Legal Counsel in Chichester

Salary will be dependant on experience. The benefits package for this role includes a yearly bonus based on company and individual performance, private healthcare, pension and the ability to purchase additional annual leave.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our team based from our office in Crawley. This role is a hybrid working role, with one day in the office per week. This role is a full-time, permanent position with working hours from 9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.

The role

• You’ll act as a trusted advisor to the business, providing commercial and pragmatic employment law support across the full spectrum of contentious and non-contentious matters.
• Working closely with the Regional HR Director, the HR function, the regional General Counsel, and senior stakeholders, you’ll support day‑to‑day employee relations matters as well as strategic projects in a dynamic, high‑growth environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Providing employment law advice across the UK and Ireland region.
• Supporting on employee relations issues, restructures, disciplinary and grievance matters and business protection / anti-competitive issues.
• Advising on, developing and refining employment contracts and HR / data protection policies.
• Supporting M&A activity, TUPE transfers, and workforce change programmes.
• Assisting with the preparation and negotiation of employment aspects of commercial contracts where required.
• Managing, in a cost efficient manner, external counsel across jurisdictions as required.
• Partnering with regional HR and business leaders to deliver commercially focused legal solutions.
• Contributing to legal projects, process improvement, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
• Horizon-scanning for legislative, case law and regulatory change, and advising the business accordingly.
• Advise on high-risk areas including whistleblowing, discrimination, restrictive covenants, senior exits, and settlement agreements.
• Support litigation through witness preparation and shaping case strategy.
• Manage collective consultation processes and outsourcing/insourcing activity.
• Provide transactional support for bids and proposal negotiations.
• Contribute to legal risk management, governance reporting, and identifying mitigation strategies.
• Mentor HR colleagues and develop team capability, processes, and precedents.
• Deliver training to improve capability and support compliant decision-making.

Key Requirements

• Qualified lawyer (UK or equivalent) or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives with strong employment law and tribunal expertise (approximately 4-6 years' PQE) in both contentious and non-contentious matters.
• Demonstrable employment law experience.
• Experience working in‑house (including a secondment), ideally within fast‑moving sectors.
• Commercially aware, pragmatic, and solutions-focused with the ability to operate remotely and independently.
• An effective communicator, with confidence engaging non-legal stakeholders.
• Well organised, proactive, and able to manage competing priorities.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Enthusiastic about legal operations and process improvement.
• Excellent presentation skills.

Benefits

• Annual Bonus.
• Opportunity to contribute to a Private Healthcare scheme.
• Exciting discounts and cashback offers with RI Rewards.
• Financial wellbeing assistance (e.g., Salary Finance scheme, loans and early pay access).
• Enhanced pension contributions, life cover (up to 4x salary).
• Access to a virtual GP service for you to support your wellbeing.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - free to access and available 24/7 to you, your family, and friends.
• Opportunity to buy 5 days additional annual leave.
• Refer a Friend - earn up to £1,000 for referring someone to work for Rentokil Initial.

A Company Putting “People First”

Rentokil Initial is not just any business services company - we are one of the largest in the world! Our ultimate mission is to protect people and enhance lives by shielding them from the dangers of pest-borne diseases and the risks associated with poor hygiene. Moreover, we go beyond protection and actively improve lives through services designed to safeguard the health and wellbeing of individuals, as well as the reputation of our esteemed customers' brands. Rentokil Initial are an equal opportunities employer and are committed to creating a diverse working environment.