Senior Legal Counsel - Operations and Legislation (Fixed Term / Secondment for 12 months)

Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland. Senior Legal Counsel - Operations and Legislation – Fixed Term / Secondment for 12 months (Hybrid/Flexible Location within Scotland). It’s not every job where you make a difference for the people of Scotland. The work we do keeps Scotland’s water flowing, from reservoir to tap – and from sewer to treatment plant. Our operations span the length and breadth of Scotland, which generates a wealth of commercial, compliance, property and regulatory work that keeps our Legal team busy.

In this role as Senior Legal Counsel - Operations and Legislation, you’ll be a key player in a team that provides specialist knowledge and expertise that helps us deliver Scotland’s most important natural resource: water.

What you’ll do

• You’ll play a significant role in delivering a comprehensive legal service to Scottish Water, spanning legislative and regulatory compliance and the provision of advice across a broad range of practice areas.
• The goal is that Scottish Water remains legally compliant and effectively manages risk across the business.
• You will have a focus on delivering operational and legislative legal services relating to our Water and Sewerage legislation, compliance and regulation (including wholesale/retail market compliance) and management of our litigation and tribunals and environmental and health and safety prosecutions.
• You will be part of a team responsible for delivering a broad range of legal advice in areas such as commercial contracts, construction, procurement, commercial property, PFI, data protection and FOI, all with the aim of supporting Scottish Water in the delivery of its strategic ambitions.
• The role will also involve a focus on continual improvement in terms of customer service, cost-efficiency, quality, and collaboration, both across Scottish Water and with our external legal providers and stakeholders.
• You will play a significant role in embedding preventative lawyering as a central pillar of how we operate.

What you’ll bring

• You’ll be a Scottish-qualified solicitor with a current practising certificate.
• You’ll have in-depth knowledge of a wide range of legal and regulatory matters with a practical and collaborative approach.
• Ideally, you will have knowledge and experience of some of the following areas: our Water and Sewerage legislation, competition and regulation, freedom of information, health and safety law and retail market compliance.
• Preferably, you will also have litigation experience and gained some of that expertise providing advice in the water industry or another regulated industry.
• A skilled communicator, you’ll have a knack for Knowing-Your-Audience.
• You know how to effectively get your message across, and you don’t get bogged down in “legalese” when speaking to a non-legal audience.
• You’ll embody the Scottish Water Character – by being Bold, Responsible, Inspiring and Caring, both as a colleague and as a Leader.

Looking out for you

• This role will occasionally require you to work outside of normal working hours.
• You’ll get plenty of time to recharge with 38 days of holiday every year (including public holidays) - you can even buy five more if you need a little extra time.
• A truly flexible approach to work/life balance is embraced.
• You can also take time off to volunteer in your community.
• We have family-friendly policies around adoption, maternity, and parental leave.
• For your future, there’s our defined benefit pension and generous life assurance.
• You can expect an annual company bonus and access to SW Splash – handy rewards that can save you money on holidays, bills, and shopping.

The post is full time based on 35 hours per week with flexible working hours. Applications from those wishing to apply for any working patterns, or flexible working arrangements are welcome. This is a fixed term contract to cover a maternity leave with a start date of around September/October 2025.

The not-so-small print

• This role will be a Grade 8. If you’re new to Scottish Water, you’ll join us on a starting salary of £48,900. Performance-driven pay progression would then allow you to move through the range to a maximum of £68,510.
• If you’re interested in this role, we’ll be accepting applications until midnight on the 20th July 2025.
• Job offers at Scottish Water are conditional, and will be confirmed on completion of our pre-employment screening.
• Research shows that some people avoid applying for jobs unless they can meet every single criteria. If you’re interested in this job, but don’t tick all the boxes, apply anyway!
• Let us know if there are any changes we can make to our recruitment process to help you perform at your best.
• As part of our commitment to developing a flourishing Scotland, it’s important that all our employees are Scottish taxpayers.
• If you join us, your home address will need to be in Scotland.

We’re here to help. Ask us anything at SWRecruitment@ScottishWater.co.uk. Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.