Legal Counsel

Join Tetra Tech Consulting as Legal Counsel and provide practical, commercially focused legal advice across a diverse Consulting and Services business. Based in Belfast, this is an opportunity to work on varied contracts and legal matters spanning technical disciplines, while helping develop a modern, accessible and efficient in-house legal function.

Purpose & Scope of the Role

You will support operating units across Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland, advising on commercial contracts, legal and regulatory developments, governance and risk. Your work will include reviewing, drafting, interpreting and negotiating professional services and consultancy agreements, client-bespoke contracts, project and framework agreements, NDAs, sub-consultancy arrangements, tenders, memoranda of understanding, heads of terms, joint ventures, work orders, collateral warranties, novations, reliance letters, letters of intent and NEC contracts.

Working across architecture and building design, civil and structural engineering, transport and highways, planning, environment, water, sustainability, health and safety, laboratories and other specialist technical services, you will manage matters of varying size, complexity and urgency. You will work with operational teams, technical professionals, senior leaders and executives, translating legal advice into clear, practical guidance.

Your Impact in This Position

In the short term, you could establish credibility through timely, pragmatic advice on priority contracts, tenders and approvals, helping stakeholders understand obligations, liabilities, delivery considerations and appropriate escalation routes. Over time, your contribution may improve consistency and accessibility through effective templates, playbooks, clause libraries, Legal Hub and SharePoint resources, training materials and contract lifecycle management processes.

You could help translate regulatory developments into guidance that supports informed decision-making, strengthen legal awareness across the organisation and identify opportunities to simplify processes or improve controls. Success may be demonstrated through practical risk management, clearer approvals, constructive client and stakeholder relationships, efficient legal delivery and the effective use of legal technology and AI. Longer term, the role offers scope to contribute to the continued development of a collaborative, modern in-house legal service across multiple locations and technical disciplines.

Required Core Capabilities

• Contractual Legal Expertise and Sound Professional Judgement: Apply strong legal knowledge to review, draft, interpret and negotiate commercial and professional services agreements. Identify material obligations, liabilities, inconsistencies and delivery risks, balancing sound legal judgement with the practical question of whether commitments can be met. A broad perspective and sound escalation judgement are important across varied service areas.
• Legal Knowledge Management and Process Improvement: Develop and maintain contract templates, playbooks, clause libraries, guidance notes and legal resources that improve efficiency, consistency and accessibility. Use stakeholder feedback and recurring issues to simplify processes, strengthen controls and maintain accurate, usable information in SharePoint and the Legal Hub.
• Legal, Regulatory and Governance Advisory: Monitor developments relevant to data protection, building safety, health and safety, procurement, professional services and other organisational activities. Apply governance arrangements, approval routes and risk controls proportionately, recognising when matters require further review, approval or escalation.
• Stakeholder Communication, Training and Influence: Build constructive relationships across operating units, disciplines and levels of seniority. Explain complex legal, contractual and governance issues in clear, audience-appropriate language, provide accessible training and influence stakeholders towards appropriate outcomes without unnecessary jargon.
• Digital Legal Delivery, Adaptability and Collaboration: Use contract lifecycle management tools, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, shared inboxes and workflow systems to improve visibility, approvals and risk management. Embrace legal technology and AI with appropriate professional scrutiny, cyber security awareness and policy controls, while collaborating effectively across locations.

Qualifications & Training

You must be a qualified solicitor with approximately five to seven years’ post-qualification experience, including substantial in-house or commercially focused legal experience. Demonstrable experience in contract review, drafting, interpretation and negotiation, and advising business stakeholders on legal and regulatory matters, is essential.

Experience or training in data protection, the Building Safety Act, construction or engineering, NEC contracts, legal operations, contract lifecycle management or legal technology would be advantageous. Experience developing legal training, templates, playbooks or knowledge resources would also be beneficial.

The role is based in Belfast and supports colleagues across Northern Ireland, Ireland and Great Britain. There is no fixed minimum office attendance requirement, but attendance will be required for business needs including stakeholder meetings, contract signings and training. Travel across the island of Ireland, including Belfast, Dublin, Cork and Galway, is expected from time to time, with occasional travel to Great Britain potentially required. Working arrangements are flexible, with time managed effectively to meet required standards and timescales.