Senior In-house Lawyer (Commercial)

Job summary

You will work within the UKRI legal team and report to the Deputy Head of Legal (Commercial), providing sound, pragmatic and business-focused legal advice on a wide range of commercial legal issues affecting the functions and operation of UKRI. The work of UKRI Legal is broad and increasing in variety and complexity and the team’s commercial work currently spans areas including large-scale projects and contracts, procurement, IP, property, company law, subsidy control and grant-giving. You will be expected to take a flexible approach and be able to quickly get up to speed with new and unfamiliar areas of law as the remit of UKRI Legal grows to meet the developing needs of the wider business.

Job description

• Professional and skilled lawyer with sound commercial experience and the ability to understand public sector policy drivers and work effectively within the statutory framework applicable to a non- departmental public body
• Demonstrable technical aptitude
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as the ability to influence and work collaboratively
• 'Can-do' individual who is self-motivated and able to plan and manage a varied workload effectively
• Strong attention to detail with a proven track record of meeting deadlines and effectively prioritising and managing competing

Person specification

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

Essential

Academic Qualifications

Minimum of a 2:1 honours degree in your first degree (in any subject) or equivalent high level academic and/or professional achievement where satisfactory evidence can be provided (e.g., via relevant experience and results achieved for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/CPE, Legal Practice Course (LPC), Bar Professional Course (BPC), CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ)). Where an overseas degree qualification is held, this should be equivalent to a 2.1 degree. (S)

Professional Qualifications

Qualified to practice as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales. (S)

Experience

Candidates must be able to demonstrate strong experience of providing pragmatic, business-focused legal advice on commercial/contract law and grants and research contracts alongside at least two of the following areas (S):

• Property
• Subsidy control
• Information law
• Public law
• Public procurement
• IP
• Professional and skilled lawyer with sound experience of providing pragmatic and business focused legal advice. (I)
• Reliable legal judgement and appreciation of legal risk. (I)
• Ability to make difficult decisions and stand by them. (I)
• Ability to influence and work collaboratively. (I)
• 'Can-do' individual who is self-motivated and able to plan and manage a varied workload effectively. (I)
• Ability to produce timely and fit for purpose advice based on sound legal research. (I)

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!

A list of benefits below:

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.

Plus, many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

For further information on our benefits please see:

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact Recruitment@ukri.org.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,589, UK Research and Innovation contributes £16,973 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

1st interview incl presentation.

Interviews will either take place remotely via Teams or in person face to face.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Recruitment Team
• Email : recruitment@ukri.org

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitmement@ukri.org