Legal Counsel in Bicester

Valda Energy is a dynamic and rapidly growing energy supplier based in Bicester, committed to driving business success through smart, reliable energy solutions. Established in 2019 by industry experts, we bring together a diverse combination of talent to foster continuous sustainable growth. We challenge the existing marketplace with our leading, tech-driven, and customer-focused approach. Our passion for innovation and dedication to exceptional service sets us apart.

At Valda Energy, we live by our core values: communicate, collaborate, own it, embrace change, and put the customer first. We believe that our people are our greatest asset, and we are dedicated to fostering a supportive and evolving culture. From introducing new benefits to offering structured training opportunities and hosting frequent social events, we ensure our employees thrive.

As Valda Energy continues to expand, we are looking to appoint a Legal Counsel who will work directly alongside our General Counsel as their trusted right hand. This is a unique opportunity to help shape and build a modern, responsive, and commercially focused in-house legal function from the ground up.

As the second dedicated legal hire in the business, you will play a central role in extending the General Counsel’s reach, influence, and capacity across the organisation. You will take day-to-day ownership of a broad range of commercial and regulatory matters while collaborating closely on higher-risk, strategic, and business-critical issues. This role offers exceptional exposure to senior leadership, genuine autonomy, and the chance to make a visible impact on how Valda Energy operates, scales, and innovates.

In this role, you will:

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements, with a focus on technology procurement, outsourced services, and general supplier contracts.
• Support the General Counsel on procurement and commercial contracting strategy, ensuring risks are identified, managed and escalated appropriately.
• Provide clear, practical and commercially grounded legal advice to stakeholders across the business, enhancing the General Counsel’s visibility and influence.
• Advise on data protection matters within commercial contracts, including drafting and negotiating data processing terms.
• Support the Regulatory Compliance team with legal interpretation where required (no prior energy sector experience required).
• Help the General Counsel manage and resolve supplier and customer disputes, including early-stage negotiations and oversight of external counsel.
• Work closely with the General Counsel to develop templates, guidance, playbooks and scalable legal processes.
• Play an active role in strengthening risk management, governance, and continuous improvement across the business.

Your work will directly influence how we grow – and how we deliver for the thousands of businesses that rely on Valda Energy every day.

We’re seeking a qualified solicitor or barrister entitled to practice in England and Wales (preferably 3–6 years PQE) with strong commercial contracts experience and the confidence to take responsibility in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment.

You’ll be a great fit if you:

• Have solid experience negotiating and drafting commercial, technology, and supplier contracts.
• Bring a practical understanding of data protection as it applies to commercial arrangements.
• Are comfortable managing your own workload and advising directly on commercial decisions.
• Are proactive, commercially minded, and solutions-focused.
• Build strong relationships quickly and enjoy being part of an agile and ambitious business.
• Want to play a role in shaping a growing, ambitious in-house legal function.

If you’re an ambitious lawyer looking for a role with breadth, visibility, influence, and room to grow, this is your opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

Perks that Power Your Journey:

• Competitive annual salary and bonus scheme.
• 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, a length of service award increasing up to 30 days, plus an extra day off during your birthday month.
• Private Medical Insurance with Vitality Health.
• Access to The Grid, our employee engagement and rewards platform, giving you exclusive discounts at hundreds of retailers, wellbeing resources, recognition tools, and more.
• Life Insurance policy, providing coverage at four times your salary.
• Employee Assistance Programme offering confidential support and guidance.
• Enjoy an array of complimentary snacks, drinks, and lunch options in our office.
• Salary sacrifice pension scheme where we will match contributions up to 5%.
• In-house learning and development team devoted to nurturing your talent, unlocking potential and propelling you towards being your best.
• Refer a friend scheme (up to £500), monthly team events, annual company events & recognition awards.

If you like the sound of this role, we encourage you to apply even if you aren’t confident that you meet all of the requirements – you may be just who we’re looking for. We are extremely proud to be an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from all backgrounds. To make your recruitment experience with us accessible to you, we encourage you to let us know if you have any individual requirements. We are here to support you, so please reach out to our team on joinus@valdaenergy.com.