General Counsel & Company Secretary
12 month FTC | Hybrid with occasional travel to various sites (Sedgefield, Darlington and Wilton)
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced General Counsel & Company Secretary to join our leadership team, providing strategic legal direction and governance oversight across the organisation.
This is a high-impact role where you will operate at Executive and Board level, advising on complex legal, regulatory, and governance matters while enabling the business to operate effectively and with integrity. You will lead the legal function, manage organisational risk, and play a key role in shaping long-term strategy.
With a broad remit spanning legal, compliance, corporate governance, and risk, this position offers an opportunity to influence critical decision-making and support the organisation’s continued growth and evolution.
What You’ll Be Responsible For
Strategic Leadership & Governance
Provide high-level, pragmatic legal advice to the Executive Team and Board. Act as a trusted advisor on legal risk, corporate governance, and regulatory matters. Fulfil Company Secretary duties, ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements. Support Board and Committee processes, maintaining robust governance frameworks. Lead risk management activities, including ownership of the organisational risk register.
Legal & Commercial Delivery
Lead legal strategy across the organisation, including dispute resolution and corporate transactions. Oversee and manage external legal counsel and advisors to ensure quality and value. Provide clear, commercially focused legal guidance to support business objectives. Advise on key areas including data protection, subsidy control, and regulatory compliance.
Corporate Responsibility & Compliance
Act as Whistleblowing Officer and Anti-Bribery & Corruption Officer. Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation and governance standards. Oversee the organisation’s insurance portfolio and risk mitigation strategies. Maintain oversight of IP strategy and portfolio management.
Leadership & Team Development
Lead, develop, and inspire the legal team, fostering a high-performance culture. Promote collaboration across the business to ensure legal involvement at the right stages. Drive continuous improvement, innovation, and knowledge-sharing within the function. Build capability within the team and support long-term succession planning.
About You
You are a senior legal leader with strong commercial awareness and a track record of operating at Executive level. You bring a pragmatic, solutions-focused approach and are confident navigating complex, high-stakes environments.
You will bring: Qualified lawyer (UK or equivalent), with significant in-house experience. Proven experience advising senior leadership and Boards. Strong knowledge of corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and risk management. Experience leading and developing high-performing teams. Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
Desirable (but not essential):
Experience operating as a Company Secretary. Exposure to IP strategy and/or regulated sectors. Experience supporting M&A or corporate transactions. Familiarity with public sector or grant-funded environments.
Why Join
Play a key strategic role influencing business direction and decision-making. Work closely with senior leadership and Board-level stakeholders. Lead a critical function with wide organisational impact. Opportunity to shape governance, legal strategy, and risk management frameworks. Competitive salary and benefits package.
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