Job Description
Senior Legal Counsel (Construction)
Location: London Bridge
Senior Legal Counsel (Construction)
Location: London Bridge (Hybrid, 35-hour week)
Join Hyde as our Senior Legal Counsel (Construction) and lead on complex construction law, building safety compliance, and development risk management. This is a high-profile role advising on major projects across one of the UK's leading housing and regeneration organisations. We are looking for a Senior Legal Counsel (Construction) with strong expertise in contentious and non-contentious construction, building safety, development agreements, and regulatory compliance. As Senior Legal Counsel (Construction) at Hyde, you will enjoy a 35-hour working week and a strong focus on work-life balance, Hyde offers the flexibility and support needed to thrive in a senior legal role.
About the Role
As Senior Legal Counsel (Construction), you'll act as Hyde's lead specialist on construction, development, and building safety law. You will provide strategic advice on legal risk, oversee key disputes, and support senior leaders in delivering safe, compliant, and commercially robust programmes.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead Hyde's legal work on construction law, building safety, and development projects, focussing on Hyde's programme of building safety to hold contractors to account to remediate our buildings following the building safety crisis.
- Manage construction disputes, litigation, defects claims, and contractual issues.
- Provide legal advice on construction contracts including JCT, NEC, development agreements, and commercial arrangements.
- Advise on compliance with the Building Safety Act 2022, Fire Safety Act 2021, Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and engagement with the Building Safety Regulator.
- Support cross-functional teams on procurement, risk mitigation, remediation, and project delivery.
- Oversee external legal advisers and manage legal spend with the Legal Operations Manager.
- Influence and advise senior leadership with clear, practical legal guidance.
Essential Skills & Experience
- Qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of CILEX with current practicing certification and approx. 5+ years PQE.
- Strong experience in residential construction law, development law, and building safety legislation (including post-Grenfell requirements).
- Proven track record in litigation, construction disputes, defects management, and high-risk project advice.
- Excellent understanding of regulatory compliance, safety case requirements, and interaction with the Building Safety Regulator.
- Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills, able to influence executive-level decision-makers.
About Hyde
Hyde owns and manages 125,000 homes and supports more than 350,000 customers across the UK. Our purpose is simple: to provide safe, decent homes that help people build better lives and stronger communities.
We are a socially focused, innovative organisation with significant investment in building safety, quality, and long-term regeneration programmes. Joining us means contributing to work that directly improves residents' safety and wellbeing.
Benefits
- Competitive pension scheme
- Life assurance
- Generous annual leave
- Award-winning flexible benefits package
- Volunteering days
- 35-hour working week
- Hybrid and flexible working
Equity, diversity and inclusion are central to life at Hyde. We're committed to creating a truly inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected, valued and able to be themselves. Our aim is to have a workforce that reflects the diversity of the customers and communities we serve, ensuring that different perspectives are represented in decision-making, service delivery, and the way we shape our organisation. By fostering an environment where all voices are heard and valued, we can better understand the needs of our communities and deliver services that are fair, accessible and impactful.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we're happy to provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and in the workplace.
