Strategic Head of Legal, Retail Ventures (In‑House) in England

Essar Retail Ventures (ERV) is a successful and fast‑growing retail business within Essar, operating and expanding a UK‑wide network of dealer owned and company operated fuel sites. The business plays a key role in Essar’s retail and commercial strategy, delivering strong performance and continued network growth.

ERV will enable a sharper commercial and operational focus as the Retail business continues to scale its network, enhance convenience offerings, deploy digital retail solutions, and support future-facing customer propositions. As part of Essar’s long‑term energy transition ambitions, ERV will play a key role in delivering high‑quality retail experiences, network growth, and new mobility solutions across the UK.

We currently have an exciting opportunity for Head of Legal – Essar Retail Ventures. As Head of Legal for Essar Retail Ventures, you will serve as the organisation’s senior in‑house legal advisor, leading all legal support across commercial, operational, property, regulatory, corporate and strategic matters. You will ensure ERV operates within a strong legal and governance framework while providing guidance across all operating models, including DODO and CLDO/COCO. The role partners closely with Business Development, Operations, Convenience, Digitalisation, Onboarding, HR, Finance, Procurement and key commercial partners. You will also provide corporate legal oversight, covering governance, shareholder matters and regulatory compliance, ensuring ERV’s interests are protected and aligned with its strategic ambitions. The role will also lead and develop a legal team (1–2 lawyers), providing direction, coaching and quality assurance across all legal workstreams as ERV grows.

Primary Accountabilities

• Act as the primary legal advisor to ERV, providing strategic guidance across retail operations, corporate matters, commercial negotiations and major projects.
• Lead governance, corporate filings, shareholder matters and legal risk management across the business.
• Draft and negotiate key contracts, including dealer fuel supply (DODO), CLDO/COCO agreements, logistics, digital, convenience and commercial leases, as well as MOUs, NDAs and Heads of Terms.
• Provide senior oversight of all property matters, including leases, renewals, land rights, due diligence and site acquisition or expansion activities.
• Maintain ERV’s legal compliance framework and ensure adherence to governance, planning, environmental and statutory requirements.
• Support Operations, BD, Digital, Convenience and other teams with day‑to‑day legal needs, dispute resolution and dealer or commercial escalations.
• Manage external legal advisors, oversee dispute strategy and ensure cost‑effective counsel engagement.
• Deliver legal reporting to leadership and governance forums, supporting investment cases, site approvals and statutory submissions.
• Ensure strong HSSE governance, maintain audit readiness and promote ethical and compliant practices across ERV.
• Manage the legal budget, improve contractual efficiency and drive standardisation of legal processes.
• Provide legal input into digital platforms, automation tools, contract management systems and data governance, ensuring compliance with digital initiatives.
• Undertake occasional travel across ERV sites and partner locations.

About You

You will be a qualified Solicitor (England & Wales) with substantial experience and a strong academic background in Law. You will bring extensive experience in commercial law, regulatory compliance and contract negotiation, along with a proven track record of advising senior leadership in complex or multi‑site environments. A solid grounding in corporate governance, legal risk management and major transactions is essential, as is the ability to lead legal matters independently. Experience within the retail fuels, energy, convenience, digital or property sectors would be advantageous. The role requires excellent negotiation and drafting skills, strong commercial awareness and strategic thinking, and outstanding communication, advisory and influencing capability. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong organisational and stakeholder management skills, sound judgement, and a high level of integrity and confidentiality.

Closing Date

This vacancy will close on Friday 17th April 2026. This advert will close once sufficient applications have been received.

Please Note, we work with a carefully selected set of recruitment agencies, and we are not looking to add to the current preferred suppliers list. We are unable to accept representations from agencies that are not on that preferred supplier list.

Competitive Salary

• 10% Company Contribution Pension rising to 15% with service.
• 25 days Holiday, increasing with service.
• Private Medical Insurance.
• Additional Flex Benefits- including Holiday Purchase.
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme with Exclusive access to a range of Discounts.
• Free Secure On-Site Car Parking.