JOB SUMMARY

A unique opportunity to join the In-House Legal Team at United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA). UKHSA’s In-House Legal team is actively recruiting a specialist lawyer to provide solutions-driven and pragmatic legal advice to UKHSA.
UKHSA is responsible for protecting every member of every community from the impact of infectious diseases, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents and other health threats. We provide intellectual, scientific and operational leadership at national and local level, as well as on the global stage, to make the nation’s health secure.
We are a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.
UKHSA’s mission is challenging, innovative and in the spotlight. To achieve our objectives effectively and fairly, we commit to representing modern Britain and all its diversity. We recognise that diversity of background and life experience brings different insights, creates challenge, and encourages change and innovation. This in turn produces more accountable and trusted public services and better decisions.

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE:

• Be a senior lawyer with significant experience in providing legal advice on complex and high value commercial contracts in the life sciences sector, in particular on income generating contracts, R&D and other collaborative contracts, grant contracts, IP and trademark issues;
• Manage complex and varied caseloads including contract drafting, interpretation and management, working with internal clients, government lawyers, external law firms and counsel when necessary;
• Have experience and interest in other areas of law such as data privacy and protection, procurement and public health, and be prepared to cover those areas as and when required;
• Play an important co-ordination role when commercial matters involve cross-cutting legal issues for diverse teams in UKHSA, other government departments and third party organisations;
• Be expected to manage at least one lawyer in the Legal team;
• Be expected to support the General Counsel in leading the Legal team and assist colleagues in developing their understanding of law in the life sciences sector;
• Work closely with a variety of internal stakeholders (both external and internal) to reduce the exposure to commercial and litigation risk and to develop realistic contingency plans when such risks materialise;
• be comfortable about working effectively towards short deadlines;
• Demonstrate strong communication and leadership skills;
• Work responsively and creatively and be solutions-driven and able to see the bigger picture; and be flexible in approach to different legal disciplines and willing to take conduct of work outside own expertise where necessary.

ESSENTIAL ROLE CRITERIA

• Solicitor or barrister with significant experience and PQE (Post Qualification Experience), with a good commercial understanding and significant experience commercial contracts in the life sciences sector and in contract drafting and interpretation.
• Strong skills and reliable legal judgement, analysis and appreciation of legal risk and the confidence to give persuasive and balanced risk-based advice.
• Excellent and persuasive written and verbal communication and advisory skills and ability to communicate confidently and sensitively with those who may be unfamiliar with legal processes/strategies.
• Promote diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity and welcome and respond to views and challenges from others, despite any conflicting pressures to ignore or give in to them.
• Stand by, promote or defend own and team’s actions and decisions where needed.
• Communicate with others in a clear, honest and enthusiastic way in order to build trust and explain complex issues in a way that is easy to understand
• Take into account people’s individual needs and to also deliver difficult messages with clarity and sensitivity, being persuasive when required
• Challenge assumptions while being willing to compromise if beneficial to progress and to build strong interpersonal relationships and show genuine care for colleagues.
• Create an inclusive working environment where all opinions and challenges are taken intoaccount and bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable.
• Remain available and approachable to all colleagues and be receptive to new ideas.
• Demonstrate positive customer service by understanding the complexity and diversity of customer needs and expectations.
• Deliver a high quality and efficient service and also to make clear, practical and manageable plans for service delivery.
• Proactively manage risks and identify solutions.

DESIRABLE ROLE CRITERIA:

• Experience of working in a scientific or healthcare environment
• An understanding of the Government and wider public sector context