At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead legal strategy and provide counsel on governance, compliance, and commercial matters.
- Company: Join Pennon Group, a leader in water and renewables, committed to a greener future.
- Benefits: Make a meaningful impact while enjoying a strong sense of purpose and career growth.
- Other info: Diversity is our strength; we celebrate uniqueness and foster an inclusive culture.
- Why this job: Shape the future of sustainable business and influence strategic decisions at the highest level.
- Qualifications: Qualified Solicitor or Barrister with significant legal leadership experience.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose. At Pennon Group, we're proud to serve communities while protecting the environment. Together with our subsidiaries, we are leading the way in water and renewables. Our goals include lowering our carbon footprint, planting 300,000 trees, restoring peatlands, and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.
We are seeking an exceptional General Counsel to provide strategic legal leadership across the Group and act as a trusted advisor to the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Leadership Team. This is a rare opportunity to join a high-profile listed business at a pivotal time for the sector, helping to navigate complex regulatory, commercial, and governance challenges while enabling the delivery of Pennon's long-term strategy.
The Role
As General Counsel, you will be the Group's most senior legal advisor, providing commercially focused legal counsel across a broad range of strategic matters including:
- Corporate governance and Board advisory support.
- Regulatory and compliance matters.
- Major capital and infrastructure programmes.
- Commercial contracts and strategic procurements.
- Corporate transactions, acquisitions, and partnerships.
- Litigation, dispute resolution, and risk management.
- ESG, sustainability, and emerging regulatory obligations.
You will work closely with senior stakeholders across the organisation, ensuring legal considerations are fully integrated into decision-making while helping the business achieve its strategic objectives. This role requires someone who can balance strong legal judgement with commercial pragmatism, influencing at the highest levels while building trusted relationships across the Group.
About You
We're looking for an experienced legal leader who combines outstanding technical expertise with business acumen and executive presence. You will bring:
- Qualification as a Solicitor or Barrister in England and Wales.
- Significant post-qualification experience, including senior in-house legal leadership.
- Experience operating within a regulated industry environment.
- Strong corporate governance and Board advisory expertise.
- A track record of advising on complex commercial, strategic, and regulatory matters.
- Proven ability to influence Executive and Board-level stakeholders.
- Experience leading legal teams and managing external legal partners.
- Experience within utilities, infrastructure, environmental services, or other highly regulated sectors would be advantageous.
What Will Make You Successful?
You will thrive in this role if you are motivated by:
- Influencing strategic business decisions.
- Solving complex and high-profile challenges.
- Protecting and enhancing corporate reputation.
- Leading and developing high-performing teams.
- Supporting sustainable long-term business outcomes.
- Building strong partnerships with Boards, executives, regulators, and external stakeholders.
Why Pennon?
This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a business that delivers services critical to the environment, communities, and customers we serve every day. You'll join an organisation with ambitious plans for the future, a strong sense of purpose, and a commitment to doing the right thing for customers, colleagues, investors, and the environment.
Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory Enhanced National Security Vetting to SC Level as part of the onboarding process and any offer of employment will be subject to successfully passing the checks handled by (UKSV). To attain SC, candidates will need to have held residency in the UK for the past 5 years.
Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness. Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:
- Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted.
- Be You - We want you to bring your best every day.
- Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.
Wanted: General Counsel employer: Pennon Group
At Pennon Group, we offer a dynamic work environment where our In-House Legal Counsel can thrive while making a meaningful impact on communities and the environment. Our commitment to employee growth is reflected in our supportive culture and opportunities for professional development, all set against the backdrop of our leadership in the UK water sector. Join us in driving purpose and innovation as we work towards a sustainable future.
