Senior Commercial Lawyer - 12m Contract

Business Area: Legal UK 
Location: London 
Job title: Senior Commercial Lawyer – one-year contract

About Schroders
We're a global investment manager. We help institutions, intermediaries and individuals around the world invest money to meet their goals, fulfil their ambitions, and prepare for the future.

We have around 6,000 people on six continents. And we've been around for over 200 years, but keep adapting as society and technology changes. What doesn't change is our commitment to helping our clients, and society, prosper.

The base
We moved into our new HQ in the City of London in 2018. We're close to our clients, in the heart of the UK's financial centre. And we have everything we need to work flexibly.

The Team
The role will sit in the Corporate Legal team in London which handles corporate transactional matters (acquisitions; disposals; joint ventures); disputes and litigation; employment/ER work; regulatory investigations/interactions; commercial outsourcing and supplier arrangements; data protection and governance; and IP/branding as well as a wide variety of other corporate matters.  

Who we're looking for 
We are looking for an in-house senior commercial lawyer in the London Corporate Legal team, on a one-year contract to cover maternity leave. 

Must be a qualified lawyer with several years' PQE and experience in leading and managing a team.

Must be a good team player and highly motivated, with excellent attention to detail. Must have exceptional communication and analytical skills, and the confidence to liaise proactively with internal clients and external counterparties.

What you'll do
You will act as the lead outsourcing, commercial / technology and intellectual property lawyer within Schroders. You will lead the Schroders legal team responsible for drafting and negotiating Schroders' third party commercial and transactional contracts, including:

• material outsourcing agreements; 
• IT service provider contracts (including software licences);
• market data agreements; 
• master services agreements; 
• engagement letters (including audit/tax/other professional services);
• client entertainment events, general events and/or marketing events agreements; 
• termination or amendment agreements to document changes (for example, length of term) to existing agreements; 
• NDAs/confidentiality agreements; and
• other relevant third party services agreements.

In addition, you will lead on all intellectual property matters, particularly management of Schroders' trade mark portfolio. 

You will manage, supervise and mentor a team of four lawyers. 

You will liaise and collaborate with key stakeholders in the firm's Procurement, IT, Marketing, Finance, HR and Market Data functions, as well as all other relevant departments in the UK and internationally across the Group, where necessary.

You will contribute to building process efficiencies and management information. 

The knowledge, experience and qualifications you need

• Qualified lawyer with several years' PQE; strong academic qualifications (university degree or equivalent of a minimum of 2:1 in a Bachelors degree or equivalent);
• Strong experience in drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts including master services agreements, software licences, and/or IT and outsourcing agreements;
• Strong experience in intellectual property matters, particularly in relation to trade marks;
• Strong experience in managing and supervising a team of lawyers;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Excellent attention to detail and procedure;
• Strong organisational/prioritisation skills including ability to track and report on progress of commercial contract negotiations and 
• Strong IT literacy skills.

What you'll be like

• You will have a keen sense of team spirit and accountability. 
• You will be a self-starter with an enthusiastic attitude and ability to use initiative. 
• You will have strong interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise with staff at all levels and 
• You will be genuinely pro-active and keen to take on responsibility.

We recognise potential, whoever you are
Our purpose is to provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management. Diversity of thought, facilitated by an inclusive culture, will allow us to make better decisions and better achieve our purpose. This is why inclusion and diversity are a strategic priority for us and why we are an equal opportunities employer. You are welcome here, regardless of your age, disability, gender identity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, or any other protected characteristic.