Job Description

We're 1st Central, a market-leading insurance company utilising smart data and technology at pace. Rapid growth has been based on giving our 1.4 million customers exactly what they want: great value insurance with an excellent service. And that's the same for our colleagues too; we won Insurance Employer of the Year at the British Insurance Awards 2024 and our Glassdoor score is pretty mega too!
Ready to be part of the driving force behind 1st Centrals Legal operation? We're on the lookout for a Senior Legal Counsel who's confident working across commercial and corporate matters and wants to get stuck into more than just the small print. This is a chance to be part of a smart, collaborative legal team where your opinion really matters, and your work helps shape how we do business.
You'll be advising senior stakeholders, negotiating big contracts, and supporting everything from underwriting to claims to finance - and no two days are the same.
We're all about hybrid flexibility. You can be based near Haywards Heath (and go into the office 1 day per week to collab with the team) or we're open to remote working - we just ask you to pop in to see the team every now and then.
Skills you'll need to be a great fit for the role:

• Proven Legal Experience - you've worked as a lawyer in-house and/or in private practice, and you're confident navigating a wide range of complex legal matters.
• Qualified & Practised - you're a qualified Solicitor or Barrister (or equivalent) with a strong/provable track record under your belt and plenty of real-world legal expertise.
• Insurance Industry Know-How - you bring experience from Insurance, Financial Services, or another commercial setting - bonus points if that includes Insurance distribution or listed company work.
• Strong Stakeholder Management - you're confident communicating with senior leaders and can translate legal jargon into practical advice they can act on.
• Coaching & Mentoring Skills - you enjoy developing others, supporting junior team members, and sharing your knowledge across the business.

What's involved:

• Primary responsibility for advising all levels of stakeholder Group-wide on legal and quasi-legal matters and taking ownership of driving Group and team level strategy and particular projects.
• Depth and breadth of expertise in commercial contract, including SAAS, IT, Licence, data processing, IP, material outsourcing and loan agreements.
• Work closely with key business stakeholders including Underwriting, Finance, Tax and Claims teams.
• Draft a wide variety of agreements (both regulated and non-regulated).
• Primary responsibility for and managing the progress of and provision of advice in respect of challenges from regulatory or quasi-regulatory bodies such as HMRC and any non-UK financial services regulatory bodies.
• Oversee the maintenance of the Group's Contracts Register, Intellectual Property, Litigation Register, Legal Issues Register and day to day transaction records.
• Support broker and distribution ancillary activities including consumer lending and CCJs.
• Conduct legal research and provide advice to the Group in a range of legal matters.
• Advise on regulatory issues, particularly, FCA, Gibraltar Financial Services and Guernsey Financial servicers matters.
• Review, draft, and lead negotiations of a range of commercial contracts, including material outsourcing agreements.
• Advise upon matters of general company law and broader corporate/strategic matters.
• Draft company policies and procedures, and complete legal research to ensure they are in line with legislation from the relevant jurisdictions.
• Liaise with stakeholders for relevant documentation (external and external) and maintain an accessible filing system for these documents.
• Manage and maintain the companies' County Court decisions log, liaising with the Courts for updates and information and ensure the relevant documentation/filings are completed in respect of any litigation.
• Engage with the relevant departments to manage risks related to CCJs and work to reduce impact to credit rating reports.
• Work in conjunction with the Group General Counsel in dealing with legal and regulatory issues as required and deputise for the Group General Counsel by attending meetings from time to time as required.
• Supervise, support and mentor more junior team members and work collaboratively across the business.
• Handling bailiffs, following established procedure, and communicating with relevant departments.
• Be fully aware of the Company's Health and Safety Policy and ensure personal compliance with corporate policies and rules, and other relevant standards/ regulations at all times.

Experience, knowledge & skills:

• Qualified Lawyer (Solicitor or Barrister) in England & Wales (or equivalent)
• Circa 5+ years PQE, ideally with in-house and/or private practice experience
• Strong background in insurance, financial services, or regulated environments
• Confident negotiating commercial contracts including outsourcing
• Excellent communication, research, and organisational skills
• Strong commercial awareness and risk management mindset
• Experience with mentoring or managing junior legal professionals

Behaviours:

• Detail-focused, organised, and proactive
• Positive, flexible, and approachable
• Comfortable presenting complex info clearly and simply
• Driven to improve processes and support business growth
• Discreet and professional with confidential information
• Growth mindset and love for continuous learning

If you're a strategic thinker who wants to make a real impact, work on meaningful projects, and be part of a supportive, down-to-earth legal team, apply now and let's talk.
What can we do for you?
People first. Always. We're passionate about our colleagues and know the best people deserve an extraordinary working environment. We owe it to them so that's what we offer. Our workplaces are energetic, inspirational, supportive. To get a taste of the advantages you'll enjoy, take a look at all our perks in full .
Intrigued? Our Talent team can tell you everything you need to know about what we want and what we're offering, so feel free to get in touch.

Skills Required