At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead legal and governance functions, providing high-quality advice and support to the Board.
- Company: Join Leek Building Society, a community-focused organisation with an inclusive culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous holiday, and comprehensive health support.
- Other info: Flexible working options and excellent career development opportunities await you.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a role that combines legal expertise with strategic growth.
- Qualifications: Qualified solicitor or barrister with 5+ years of relevant experience.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 80000 £ per year.
Location: Hybrid working with 2 days per week in our Head Office (Leek, Staffordshire) and the remaining time remotely.
Employment type: Full-time, permanent position.
Salary: £80,000
Working hours: 35 hours per week, worked flexibly.
Reports to: Chief Risk Officer
Direct Reports: none
The Organisation
At Leek Building Society, we pride ourselves on being a force for good. We exist to help our communities grow, so they can do great things today and even better things tomorrow. Our colleagues are one of the communities we support. We’ve created an inclusive, engaging workplace where colleagues have the freedom to be themselves and grow their careers. We’re proud to be an award winning employer, accredited as a ‘Great Place to Work’ based on our latest colleague survey, with a continued focus on helping everyone reach their potential.
Job Purpose & Scope
The Head of Legal & Company Secretary is the Society’s senior in-house legal adviser and governance leader, acting as a trusted adviser to the Board and Executive while leading the Society’s legal capability and company secretarial function. The role provides high-quality legal advice, robust corporate governance, and effective Board and committee support, ensuring the Society operates within its legal, regulatory, and governance obligations while enabling strategic growth and change in a proportionate and well-controlled manner consistent with the Society’s risk appetite and values.
Combining hands-on legal advisory responsibilities with oversight of governance processes and key stakeholder engagement, the role supports the Society in navigating legal and regulatory change, strengthening governance maturity, and delivering strategic objectives, supported where appropriate by external advisers.
Duties and Key Responsibilities
- Legal Advisory
- Provide timely, pragmatic legal advice across the Society, including lending, savings, treasury, outsourcing, procurement, technology, data protection, employment, and property matters.
- Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of legal documentation, including contracts, terms and conditions, policies, and framework agreements.
- Support new products, strategic initiatives, and business transformation, enabling growth while ensuring legal and regulatory risks are identified and addressed early.
- Monitor legal and regulatory developments relevant to building societies and regulated financial services, clearly articulating impacts and required actions.
- Oversee relationships with external legal advisers, ensuring effective challenge, oversight, and value for money.
- Company Secretarial and Governance
- Act as Company Secretary to the Society, ensuring compliance with statutory, regulatory, and governance requirements.
- Support the Chair, Board, and Board Committees by ensuring effective governance arrangements, including agendas, papers, minutes, and action tracking.
- Advise Directors and senior management on corporate governance best practice, Directors’ duties, conflicts of interest, and decision-making responsibilities.
- Maintain statutory registers, filings, and corporate records, including Companies House and regulatory notifications.
- Support the annual Board and Committee cycle, including reviews of terms of reference, governance frameworks, and effectiveness assessments.
- Regulatory & Stakeholder Engagement
- Act as a key point of contact for legal and governance matters with regulators, auditors, and external advisers.
- Work closely with Risk & Compliance to support interpretation and implementation of regulatory requirements and supervisory expectations.
- Contribute to Board papers and regulatory submissions where legal or governance input is required.
- Risk, Conduct & Culture
- Identify, assess, and manage legal and governance risks in line with the Society’s Risk Management Framework and Risk Appetite.
- Support a strong conduct and customer-focused culture, ensuring legal advice and governance practices align with the Society’s purpose and values.
- Contribute to policy development, review, and proportionate second-line assurance activity where appropriate.
- Development & Leadership
- Build effective relationships across the Society, acting as a trusted adviser and constructive challenger.
- Support training and awareness initiatives for the Board and colleagues on legal, governance, and regulatory matters.
- Contribute to the ongoing development of the Society’s legal and governance capability as the organisation grows and evolves.
Person Specification
Qualifications & Knowledge
- Essential: Qualified solicitor or barrister in England & Wales (or equivalent).
