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In-house Legal Counsel (3-5 PQE)

Join WPA and take your first steps towards a great career.

In-house Legal Counsel (3-5 PQE)

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Competitive salary and excellent benefits package

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Taunton, Somerset

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37 hours per week

The role

WPA is a health insurance provider with over 125 years' experience in treating our customers as we would wish to be treated ourselves. We have won many awards for our customer service, are the highest rated health insurer on Trustpilot, and are the only Which? Recommended Provider for Private Medical Insurance in the UK.

As a not-for-profit organisation, it's not only our customers we look after, but our amazing workforce who are the key to our success.

Our Legal team is small, collaborative and highly integrated into the business, working across supplier and provider relationships, insurance products and services, strategic projects and day-to-day operational matters. This is an opportunity to join a team where Legal is viewed as a trusted business partner and where your contribution will have a direct impact on how the business operates.

We are looking for a commercially minded solicitor with around 3–5 years' post-qualification experience to join our Legal team. We would particularly welcome applications from commercial solicitors looking to make their first move in-house, as well as candidates already working in-house seeking broader responsibility and business exposure.

The role will focus primarily on supporting WPA's relationships with third-party suppliers, healthcare providers and business customers, including negotiating, drafting and advising on a wide range of commercial contracts. You will also work closely with the Senior Legal Counsel in supporting the delivery of WPA's insurance products and services, providing legal advice across the customer journey from individual consumers through to SME and corporate clients.

Because we are a small team, this is a broad in-house role covering commercial contracts, customer-facing documentation, operational legal advice and business projects. You will be expected to take ownership of matters from instruction through to completion and work closely with stakeholders across the business.

Key Responsibilities

  • Draft, review and negotiate commercial contracts.
  • Support WPA's supplier and provider relationships.
  • Take day-to-day responsibility for the legal aspects of WPA's third-party risk management process.
  • Act as a trusted adviser to business teams on legal and commercial issues.
  • Advise on legal issues arising from relationships with individual customers, SME clients and corporate policyholders.
  • Support the development and review of policy documentation, customer communications and contractual terms.
  • Support strategic business initiatives, projects and new product developments.
  • Support Senior Legal Counsel across a broad range of in-house legal matters.

What can you bring to WPA?

You will be a qualified solicitor with approximately 3–5 years' PQE, although we will consider candidates with different levels of experience who can demonstrate the skills and attributes we are looking for.

  • Strong experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts.
  • Experience gained in private practice, in-house, or a combination of both.
  • The ability to take ownership of matters from instruction through to completion with limited supervision.
  • Strong legal and commercial judgement, with the ability to identify key risks and provide practical, commercially focused advice.
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
  • The ability to build effective relationships across the business.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
  • A collaborative approach and enjoyment of working as part of a small team.

We are looking for a lawyer who is curious, commercially minded and enjoys understanding how a business operates. You will be comfortable working across a broad range of legal issues and providing practical recommendations rather than purely technical legal analysis.

Strong commercial contracts experience is essential. Experience in supplier and procurement arrangements, healthcare, insurance, financial services or data protection would be advantageous, but is not essential.

A great career. A great place to work.

Your long-term commitment, passion and desire to always be the best you can, will be rewarded. We will help you to develop the career you have been waiting for.

Benefits include

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    Competitive starting salary.
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    Flexible Holiday entitlement that increases with length of service and which can be bought and sold subject to certain maxima and minima.
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    Comprehensive induction programme.
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    A commitment towards your ongoing training to help you develop the career you want.
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    Gain recognised professional qualifications as appropriate.
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    Contributory pension.
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    Participation in WPA's annual companywide bonus incentive scheme, Partnership for Excellence.
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    Access to an Occupational Health Nurse, Employee Assistance Programme with face to face counselling and a free annual flu vaccination.
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    Two paid charity leave days per annum.
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    Free on-site parking in WPA's secure car park.
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    Private health insurance.
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    Life insurance.
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    Subsidised onsite restaurant.
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    Monthly awards to recognise employee achievements.
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    Cycle to work scheme.
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    Charging points for environmentally friendly vehicles.
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    Remote GP Services - access to a remote GP 24/7, free to use for employees, partners and their dependants.
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    Employee Cash Plan, specifically designed for employees and child dependants - partners can be added.
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    Length of Service awards - financial awards for each five completed years of service.

How to apply

Before submitting your application, please ensure you have a clear understanding of the role and why you think you may be suitable. If you have any queries at all about the role, you are welcome to contact us to discuss these first.

Completing the application form is the first step of the recruitment process and it is your opportunity to demonstrate why you are the most suitable candidate for the job. It is your chance to make sure that with the right effort, your application stands out amongst others.

It is essential that any information provided is accurate, legible and comprehensive as thorough recruitment vetting procedures take place which will verify the content of your CV, including (but not limited to): examination dates and grades, previous employment checks including job titles and dates of employment, any gaps in employment and convictions/cautions/ reprimands/final warnings. Some checks are undertaken as part of the recruitment process, but all job offers are subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), fraud prevention and credit checks, references, proof of eligibility to work in the UK, residency and identity, proof of qualifications (where appropriate) and National Insurance number.

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Application Form

Please download and save the application form to your computer. You will then be able to complete the form electronically. Save and send your completed application form and covering information to personnel.services@wpa.org.uk

Any information that you supply to WPA will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. For further details of our Information Security Policy please visit www.wpa.org.uk/privacy

Not found what you're looking for?

We are always interested in hearing from forward-thinking, dynamic individuals. If your skills and experience aren't suited to our current vacancies, please feel free to email your CV to us detailing the type of work you are searching for.

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