Commercial Solicitor

Joining Southern Water – a key part of our commitment to delivering a greener future, tackling climate change, and reducing our environmental impact.

Closing Date: 2025-08-15

Job Title: Commercial Solicitor

Location: Worthing, West Sussex (2 days per week)

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37, Monday to Friday

Salary: £competitive

Job Overview

Provide high‑quality commercial legal services to the Engineering & Capital Delivery function. Focus on Southern Water’s water resources infrastructure programme, the Water for Life Hampshire (WfLH) Programme – especially the Thames to Southern Transfer (T2ST) and Southeast Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO) Strategic Resource Options (SRO) programmes. Responsibilities include:

• Advising on legal ramifications and structuring across a wide range of commercial arrangements, capital projects, transactions, and contracts.
• Drafting, negotiating, and settling various commercial contracts.
• Providing expertise on public procurement regulations and practical procurement issues, serving as guardian of relevant legal policies and supplying standardised procurement and commercial agreements.
• Offering legal guidance on complex engineering and construction arrangements in collaboration with the Senior Commercial Solicitor.
• Managing non‑contentious (and early‑stage contentious) engineering and construction matters related to infrastructure and non‑infrastructure projects.

About You

• Expertise in law, legal research, contract drafting, and interpretation.
• Proficiency in public procurement law and practice (knowledge of the Direct Procurement for Customers regime is desirable).
• Reliable legal judgement with an appreciation of legal risk.
• Ability to produce sound analysis using secure legal research.
• Strong IT skills, including electronic document production and assembly.
• Highly developed commercial awareness.
• Adept influencer and negotiator.
• Pro‑active and business‑oriented mindset.
• Excellent degree qualification (2:1 or equivalent) or equivalent high‑level academic/professional achievement.
• Qualified lawyer (Solicitor, Barrister, or Chartered Legal Executive) with ideally at least 10 years of post‑qualification experience.

Package & Benefits

The role is full‑time Monday to Friday with a hybrid approach between the Worthing office and home. Benefits include:

• Competitive salary and performance‑related bonus.
• Generous pension with up to 11% company contribution.
• Life assurance equal to four times your annual salary.
• Health benefits through a Cash Plan.
• Two paid community volunteering days per year.
• 25 days annual holiday.
• Occupational health service.
• Stars Reward gateway offering discounts and savings on a range of products and experiences.
• Study support available for job‑related qualifications.
• Competitive maternity leave and flexible return‑to‑work options.

Join our Legal team and advance your career with opportunities for training, development, and progression. If you are excited but unsure about meeting every requirement or have concerns about office hours, we will discuss practical solutions – although we cannot accommodate every flexible working request.

We value all employees’ contributions, and our 24/7 incident support underscores our commitment to customer service.

Seniority Level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type

Full‑time

Job Function

Legal

Industry

Utilities