Senior Legal Counsel

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Employment Lawyer to join the University's in-house Legal and Compliance team.

As a key member of our busy and supportive legal team, you will work closely with our Senior Legal Counsel (Employment) and a wide range of stakeholders across the University, particularly the People Team.

A central focus of the role will be managing a varied and often complex Employment Tribunal caseload. You will take responsibility for claims from initial instruction through to final hearing, including drafting pleadings, applications and witness statements, managing disclosure, and representing the University or instructing Counsel at Employment Tribunal hearings. Working collaboratively with colleagues across the institution, you will provide pragmatic, commercially focused legal advice while helping to ensure legal and regulatory compliance.

Supporting a single client offers a unique opportunity to build trusted relationships with colleagues across both Academic and Professional Services departments and gain a deep understanding of the University's culture, strategic priorities and approach to risk. This enables you to provide more impactful, strategic legal advice and contribute directly to effective decision-making, without the pressures of time recording, billing targets or business development.

You will join a friendly, collaborative and high-performing team that values mutual support and celebrates both personal and professional achievements. The University is committed to helping colleagues develop and thrive, offering a wide range of professional and personal development opportunities, including training programmes, workshops, mentoring and leadership initiatives.

The team currently operates a hybrid working model, with two in-office days per week (currently Tuesdays and Thursdays). Due to ongoing campus redevelopment works, attendance is currently required on Tuesdays only on an interim basis until approximately March 2027, with hot-desking facilities available on campus on other days. The successful candidate will be expected to attend campus on additional days where required by the needs of the role or the University.

About You:

This is an excellent opportunity for a confident and proactive employment law specialist with strong Employment Tribunal litigation experience who is looking to develop their career in a dynamic and intellectually stimulating environment.

You will be an experienced employment law professional with substantial expertise in employment law and a proven track record of delivering high-quality legal advice within a complex organisational environment. You will have significant experience of managing a varied and often complex Employment Tribunal caseload, taking matters from initial instruction through to final hearing.

Combining strong technical legal knowledge with sound commercial judgement, you will be able to provide pragmatic, solutions-focused advice that appropriately balances legal risk with organisational objectives. You will be confident working independently while also building effective relationships with colleagues and stakeholders across the University.

Significant experience of conducting Employment Tribunal litigation, including complex and high-value claims, is essential. Experience of advising on industrial relations matters, including trade union engagement and collective employment issues, would be advantageous.

Strong communication, drafting and stakeholder management skills are key, together with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver practical legal solutions that support the University's strategic objectives.

About the Department:

Formed in 2018, Legal and Compliance Services has grown to become one of the largest in-house legal teams in the sector. Our friendly team provides vital support to clients across the University, working across a broad range of specialisms, from employment and civil litigation to data protection and contracts.

Benefits:

The University offers an attractive pension scheme, a generous holiday allowance plus Christmas closure, excellent learning and development opportunities, and savings on a wide range of products and services. A generous maternity/paternity/adoption/parental leave policy and onsite childcare facilities are also provided. The University is a Living Wage employer and offers flexible working arrangements.