- Desirable: A qualification, certification, or professional training in corporate governance, company secretarial practice, or board governance (e.g. through recognised professional bodies).
Experience
- 5+ years' post-qualification experience (PQE) as a solicitor, ideally providing practical and proportionate legal advice on complex commercial, corporate and/or regulatory matters.
- Experience of advising senior management and/or Boards, demonstrating sound judgement and the ability to balance legal risk with commercial objectives.
- Ability to provide clear, precise and practical legal advice, effectively articulating what is relevant and important in a concise and accessible manner.
- Desirable: Experience operating within a regulated financial services environment, ideally advising on savings and/or lending products (including propositions for business customers), and the associated legal, regulatory and conduct considerations.
- Company Secretarial experience, including board and committee support, governance frameworks and regulatory engagement.
- Experience supporting business change, outsourcing arrangements, supplier contracts and third party risk management.
- Experience managing relationships with external legal advisors, including coordinating specialist advice and achieving value-for-money outcomes.
Skills and abilities
- Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders.
- Strong leadership capability, with experience developing teams, fostering collaboration, and promoting constructive challenge.
- Ability to communicate complex legal issues, clearly, pragmatically, and proportionally to non-legal stakeholders.
A Basic DBS check will be undertaken upon an offer of employment.
Benefits
- 35 hour working week (full-time)
- 7.5% employer pension contribution
- Minimum of 27 days paid holiday a year plus bank holidays
- Holiday purchase/sale scheme
- Health Screenings
- 24/7 GP access for you and your close family
- Comprehensive mental health support including counselling sessions and mental health first aiders
- Workplace savings account with £100 bonus when you save regularly
- Enhanced sick and family leave pay from day 1
- Sick Pay guaranteed for 6 months for major illnesses
- Life assurance of 4 times your annual salary
- Continuous development opportunities
- Retailer discounts and salary sacrifice/deduction schemes
- We’re open to discussing working flexibly
- Onsite gym at Head Office
If the above sounds like something you’d thrive at, we’d love to hear from you.
Head of Legal and Company Secretary in Leek employer: Leek Building Society
At Leek Building Society, we are committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment that empowers our colleagues to thrive both personally and professionally. With a hybrid working model, generous benefits including a 7.5% employer pension contribution, and a focus on continuous development, we ensure our employees have the resources and opportunities to grow their careers while contributing to our mission of helping communities flourish.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Legal and Company Secretary in Leek
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the legal field and let them know you're on the hunt for a new role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on opportunities at places like Leek Building Society.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of corporate governance and regulatory matters. Be ready to discuss how you can help the Society navigate legal challenges while supporting their growth. Show them you’re the perfect fit!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t forget to showcase your leadership skills! Talk about your experience advising senior management and how you’ve influenced decision-making in previous roles. They want to see that you can be a trusted adviser to the Board.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our community at Leek Building Society. Let’s make it happen!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Legal and Company Secretary in Leek
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Head of Legal and Company Secretary role. Highlight your relevant experience in legal advisory and governance, and show how you align with our values at Leek Building Society.
Showcase Your Skills:Don’t just list your qualifications; demonstrate how your skills can benefit us. Use specific examples from your past roles to illustrate your ability to provide clear legal advice and manage governance processes effectively.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your points are easy to understand and directly related to the job description. Avoid jargon unless it's necessary!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity at Leek Building Society.
How to prepare for a job interview at Leek Building Society
✨Know Your Legal Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the latest legal regulations and governance practices relevant to building societies. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with the Society's needs, especially in areas like lending, savings, and data protection.
✨Showcase Your Advisory Skills
Prepare examples of how you've provided practical legal advice to senior management or boards. Highlight your ability to balance legal risks with commercial objectives, as this will be crucial for the role.
✨Understand the Company Culture
Familiarise yourself with Leek Building Society's values and community focus. Be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to their mission of supporting communities and fostering a strong conduct and customer-focused culture.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Think about how you've successfully managed relationships with external legal advisers and regulators in the past. Be ready to share strategies for effective communication and collaboration, as this will be key in your role as a trusted adviser.
