Southern Water
Private UK utility supplying drinking water and treating wastewater across southern England.
Commercial Solicitor
Provide commercial legal services for water infrastructure projects and procurement.
Job Highlights
About the Role
You will provide high‑quality commercial legal services to the Engineering & Capital Delivery function, primarily supporting the Water for Life Hampshire (WfLH) Programme, the Thames to Southern Transfer (T2ST) and the Southeast Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO) projects. This includes advising on the legal ramifications and structuring of a wide range of commercial arrangements, drafting and negotiating contracts, and managing diverse capital‑commercial transactions. You will also guide the full regime of public procurement regulations and act as guardian of relevant legal policies. The role involves creating standardised procurement and commercial agreements, advising on complex engineering and construction arrangements, and handling non‑contentious (and some early‑stage contentious) matters related to infrastructure and non‑infrastructure projects. You will work closely with the Senior Commercial Solicitor to ensure commercial risk is appropriately managed. Providing sound analysis based on secure legal research is a core expectation.
Key Responsibilities
- ▸contract drafting
- ▸contract negotiation
- ▸procurement guidance
- ▸legal research
- ▸risk management
- ▸commercial transactions
What You Bring
We are looking for a qualified lawyer (Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive) with at least ten years of post‑qualification experience and an excellent academic record (2:1 or equivalent). You should possess expert knowledge of contract law, public procurement practice (knowledge of the new Direct Procurement for Customers regime is desirable), strong commercial awareness, and advanced IT skills for electronic document production. Proven influencing and negotiation abilities, proactive business interest, and reliable legal judgement are essential.
Requirements
- ▸qualified lawyer
- ▸10+ years
- ▸2:1
- ▸contract law
- ▸public procurement
- ▸it skills
Benefits
This position operates on a hybrid model, combining office work in Worthing with home‑based days, and includes a competitive salary plus a comprehensive benefits package. Southern Water welcomes candidates who may not meet every requirement and will consider flexible working requests where possible, seeking practical solutions to fit personal circumstances. All employees are part of a 24/7 incident support team; during interview you will discuss any on‑call rotas relevant to the role. The company values out‑of‑hours support to ensure customers receive continuous service. Our purpose is to deliver water for life, and we offer significant opportunities for personal growth, professional development, and innovation within a purpose‑driven organisation. If you share our commitment to sustainability and customer focus, we encourage you to dive right in. • Company and performance-related bonus • Generous pension with up to 11% company contribution • Life assurance payment equal to four times your annual salary • Health benefits through a Cash Plan • Two paid community volunteering days a year • 25 days annual holiday • Occupational health service • Stars Reward gateway offering discounts and savings on several products and experiences • Study support may be available for job‑related qualifications • Competitive maternity leave and flexible return to work options
Work Environment
Hybrid