Senior Counsel - Fixed Term

Senior Counsel    
Flexible Base Location with UK Travel
Full Time, 12 Month Fixed Term Contract (Maternity Cover)
Band 2 / £70,000 - £95,000 (dependent on experience)   

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Counsel to join our UK & Europe Legal team, reporting directly to the Legal Director. This critical role will provide high-quality legal expertise and support for corporate and commercial matters across the region. You will lead on complex transactions, including mergers & acquisitions (M&A), joint ventures, consortium arrangements, financed projects, and strategic bids.

Serco is a leading provider of essential public services, operating across defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare, and citizen services in the UK and Europe. With a commitment to delivering excellence, Serco offers a dynamic and collaborative work environment where you can make a real impact. Joining us as a Senior Counsel means you’ll be at the forefront of high-profile transactions, supporting strategic growth, and shaping key projects that drive positive outcomes for society. We offer not just a competitive salary and benefits package, but also the opportunity to advance your career in a forward-thinking, purpose-driven organisation.

As part of this you’ll:

• Deliver proactive, high quality strategic outcomes focused legal advice on a wide range of commercial matters throughout the business lifecycle including taking a lead role on complex and strategic transactions and projects.
• Building strong relationships and work collaboratively within multi-disciplinary teams and provide quality enabling support on legal, risk and contractual aspects ok key strategic and/or complex projects including bids and growth initiatives, M&A transactions, joint ventures, and finances projects.
• Proactively support bid and project review processes such as commercial black hats and offer review and challenge on strategic UK & Europe bids and projects.
• Support the UK & Europe Legal Director in delivering strategic outcomes focused legal advice on key disputes and contentious commercial matters including analysis of complex liability issues and development of litigation and negotiation strategies.
• Remain continually aware of and proactively identify changes and developments in relevant laws, regulations and government policy & guidance and take steps to assess and manage their impact.
• Development and delivery of relevant elements of legal, risk and contracts training alongside colleagues across the Legal function and external counsel.
• Support the development and continuous improvement of Serco’s policies, standards and procedures relating to legal, contracts and risk management and provide assurance in respect of adherence across the UK & Europe business.

What you’ll need:

• Qualified lawyer with significant post-qualification experience in corporate & commercial matters.
• Proven experience leading M&A transactions, joint ventures, and financed projects.
• Strong negotiation and communication skills with an ability to adopt robust commercial positions whilst maintaining effective relationships.
• A proactive, self-starter attitude with the ability to manage complex legal risks.
• Experience in a fast-paced in-house legal environment is preferred.
• Knowledge and experience of public sector contracts and projects is desirable.
• Strong business orientated approach with a focus on practice solutions and outcomes.
• Experience of implementing and driving change with a mindset of continuous improvement and continually seeking improved and more efficient methods of working.
• Security Clearance will be required at SC level, Serco will arrange for this on your behalf.

What we offer:

• Company car / £4200 cash alternative
• Private healthcare
• Bonus scheme of 10% on target and 20% exceeding targets
• Flexible working considered
• Pension – 6%
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Chance to contribute to innovation in the public services
• A company passionate about diversity and inclusion

About Serco
At Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play, from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services.  We are a team of 50,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world in areas including defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare and citizen services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.

By joining Serco you will have unlimited access to our Global Employee Networks – SercoInspire (Gender), SercoEmbrace (Multicultural), SercoUnlimited (Disability) and In@Serco (LGBT & Networks). Serco Employee Networks, led by colleagues who are passionate about diversity, inclusion and belonging. 

Apply
Please click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment. 

At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. We operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly Disability Confident Leader employers and holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.  For help with your application please contact 0345 010 4000.
 

At Serco we support fair access to employment for those with unspent criminal convictions through the ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some may be exempt due to the nature of the role and the security clearance required). Please contact our recruitment team directly on 0345 010 4000 to discuss.