Legal Counsel

Great British Nuclear (GBN) is a new government arm's length body supporting the delivery of Britain's energy security and net zero, making sure that we can power Britain from Britain sustainably. It has been set up to turn nuclear ambition into reality. This is an exciting and critical time to bring your experience and expertise to GBN.

To purpose of this role is to support the Senior Legal Counsel / Legal Director and represent the Legal Function on all legal matters assigned to you, including handling all day-to-day legal matters that arise in a fast-growing organisation. This will involve supporting front line business teams within GBN, either directly or through external legal counsel, and working in partnership with other central functions.

Day to day duties:

• Work with the Senior Legal Counsel / Legal Director in the provision of legal advice and guidance to the business on a mix of long-term strategic projects and fast moving "business as usual" work.

• Provide legal advice and input to business teams, prioritising time and resource according to the strategic importance of the work at hand and co-ordinating your work with other central functions as required.

• Work closely with GBN Commercial on all procurement of core services which enable GBN to function. Work closely with central functions (including HR, Comms, Governance and Data Governance) to handle a wide range of day-to-day matters. Facilitate the assessment of balanced risk decision-making.

• Whilst some work will be under the guidance or supervision of the Senior Legal Counsel / Legal Director, for the most part this role will require the successful candidate to deliver directly, or through external law firms, with limited supervision.

• Identify and champion process improvements, such as developing and rolling out standard documentation and procedures for the Legal Function.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience required:

• Knowledge and experience of one or more of: projects, infrastructure, energy and related areas of law and regulation is strongly preferred. Candidates with experience of complex commercial or corporate finance transactions will also be considered.
• Prior in-house experience, e.g. through secondments, is an advantage.
• Practical experience of dispute resolution and/or regulatory proceedings is an advantage.
• Knowledge of one or more of: public procurement, subsidy control, public law, freedom of information and judicial review is highly desirable.
• Evidence of an ability to learn and master areas of legal practice outside of your core area of expertise.
• Demonstrable experience in negotiating, reviewing and drafting a wide range agreements and legal documentation.
• General commercial/transactional support skills and an aptitude for handling any and all matters that are likely to arise in an in-house environment.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and willing to work outside of comfort zone.
• Able to prioritise own time and the use of external resources. Capable of planning out legal aspects of projects with medium to long term time horizons.
• Strong communication skills and confident handling internal stakeholders at all levels of seniority.
• Able to work confidently without supervision. Self-aware enough to know when and how to "manage up" to the Legal Director or Senior Legal Counsel.
• Team player, "can do" attitude, with good interpersonal skills and a mature outlook. Relishes a high degree of autonomy and the accountability that comes with such responsibility.

Qualifications

• English qualified solicitor or barrister (with current practising certificate).
• 4+ years PQE indicative, though candidates with significantly more experience are welcome.

Please complete our short application form to apply for this role. If shortlisted, one of our Talent Attraction Leads will be in touch to discuss the position in more detail. Good luck with your application!

At GBN, we are committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. We value diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, including underrepresented groups. If you require any support or adjustments to help you with your application, please contact us at , and we will be happy to provide assistance.