Senior Legal Counsel, Employment in Antrim

We have a fantastic opportunity to join our Legal, Regulatory Affairs, Ethics & Compliance, and Secretariat Function (LRECS). LRECS focuses on providing a diverse and inclusive environment with a strong emphasis on wellbeing and delivering opportunities for growth and personal development.

This role will form part of a team of 3 Employment Lawyers who deliver commercially focused, risk-based specialist employment advice to all UK and Ireland business units and group functions across the Centrica group. It will report to the Head of Legal, Employment and will help to support and develop a more junior team member.

Location: With our Flexible First working arrangements we empower our colleagues to work in a way that best suits them. The successful candidate will, however, need to be comfortable commuting to our Windsor office (until December 2026) and Reading office (from December 2026) on a twice-weekly basis and on some occasions, more frequently.

What will you do?

• Advise the Centrica People and Employee Relations teams on the application of employment law to a range of day-to-day employment matters, including complex grievances and disputes, with the right balance of risk awareness and pragmatism.
• Liaise with and manage external lawyers (UK and international) to deliver high quality, good value support and advice in particular in the UK in relation to Employment Tribunal cases.
• Work with the Centrica Reward and People Operations teams on various issues including terms and conditions of employment, HR policies, pay transparency and other pay-related issues, advice on benefits and incentive schemes.
• Support Centrica People and Employee Relations teams to prepare for the Employment Rights Act 2025 changes and build HR capability by providing education, training and support on relevant aspects of employment law.
• Provide advice to Legal Commercial, M&A, Procurement and People teams and to lead on non-contentious employment aspects of strategic business arrangements, including tenders, outsourcings (sometimes with complex TUPE implications), as well as reorganisations and redundancies.
• Provide advice to the Industrial Relations team on trade union related issues including industrial action, facilities time and collective bargaining.
• Actively explore/engage with our Tech colleagues on the introduction of AI tools to support the work of the Employment team and participate in any LRECS trials of AI tools.
• Build relationships with key stakeholders in the People team and the wider business.
• Actively engage in LRECS initiatives and activities.

Here's who we're looking for:

• A Qualified solicitor with a UK or equivalent practicing certificate with significant relevant PQE experience and the confidence to deputise for the Head of Legal, Employment when required.
• An employment law specialist with the expertise and experience required to provide quick, pragmatic and commercially sound advice on all employment issues including large scale outsourcings with TUPE implications.
• The ability to work autonomously and at pace, with competing deadlines.
• Confident and effective stakeholder management and ability to work closely with teams in HR, Reward, Procurement, M&A and other specialist Legal areas.
• A genuine interest in technology and how it might support the work of the Employment team.
• Strong drafting skills.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to explain complex legal principles to a variety of internal stakeholders.
• Excellent presentation skills with the willingness to deliver occasional training.