Senior Legal Counsel

Want to do the best work of your life? With 23 million customers in 6 countries, make your mark at Europe’s leading media and entertainment brand. A workplace where you can proudly be yourself; our people make Sky a truly exciting and inclusive place to work.

This is a great opportunity for a commercial transactions lawyer as a Senior Legal Counsel within the Group Technology and Enterprise Services team of Sky’s in-house Legal Department, to support across all business areas in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, and Italy.

Do you want to support the business trial a new technology or be at the cutting edge of exciting AI capabilities or partner with our Rewards team in making Sky a workplace where our people thrive? What about getting involved in key sponsorships or partnership deals that underpin the creative marketing of Sky’s products? The TES legal team is the place for you!

In particular, your role will involve providing strategic legal advice and contracting support on supply-side agreements and commercial transactions that underpin our platforms, technology systems and enterprise services. From inception to sunsetting, the TES legal team partners with stakeholders across Sky’s commercial business teams in Technology, Marketing, Sales, Customer Services, HR, Finance, Cyber, Procurement and Data to negotiate the best commercial deals and legal contracts for those systems and services that enable Sky’s best in class innovation and experiences for customers.

The TES legal team currently comprises of one head counsel, and five senior legal counsel (including this role), as well as working closely with Sky Legal’s managed legal services provider.  We’re a great senior team of lawyers dealing with a variety of B2B contracts, having exposure to senior executives across the length and breadth of Sky. In addition, there are lots of collaboration opportunities with lawyers from our first-class Legal Department in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, and Italy, as well as with business and legal colleagues at Comcast and NBCU. Joining our team will develop you and give you exposure of what it takes to put Sky at the heart of our customer’s homes and bring joy every day. It’s an incredible way to see how, with your help on complex commercial transactions and contracts, everything pulls together to make Sky a success!

What you'll do:

• Provide analysis, strategic advice, leadership, and business partnering to internal clients and stakeholders on purchasing and other commercial contracts, advise on potential risks to Sky and propose business-focussed solutions.
• Prioritise and manage a wide range of competing complex transactions.
• Lead contract negotiations and drafting of commercial contracts agreements autonomously.
• Support and collaborate with team members within the TES legal team and broader Legal department. Seek and coordinate input where necessary from other lawyers and stakeholders.
• Build effective relationships with legal colleagues and the wider Sky business areas across Sky Group markets and Comcast/NBCU to earn the reputation of a trusted legal partner who offers the right support at the right time.
• Instruct and manage work to Sky Legal’s managed legal services provider and external lawyers as necessary and in a manner which promotes efficiency, effectiveness, and professionalism.
• Contribute to team training, knowhow, professional development initiatives and coach and develop others, including our managed legal services provider’s team.
• Proactively advise on changes to the law and new technologies and the impact that this may have on Sky’s business.

What you'll bring:

Qualifications

• 5+ years PQE or equivalent experience within a highly regarded law firm or equivalent in-house.

• Lawyer from a jurisdiction based on UK law.

Professional Experience

• Experience in engaging with senior commercial stakeholders and distilling legal issues and risks arising from commercial agreements.
• Experience in supplier / procurement contracts, representing customer interests.

• In-house experience at a large, complex fast-paced organisation.
• TMT experience.

Skills

• High degree of autonomy in negotiation of deals and commercial contracting without supervision.
• Strong drafting and negotiating skills.
• Ability to think critically and take a strategic, business minded approach on an agreement e.g. to balance risk and innovation.
• Strong communication and people skills.
• Ability to review and analyse contracts and summarise key issues and advise on approach / strategy.

Behavioural Style

• Motivated, and collaborative team player with strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to build rapport and establish trust and business partnering at all, including senior, levels.
• Confident and proactive self-starter, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to find pragmatic and commercial solutions to complex contracting issues.
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight timescales, managing competing priorities.

Team Overview

Legal 

As a team, we pursue the highest standards and demonstrate commitment, integrity and judgement. We exist to add real value by sustainably providing the highest quality business-focussed legal expertise that keeps Sky competitive. Through our work we help to bring better content and innovation to all of our customers, better connecting them to more of what they love. Our vision is to create the Legal team of the future, together – operating at the heart of Sky, famous for adding value. 

The Rewards: 

There's a reason people can't stop talking about #LifeAtSky! Our great range of rewards really are something special, here are just a few: 

• Sky Q, for the TV you love all in one place 
• A generous pension package 
• Private healthcare 
• Discounted mobile and broadband 
• Access a wide range of best-in-class Sky VIP rewards and experiences 

How You'll Work: 

We know the world has changed, and we want to offer our employees the chance to collaborate at our outstanding office spaces, whilst enjoying the convenience of working from home. We've adopted a hybrid working approach to give more flexibility on where and how we work. You'll find out more about what this means for this role during the recruitment process. 

Your Office Base:

Osterley 

Our Osterley Campus is a 10-minute walk from Syon Lane train station. Or you can hop on one of our free shuttle buses that run to and from Osterley, Gunnersbury, Ealing Broadway and South Ealing tube stations. There’s also plenty of bike shelters and showers. 

On campus, you’ll find 13 subsidised restaurants, cafes, and a Waitrose. You can keep in shape at our subsidised gym, catch the latest shows and movies at our cinema, get your car washed and even get pampered at our beauty salon. 

Inclusion: 

At Sky we don’t just look at your CV. We’re more passionate about who you are and your potential. We also know that everyone has a life outside work, so we're happy to discuss flexible working. We are a Disability Confident Accredited Employer, and welcome and encourage applications from all candidates. We will look to ensure a fair and consistent experience for all,  and will make reasonable adjustments to support you where appropriate. Please flag any adjustments you need to your recruiter as early as you can. 

Why wait? 

Apply now to build an amazing career and be part of a brilliant team. We can’t wait to hear from you. To find out more about working with us, search #LifeAtSky on social media. Just so you know: if your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a criminal record check. And depending on the role you have applied for and the nature of any convictions you may have, we might have to withdraw the offer.