Senior Legal Counsel (9-12 month FTC)

We’re the feel-good fashion brand making style accessible and fun for over 55 years, on our website, mobile app and over 300 stores in the UK. By living our values - we play to win, customer obsessed, we are one and it starts with me - we deliver That New Look Feeling for our customers and each other.

THE ROLE

This is an exciting role in a fun, fast-paced business. You will report directly to our General Counsel & Company Secretary as part of a small legal team of 8 based in London and Weymouth. You’ll primarily advise and support all areas of the People Team with their work across stores, distribution and support centres, as well as advising the board of directors and other areas of the business, such as procurement and customer services.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU

• 40% staff discount plus friends & family discounts throughout the year
• Access to our reward platform for external discount and offers
• Profit related bonus scheme
• Option to join our Healthcare Private Medical Scheme
• Virtual GP access for you and your children – it allows you to speak to a doctor at a time and date that suits you
• All employees are covered by our life assurance policy from day one
• Unlock extra leave with our buy more holiday scheme
• Celebrate YOU! Enjoy an extra paid day off on your birthday each year
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave, and shared parental leave
• Spread the cost of your commute with interest-free season ticket loans
• Do your bit for the environment and save money with our Cycle2Work scheme

We’re proud to partner with the Retail Trust and Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

• Litigation: managing all employment disputes from the point of contact from ACAS conciliators. These typically include claims of discrimination, unfair and constructive unfair dismissal, and unlawful deductions from wages. Ideally, representing the company in the Employment Tribunal at preliminary hearings, judicial mediations and if appropriate, at full hearing.
• Advisory: Providing ad hoc advice to the business on a range of matters such as discrimination complaints, maternity rights, grievances, sickness absence management, redundancy and re-structuring, health and safety, TUPE, bonus arrangements, holiday entitlement, retirement, performance management, disciplinaries and dismissal, varying terms of employment, grievances, continuous service and employment status or corporate projects as may arise from time to time.
• Drafting: Advising on the terms of contracts of employment at all levels, supporting with maintaining staff handbooks and policies, drafting consultancy agreements, appointments of non-executive directors, settlement and secondment agreements.
• Managing upwards, keeping the General Counsel & Company Secretary and other Commercial Solicitors in the team informed about important issues and able to present clearly and precisely, enabling others to understand the key facts and issues.
• Staying up to date with legal developments and key business information and is aware of the marketplace and the company’s position within it.
• Cultivating and maintaining a relationship with internal stakeholders and external counsel.
• Identifying and providing training to the business on relevant legal issues.
• Coordinating projects, liaising with and managing external law firms to obtain advice (UK and overseas).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• 6-8 year PQE (level of PQE suggested, but we will consider applications from candidates with suitable experience with other levels of PQE)
• Experience gained within a highly regarded Employment department either in house or as part of a leading National/International Firm providing you have experience of working in house either on secondment or as part of your employment.

DESIRED ATTRIBUTES

• In-house experience (including secondment) and/or experience advising large retail clients.
• Excellent technical skills across the full remit of employment law matters.
• Excellent drafting, negotiating and communication skills.
• Personable and confident, able to build relationships with partners/key stakeholders quickly.
• Resilient and calm under pressure.
• Adaptable and flexible approach.
• Ability to take responsibility and act autonomously with minimal supervision.
• Excellent organisational skills - ability to plan, organise and prioritise tasks and projects.
• Ability to work under pressure, to prioritise tasks and manage deadlines.
• Innovative, proactive and able to respond creatively and effectively in offering solutions whilst managing expectations.
• Commercial awareness and ability to produce innovative and cost-effective legal solutions.
• A high degree of professionalism and willingness to constructively challenge the status quo.
• A true trusted business partner.

We care about you and the planet and believe fashion should be a force for positive change. We celebrate inclusion and diversity in everything we do. We’re proud of our inclusive culture and our talented team members who embrace our shared purpose, behaviours and values. We prioritise development, offering training to support your progression, so you can be your absolute best and achieve your goals. We pride ourselves on being a flexible employer, our colleagues work a range of patterns. If you have a specific pattern in mind, we're keen to discuss this with you in line with the output needed for the role.