Senior Lawyer (In House Counsel), Legal

About the Role

At National Grid, we keep people connected and society moving. But it's so much more than that. National Grid provides the environment for our teams to thrive and make a real impact. As we drive momentum in the energy transition for all, we are committed to ensuring that every employee feels empowered and engaged.

A senior projects and infrastructure solicitor role for someone with a passion for the energy sector and a commitment to contributing to the energy transition.

You will be a strong communicator and trusted business partner, able to listen effectively, collaborate with UK Legal colleagues and business teams, and provide clear, pragmatic and risk-based advice to stakeholders at all levels.

The role provides strategic legal support across National Grid's largest and most complex major projects, including major transmission infrastructure, network reinforcement, strategic investment and energy transition projects. The role will help the business translate investment decisions into safe, timely and value-focused delivery outcomes while managing legal and commercial risk across the full project lifecycle.

Working closely with the CCD Associate General Counsel and senior leadership teams, the role leads the development and delivery of legal strategies for major projects and capital programmes, supporting successful project development, consenting, procurement, construction, delivery, operation and close-out. A core component of the role is supporting innovative and efficient legal service delivery using legal technology, digital tools and scalable ways of working.

What You'll Do

• Provide excellent, pragmatic legal advice and develop legal strategies for National Grid's most significant infrastructure and capital delivery projects.
• Work alongside the CCD Associate General Counsel to deliver the CCD Legal team objectives and support the wider UK General Counsel function.
• Act as the lead legal adviser on major projects, including strategic transmission infrastructure, network reinforcement, ASTI projects and other nationally significant infrastructure projects.
• Support project teams in developing and implementing effective contracting and delivery strategies that balance legal, commercial and operational objectives.
• Advise on project delivery models, alliance arrangements, EPC and construction contracts, framework arrangements, strategic supplier relationships and other complex infrastructure contracting structures.
• Support project teams in navigating project risks, delays, cost escalation, change control, disputes, claims and contractual performance issues.
• Lead on legal aspects of major project governance and investment decision-making, ensuring legal risks are identified, managed and escalated appropriately.
• Influence, effectively communicate with and advise senior stakeholders across National Grid, including executive leadership teams and programme boards, to lead and operate with impact to drive resolutions.
• Draft, negotiate and advise on a wide range of complex agreements, including construction contracts, framework agreements, collaboration arrangements, project delivery agreements and strategic supplier contracts.
• Support the delivery of major project procurement strategies in collaboration with the broader Commercial & Capital Delivery team.
• Support legal governance and assurance by promoting consistent and proportionate decision-making across major programmes.
• Represent UK Legal at programme boards, steering groups and internal governance forums.
• Identify and implement continuous improvements in business performance, including development of playbooks, contract standards, project guidance materials and legal process improvements.
• Manage external counsel and specialist advisers to deliver timely, commercially focused and cost-effective support.
• Support the GC function in driving digital transformation, including the implementation of legal technology, automation and AI-enabled solutions that improve legal service delivery.
• Champion innovation within the CCD Legal team, identifying opportunities to use technology, data and new ways of working to improve support provided to capital delivery and programme stakeholders.

What You'll Have

• Strong understanding of infrastructure, construction and project development law within the energy, utilities, infrastructure or other regulated sectors. Experience of dispute resolution/contentious work to achieve commercial resolutions is also an advantage.
• Strong knowledge of major project delivery models, construction contracts, framework arrangements, programme governance and project risk allocation.
• Strong contract drafting, negotiation and advisory experience, ideally involving complex infrastructure, engineering, construction, capital delivery and strategic investment programmes.
• Ability to manage legal risk, balance legal and commercial considerations and provide strategic, practical and risk-based legal advice.
• Strong understanding of the legal challenges associated with large-scale capital delivery programmes, including delay, change, claims, disputes, supplier performance and programme governance.
• Able to work at a strategic level with senior stakeholders while managing multiple complex projects, competing priorities with ambiguity.
• Curious mindset to promote challenge, while adopting a commercially flexible outlook to drive meaningful resolution of issues.
• Experience advising senior leaders on high-profile and business-critical projects.
• Experience working with external counsel and specialist advisers while maintaining quality, value for money and efficient delivery.
• Demonstrable experience acting as a trusted adviser and influencing complex stakeholder groups across legal, commercial, engineering, operational and regulatory disciplines.
• Qualified solicitor with strong experience advising on energy, infrastructure, construction, commercial or commercial projects acquired in private practice and/or in-house.
• Likely to have at least 7 years' PQE, although all levels of PQE will be considered where the candidate can demonstrate the requisite technical expertise, judgement, stakeholder-management skills and ability to operate at a senior level.

What You'll Get

Competitive Compensation dependent on experience.

As well as your base salary, you will receive a bonus based on personal and company performance with on target being 20% (with a maximum of 40%) and a competitive contributory pension scheme where we will double match your contribution to a maximum company contribution of 12%, Private Medical Insurance, A company electric vehicle or cash alternative, plus many more flexible benefits. such as a share incentive plan, salary sacrifice car and technology schemes, support via employee assistance lines and matched charity giving to name a few.

At National Grid, we work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office. Our goal is to drive, develop and operate our business in a way that results in a more inclusive culture. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, the innovation from diverse teams & perspectives and business need. We are committed to building a workforce so we can represent the communities we serve and have a working environment in which each individual feels valued, respected, fairly treated, and able to reach their full potential.

More Information