Senior Legal Counsel – Switch Mobility – NOW FILLED in Leeds

Salary: c.80,000 plus car allowance

Location: Leeds

CapeClarke is exclusively retained by Switch Mobility with regard to its search for a new Senior Legal Counsel. The role is based in Sherburn in Elmet but within a hybrid working model.

Who we are? Switch Mobility is a next-generation electric bus and light commercial vehicle company with the mission to enrich lives through green mobility. A mature start up, Switch was forged from the innovative EV elements of Ashok Leyland, the fourth largest bus original equipment manufacturer in the world, and Optare, the UK bus manufacturer with over a century of expertise in using the latest technologies in bus design. In 2014, Switch (then Optare) introduced the first British built, pure electric buses to London’s roads and since then has put 300 EVs on the road, clocking up over 50 million electric kilometres in developed and developing markets.

With dedicated teams at our sites in Sherburn in Elmet (Leeds) and Warwick in the UK, Chennai in India, and Valladolid in Spain, as a Group, our market-leading vehicles are sold in over 46 countries around the globe and combine the best of British and Indian design, technology and engineering to create unique products. Capitalising on our demonstrable experience and proven expertise in light weight architecture, net zero carbon technologies, data analytics, software and customer service, Switch Mobility aims to be the commercial EV provider and employer of choice in the global market. Through its subsidiary Ohm Mobility, Switch also offers a range of eMaas services, supporting communities in their transition to a zero-emission transport network.

Our plans Following recent changes, the Switch legal team currently consists of the General Counsel based in Sherburn in Elmet; a recently recruited experienced lawyer within our Indian subsidiary; and shortly a paralegal. As the provider of quality service to a mature start up with exciting expansion plans, the Switch legal team is expected to grow in size, especially in the UK, and expand across new territories, namely Spain and the US, alongside the remainder of the business. As such, this is an opportunity to become a key part of and play an integral role in such expansion plans, growing with the global team.

What are the key duties? As the Senior Legal Advisor, you will work closely with the General Counsel in advising the business on a wide range of contractual and legal matters and strengthening and improving the approach to legal and commercial risk management across the business, primarily in the UK, but also across other territories during an important and exciting period of growth. Specifically, your role will include:

• Primarily reviewing, advising on and negotiating a broad range of commercial contracts with suppliers of goods and services, and customers alike, both within the UK and globally;
• Advising on litigious matters, intellectual property matters (including our trademarks portfolio, patent opportunities and design rights), property matters, employment issues and data protection;
• Assisting with corporate matters, especially external investment at various levels of the group, which is to provide the essential funding for the company’s expansion plans;
• Providing training and support on relevant legal matters to the relevant teams across the business, including compliance with existing and new legislation.

We appreciate that it is highly likely that specialist legal support on a variety of the above matters will be required (depending on experience); the successful candidate will be expected to manage such relationships in an efficient and cost effective manner and be capable of taking key learnings from such specialist advice to carry forward and develop in their role. The Senior Legal Advisor is expected to immediately play a significant role in the Switch legal team to help the company achieve its objectives, with an expectation of helping to recruit and manage further legal advisors as the team grows.

Is this role for me? We are looking for a pragmatic enabler, who is capable of providing quality legal advice in a responsive, decisive and commercial way, and who thrives in a fast-moving environment. Whilst support will always be available, the successful candidate will be given a high degree of autonomy and responsibility in the role. Reporting directly to the General Counsel, the role will involve liaising with senior management and directors across all areas of the group; as such, the successful candidate should be confident and personable, capable of managing relationships with a wide variety of personalities and cultures. This is an exciting opportunity to undertake a challenging, fast-moving, senior level in-house role. Given the nature of the role, we feel it would be a good fit for a solicitor already working in a broad senior in-house position or an experienced solicitor from a corporate or commercial private practice background. Some in-house experience is highly desirable.

Given the seniority of this role within the business, you should be driven, confident, have excellent communication skills and possess the genuine gravitas so as to be able to provide a high quality and responsive service to the other parts of the Switch Mobility business. We would be especially pleased to hear from candidates who have, in addition to a broad commercial background, demonstrable experience in some or all of the following areas: data protection; corporate law; employment law; or advising leasing companies.

What’s on offer? On offer is an excellent salary, attractive pension contribution, private health care, car allowance and bonus. The expectation will be that the successful candidate will be in the office two/three days a week, but this is not set in stone, and flexibility will be considered.

For a confidential discussion about this opportunity at Switch Mobility, please contact Terry Cape at our exclusively retained consultant, CapeClarke Legal Recruitment, on 07979 494938 or by email to terry.cape@capeclarke.com. All direct or third party CVs or enquiries will be directed to CapeClarke.