Senior Legal Counsel

**About the Role**

**Base Location**:Madrid, Spain or Bilbao, Spain

**Salary**: Competitive + performance-related bonus + a range of other benefits to support your family, finances and wellbeing.

**Working Pattern**: Permanent | Full Time | Flexible First options available

**Main Purpose of Job**

As Senior Legal Counsel you'll provide legal support on the expansion of the Company in Southern Europe from the management hub located in Spain (Madrid or Bilbao based) working on an international environment and on a demanding growth mode, with a particular focus in the Spanish, Italian and French markets. You will also be assisting the team and client(s) in achieving their goals and objectives by providing high quality, pragmatic legal advice and services to the best of the ability pursuant to the key accountabilities using the required business knowledge, skills and expertise.

**What is the Role?**
- Providing legal advice on public law/administrative legal issues related to development of renewable energy projects in the portfolio of Southern Europe for the purpose of reaching ready to build (RtB) status, including inter alia energy regulatory law, tender documents, permits, property law, connection agreements, project agreements related matters and other relevant areas of law. Projects include wind technology but also solar, storage and hydrogen.
- Undertaking work in-house and, where necessary, engage external lawyers from our panel firms. Building and maintaining good relationships with clients in the business, colleagues across the Legal Team and other internal specialist corporate functions.
- Identifying and managing project risks and liability issues and communicates them to the appropriate members and bodies within the organization for decision-making.
- A requirement to travel in line with business needs.

**What do I need?**

You'll have a proactive and pragmatic approach to giving legal advice and support in a clear and concise manner and within timescales. You'll also have a high degree of autonomy and confidence in your approach to work, legal skills and knowledge and able to demonstrate resilience in challenging situations. You'll be comfortable in taking the lead in challenging situations and able to resolve conflict effectively.

To be considered for this role, we would love you to have:

- Strong academic background with a legal qualification in Spain (an Italian or French Law qualification would be advantageous but is not a requirement).
- Ideally 5-10 years Post-Qualified Experience in energy public law/administrative legal matters mostly gained in the field of the development of renewable energy projects with in-house and multinational relevant experience.
- A comprehensive understanding of the legal and commercial issues that are pertinent to the onshore renewables business, renewable energy, construction or utilities sector, the SSE Group and the energy market.
- Strong command of Spanish and English (Italian and/or French would be advantageous but is not a requirement).
- Comfortable and confident in working on your own with limited supervision and support from Line Manager or as part of a team, comfortably and confidently taking on a project management role when required. You will be an independent thinker and will be able to naturally set your own timescales and milestones to ensure objectives are being met.

**About our business**

Our in-house SSE Legal function operates across the SSE Group to ensure business actions and behaviours are aligned to business priorities, are legally sound, and reinforce a culture of integrity, quality, responsibility and ethical behaviour. We identify and rationalise legal risk, providing advice on both regulatory and statutory obligations, all whilst helping the business to achieve their strategic goals.

**What happens now?**

Before commencing employment with SSE, you'll be required to fully complete our pre-employment screening process consisting of a basic criminal records and credit check.

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