law firms (managing outsourcing costs effectively and efficiently).
- Providing day to day support to the other 6 in-house lawyers in the team (including our apprentice).
What we need:
Experience:
- Qualified as a Solicitor (in England and Wales) with significant relevant experience, ideally in-house.
- Excel at providing commercial, legally sound, strategic advice.
- Broad and extensive legal knowledge with sound experience in commercial law in a retail or similar environment.
- Strong knowledge of data protection law and competition law.
- Excellent technical skills and ability to give clear, simple, pragmatic advice to all levels of stakeholder.
- Management skills and an ability to create and manage a culture to motivate the Commercial Legal Team within Kingfisher's/B&Q’s culture and objectives.
- Strong judgement and communication skills (both written and verbal).
- Ability to focus on commercially and legally important matters.
- Ability to find effective, legally compliant and Business focussed solutions to legal and commercial issues.
- Ability to negotiate with external and internal parties to ensure B&Q’s and its customers’ best interests are protected.
- Be experienced in leading projects including complex negotiations and regulatory matters.
Skills:
- Be an effective influencer.
- Have a proven track record in building excellent stakeholder relationships.
- Ability to prioritise and manage multiple matters concurrently and to work to tight deadlines.
- Resilience to handle high volume/multiple deadlines and evolving environment.
- Problem solver and decision maker - able to find solutions to support the Head of Legal drive the Legal Team and its work forward positively.
What’s in it for me?
As part of a great team, you’ll be valued for who you are. We’re committed to making B&Q more diverse and representative of the communities we serve, where everyone can feel they belong and have equal opportunities. You will have access to a range of networks that represent our colleagues and allies and help us to continue to put diversity and inclusion at the heart of our business. We also recognise that wellness means different things to different people, and we want to help colleagues be at their best and feel well by offering a range of benefits to help you. As well as a competitive salary, our benefits package includes an award-winning pension scheme, bonus, ShareSave options, 6.6 weeks holiday, payroll giving, an Employee Assistance Programme, shopping discounts, colleague wellbeing benefits and lots more!
So we can support you during the application or interview process, please contact ssorecruitment@b-and-q.co.uk for any recruitment adjustments.
Managing Counsel employer: B&Q Limited
B&Q is an exceptional employer that values diversity and inclusion, fostering a supportive work culture where every employee can thrive. Located in Southampton, the role of Managing Counsel offers not only a competitive salary but also an impressive benefits package including a generous pension scheme, bonus opportunities, and 6.6 weeks of holiday, all while promoting a healthy work-life balance through hybrid working arrangements. With a strong focus on employee growth and development, B&Q provides ample opportunities for professional advancement within a dynamic and collaborative legal team.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Managing Counsel
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at B&Q on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give us insider info about the company culture and what they really value in candidates.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your commercial law knowledge, especially around data protection and competition law. We want to show that we can provide strategic advice that aligns with B&Q’s goals.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your negotiation skills! Since this role involves complex contracts, we should be ready to demonstrate our ability to negotiate effectively during the interview.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure our application gets noticed and shows that we’re genuinely interested in joining the B&Q team.
We think you need these skills to ace Managing Counsel
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Managing Counsel role. Highlight your relevant experience in commercial law and how it aligns with B&Q’s goals. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Showcase Your Skills:Don’t just list your qualifications; demonstrate your skills! Use specific examples to show how you've successfully managed legal risks or negotiated contracts in the past. This helps us see you in action!
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward. Use clear language and avoid jargon where possible. We appreciate a well-structured application that gets straight to the point!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application reaches us quickly and efficiently. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the role there!
How to prepare for a job interview at B&Q Limited
✨Know Your Legal Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of commercial law, data protection, and competition law. Be ready to discuss how you've applied this knowledge in previous roles, especially in a retail or similar environment.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
Prepare examples that demonstrate your ability to provide commercially sound, strategic advice. Think about times when you've successfully partnered with a business to drive growth while managing legal risks.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
Since this role involves leading a team, be prepared to talk about your management style and how you've motivated teams in the past. Highlight any experience you have in leading complex negotiations or projects.
✨Practice Clear Communication
You’ll need to convey complex legal concepts in simple terms. Practice explaining your past experiences and legal advice in a way that’s easy to understand for non-legal stakeholders. This will show your ability to influence and build relationships.
