Construction Lawyer

Are you a legal expert looking for a role where your advice directly shapes critical infrastructure? Do you want to move away from the churn of external practice and become a valued, strategic partner within a dedicated, friendly in-house legal team? You have knowledge of NEC contracts and its use within infrastructure.

You’ll join us as Construction Lawyer to be the dedicated legal lead for our engineering and infrastructure development. We are gearing up for a massive increase in our capital delivery, driven by a bold business plan of £1.9 billion over the next five years. As we mainly utilise NEC contracts, previous experience and knowledge is key; this is a unique opportunity to apply your technical expertise to complex, large-scale water projects that will serve our community for generations.

You will serve as the dedicated legal lead responsible for managing all legal issues relating to SEW’s construction and infrastructure development. This position is critical; you will provide essential in-house legal support for our construction and maintenance activities, ensuring we have a robust internal resource rather than relying extensively on external counsel.

• To draft, review, negotiate and advise on NEC construction contract documents from pre-tender stage to completion and to advise on contractual issues or disputes during the life of the contract, working closely with the Construction, Engineering and Procurement teams.
• To provide early support to the Engineering teams in relation to contract administration and compensation event management and final account negotiations with a view to reducing or resolving contract disputes.
• Manage all aspects of formal Adjudication, preparing claims/responses, instructing expert witnesses, and liaising with external counsel.
• To ensure the company's contractual positions are robust, legally sound, and strategically aligned with project delivery objectives, with a specialised focus on the intricacies of the New Engineering Contract (NEC) suite.
• To produce precedents, updated standard company Z clauses and provide guidance documents and updates to the Engineering team.
• In instances where amicable resolution is not possible be responsible for the management and execution of formal dispute proceedings.
• To support the Head of Legal as may be required.

• A legal professional qualification.
• Experience in drafting, negotiating and reviewing construction contracts.
• Provide advice relating to the same from inception and also to advise in relation to disputes and end of contract claims.
• Ability to operate with limited supervision, managing a substantial workload and prioritising effectively in a fast-paced project environment.
• To be self-motivated, committed and organised.

Employees are required to be flexible and to be prepared to perform duties and other tasks within their capabilities. The nature of our business is such that the contents of any job profile are subject to change from time to time. We want to be the water company people want to be supplied by and want to work for. We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity. You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.

• Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.
• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.
• Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.
• Paid volunteering days.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Health cash plan.
• Life assurance.
• Wellbeing related benefits.

To apply for this position, please submit your CV on our career’s website. It is necessary for you to have the legal right to work in the UK when you begin employment with South East Water. Additionally, as part of the employment offer, you will need to pass background, identity, and employment referencing checks. If this sounds like the opportunity you’ve been looking for, apply now!

South East Water kindly asks that recruitment agencies refrain from submitting CVs to our employees or associates without explicit invitation from our HR Resourcing team. CVs sent on a speculative basis will not be acknowledged and will not assume any responsibility for fees or commissions in the event that we hire a candidate who applied directly or subsequently introduced by an instructed agency.