What you’ll do
Partner Markets Legal is a professional and approachable legal team that facilitates the strategic objectives of Partner Markets by providing pragmatic, solutions-focused and innovative legal advice whilst at all times identifying and appropriately managing risk. We are part of the Strategic Transactions Team in Legal & Business Integrity, together with Corporate, Investments, Brand & IP, Patents and Technology & Outsourcing legal teams. This Senior Legal Counsel will report to the Lead Counsel, Partner Markets and will assist them in providing high quality legal support to the business on all legal aspects of its commercial operations. The lawyer will have the accountabilities and competencies set out below.
1. Negotiating complex contracts for new partnerships, renewals, amendments and the offering of in-life products and services. Advising on new legal structures for alliances.
2. Advising on strategic and legal issues, including providing clear and constructive advice on a range of queries from the business, such as on commercial, IPR and regulatory matters.
3. Resolving disputes, protecting Vodafone’s position by proactively enforcing contractual rights and settling disputes in Vodafone’s favour.
4. Implementing compliance controls, undertaking legal assurance activities and advising on risk mitigation, particularly for Vodafone branded Partners and those operating in high risk jurisdictions. Driving a culture of good contract management, striving for continuous improvement in compliance, brand protection and legal innovation.
5. Proactively building effective legal, compliance and external affairs relationships within the organisation. Developing a strong mutual understanding of respective strategies and objectives to resolve internal differences, to ensure that Partner Markets can represent Vodafone appropriately and to ensure smooth deal governance.
Who you are
6. Legally qualified with significant experience gained in-house and/or at a leading law firm. You will have an expert knowledge of contract and commercial law, with experience in at least some of the following areas: dispute resolution, corporate, compliance, telecommunications law and regulation.
7. Excellent communicator, fluent in written and spoken English with a strong track record of handling complex negotiations with senior external stakeholders. Experience in structuring legal transactions and protecting core assets through legal and commercial mechanisms. Excellent drafting skills.
8. High emotional intelligence with ability to flex style in order to influence, persuade and resolve conflict at all levels, both internally at Vodafone and externally with Partners working in different cultures.
9. A clear understanding of the structure of a large international organisation and how it functions with previous exposure to complementary areas of business operations ( enterprise, consumer, procurement, roaming, group functions vs. operating companies).
10. A strong team player with an innovation mind-set – comfortable working in areas which are undefined or unclear from a legal perspective with an ability to bring structure and clarity to a given situation. Comfortable both contributing to particular initiatives and working autonomously as required.