Legal Counsel (Commercial Contracts)

Job Description Summary

Job Description

Legal Counsel (Commercial Contracts)

Permanent

Location:  Edinburgh (We believe in the power of in-person collaboration, and our hybrid model requires colleagues to be in the office a minimum of 40% of their time)

Salary: A competitive salary from £57,600 - £86,400 depending on the experience you can bring

Closing date: 25 April 2025

We’re a company of ambitious, collaborative, problem-solvers who get things done. We strive to make sure everyone that works for us feel seen, heard, and valued – so we’re looking for like-minded people to join us.   

We help people live their best lives. We help them with the big stuff, for the moments that matter: Pensions, Savings, Investments. At Aegon, we strive in creating a diverse organisation that plays a meaningful role in driving greater equity, inclusion and belonging.

We are looking for a Legal Counsel to join the Commercial Contracts team in our Legal department in Edinburgh.

Aegon UK’s Legal department provides legal and technical advice and assistance to help fulfil our business aims and meet regulatory requirements. Our Commercial Contracts team are responsible for:

• commercial legal arrangements with funds and other financial institutions

• supplier contracts, and

• the commercial legal aspects of onboarding of large employers for pension schemes.

In this role you will build and maintain relationships with colleagues throughout Aegon UK, providing legal advice and counsel. You will use your commercial contract expertise to provide assistance with the provision of legal opinion and recommendations that support the commercial decision making process for our business.

Responsibilities include:

• Providing legal and technical advice on commercial matters to all levels within Aegon UK by liaising with appropriate areas of our business on commercial matters in a risk aware, solution focused, commercial way, effectively minimising the need for external legal advice. 

• Drafting and negotiation of commercial contracts.

• Assisting with other commercial projects which may involve restructurings and other corporate activity.

• Helping to ensure that the Group’s contractual documentation is of the appropriate standard.

• When appropriate, liaising with external advisers to ensure the provision of legal and technical advice on commercial matters to help the Group fulfil its business aims.

• Assist with team and departmental initiatives including development.

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

• Effective communication skills and an ability to advise, and relate to, all levels of our business, up to and including executive and senior management.

• Knowledge of the law and technical requirements relating to commercial issues and contracts.

• Qualification as a solicitor or advocate/barrister in either Scotland or England (or both).

• Experience carrying out complex research and apply this to business specific requirements.

• Confidence in providing advice following analysis of complex situations, and after taking account of multiple sources of information.

• The ability to assist with high value, strategic matters and to plan and prioritise own work.

Additional Desirable Criteria for this vacancy includes:

• Knowledge of the savings and pensions industry

• Commercial legal experience of the financial services industry, gained either in-house or in private practice.

What’s in it for you?

• A non-contributory pension between 8%-12%

• A discretionary bonus, depending on personal and company performance

• 36 days’ leave per year (including bank holidays), pro-rated for part-time

We also offer private medical cover, life assurance, critical illness cover, enhanced parental leave and a variety of lifestyle benefits to help our employees live their best lives, including retail discount vouchers, cycle2work scheme, subsidised restaurant and online GP appointments.

Sound good? You know what to do… click the "Apply" button and see where it can take you. 

The legal bits

We’ll need you to confirm you have the right to work in the UK. If we offer you a job and you accept, there are some checks we need to complete before you can start with us. This will include a credit and criminal record check, as well as providing satisfactory references.