Legal Counsel (Part-time & flexible) in London

Santander is evolving from a global, high-impact brand into a technology-driven organisation, and our people are at the heart of this journey. Together, we are driving a customer-centric transformation that values bold thinking, innovation, and the courage to challenge what’s possible.

This is more than a strategic shift. Our mission is to contribute to help more people and businesses prosper. We embrace a strong risk culture and all our professionals at all levels are expected to take a proactive and responsible approach toward risk management.

The Legal Counsel role is in the Operations & Infrastructure Legal team, which sits within the wider Digital, Technology & Operations Legal team, which overall advises on Digital, Technology, Operations, Infrastructure, Payments, Data Privacy and Intellectual Property.

In this high-profile role, you’ll be providing legal advice relating to a wide range of agreements that support Santander UK’s operations and infrastructure, including:

• Drafting, negotiating and advising on contracts for outsourced and material services
• Consultancy services (including IT)
• Marketing and sponsorship
• Intra-group arrangements
• Insurance distribution (from a commercial contracts perspective)
• Cash management services
• Employee platforms and rewards
• Strategic projects

You will also advise on the regulatory regimes that apply to the provision of services to Santander as a ring-fenced bank in the UK.

If you’ve performed a similar role previously, this could be a great opportunity to develop your career.

Key responsibilities include:

• Working closely with stakeholders across the Bank to deliver expert, accurate, concise, commercial and cost-effective legal advice that is readily understandable to non-lawyers, facilitating business decisions
• Demonstrating creativity and innovation in reaching practical solutions on complex subject matters and being comfortable challenging when appropriate to ensure compliance with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements
• Sharing technical skills, experience and best practice with colleagues and the wider business and supporting other departments through training and the development and updating of legal templates and checklists
• Keeping abreast of external developments in the law and financial services industry to enable Santander UK to react appropriately and in line with best practice, continuously seeking to improve processes, practices and policies
• Answering legal queries from internal customers as well as managing external suppliers/stakeholders to successfully deliver advice, projects and other outcomes on a timely basis

Experience required:

• Providing legal advice that is readily understandable to non-lawyers
• Excellent knowledge and experience of outsourcing, working on complex commercial contracts, and commercial contract law
• Excellent knowledge of the regulatory regime impacting outsourcing and material arrangements in financial services
• Good understanding and working knowledge of data protection issues applicable to contracts that involve sharing/processing of personal data
• Excellent project management skills, with an ability to manage multiple, conflicting interests and deadlines

Benefits include:

• 30 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, increasing to 31 days after 5 years service, with the option to purchase up to 5 contractual days per year
• ~£6,000 car allowance per year
• ~Company funded individual private medical insurance
• ~Protection for you and your family, with company-funded death-in-service benefit and income protection insurance
• ~Wellbeing that goes beyond work, with access to a suite of apps, discounted gym and fitness access, weekly online classes, flexible healthcare and mental health support
• Support for every life stage, from menopause and pregnancy to parenthood and beyond
• Time to give back through volunteering opportunities
• Global growth opportunities to shape your career, learn new skills and explore what’s possible across our international network

At Santander, we’re proud to be an inclusive organisation that provides equal opportunities for everyone — regardless of age, gender, disability, civil status, race, religion or sexual orientation. To make this possible, our roles are site-based with a hybrid working pattern, where colleagues are expected to attend the office at least 12 days per month (pro-rata for part-time roles).

If there’s anything we can do in the recruitment process to help you achieve your best, get in touch.