Senior In-House Lawyer (Commercial)

Job description

UK Research & Innovation

Salary: £58,589 - £65,100 per annum (depending on experience)

Band: UKRI Band F

Contract Type: Open ended

Hours: Full-time (flexible working available)

Location: Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire/Harwell, Didcot, Oxon - Hybrid working available (Tier 4, requirement to be in the office as and when need emerges)

Closing Date: 22nd November 2026

Interview Date: 30th November or 1st or 2nd December 2026

Please note that we may close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of applications. We therefore recommend submitting your application at the earliest opportunity.

About UKRI

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is an independent, non-departmental public body, bringing together the seven Research Councils, Innovate UK, and Research England. UKRI works to maximise value from the UK Government's investment in research and innovation, and its budget was £8bn in 2022.

UKRI's mission is to lead the overall strategic direction of research and innovation funding in the UK, pushing the frontiers of human knowledge, to deliver benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research and business-led innovation. UKRI's Legal Team is seeking to appoint a Senior In-house Lawyer (Commercial/Advisory).

This post can be based in Swindon or Harwell. Periodic travel to other UKRI locations where the Legal Team and key clients are based may also be required according to business needs. UKRI operates flexible working policies which include the opportunity to work part of the week from home.

About the UKRI Legal team

The UKRI Legal Team delivers high quality, pragmatic and commercially focused legal advice across a broad range of issues that support the effective operation and statutory functions of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The Team's work is wide ranging and continues to grow in both scope and complexity. Our current commercial portfolio includes large scale projects and complex contracts, public procurement, intellectual property, property matters, company law, subsidy control, grant funding and research contracts. Lawyers working in UKRI Legal are expected to take a flexible and proactive approach, quickly developing expertise in new or unfamiliar legal areas as UKRI's remit evolves in response to organisational and policy developments.

Role and Responsibilities:

You will be an experienced lawyer with significant experience advising complex commercial matters and transactions, able to operate effectively within the statutory framework applicable to a non- departmental public body. You will work with minimal supervision and deliver clear, pragmatic, and legally robust advice across a broad range of commercial matters, with particular emphasis on commercial and contract law, grant funding and research contracts. The role may include Line Management responsibility for a small team of legal professionals, supporting their development and fostering continuous professional growth.

In particular you will have:

• Strong technical legal expertise and commercial awareness.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to influence and collaborate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• A proactive, 'can do' approach, with the ability to manage and prioritise a varied and demanding workload.
• Strong attention to detail with a proven track record of meeting deadlines and effectively prioritising and managing competing demands.

Personal Specification

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

Essential

Academic Qualifications

A minimum of a 2:1 honour degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, or demonstrable equivalent academic or professional achievement, this may include relevant experience and successful completion of the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/CPE, Legal Practice Course (LPC), Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) (S).

Professional Qualifications

Qualified to practise as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales (S).

Substantial experience gained following qualification in commercial and contract law. (S).

This is an essential requirement. Applicants who are not qualified to practise in England & Wales, admitted to the Roll of Solicitors, and able to demonstrate substantial post-qualification experience in commercial and contract law will not be considered.

At interview, candidates must demonstrate and provide evidence of:

• Extensive experience of providing pragmatic, business-focused legal advice on commercial and contract law matters, including grant funding and research contracts. Experience of advising on one or more of subsidy control, public procurement or public law would be advantageous (S&I).
• Experience of managing, leading, developing and supporting high performing legal professionals (I).
• Strong legal judgement and appreciation of legal risk (I).
• The ability to think strategically and creatively, see legal issues in their wider context and advise accordingly (I).
• Strong analytical skills, and the ability to deliver timely, proportionate, and considered advice based on sound legal research (I).
• The ability to build strong relationships with clients and champion the work of the Legal Team (I).
• An understanding of the role of lawyers within public sector organisations and the ability to apply the governance and statutory framework within which UKRI operates. (I).

Candidates invited to interview will be asked to provide specific examples to demonstrate how they meet the above criteria.

All shortlisted candidates must bring valid identification and original documentation confirming their right to work in the UK, or their eligibility to obtain it, to the interview.

Online applications only. Please submit a covering letter and CV ensuring that the job reference is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Please note that failure to address the above criteria or submitted without a covering letter may result in your application not being considered.

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!

A list of benefits below:

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.

Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

For further information on our benefits please see:

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact [email protected].

Please note, if you will require sponsorship to work in the UK, as part of your sponsorship application, you and any dependants travelling with you, will be required to pay costs directly to The Home Office for the application before you start your role with us. UKRI is normally able to reimburse some, or all of these fees after you have become an employee and this can be discussed with the Hiring Manager. For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs or contact [email protected].

UKRI - UK Research and Innovation
UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation.

Supporting some of the world's most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.

More information can be found at www.ukri.org .

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme, excellent holiday entitlement, access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details, visit benefits of working for UKRI .

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI, we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community. For further information, please visit 'How we support EDI in the workforce'.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme, any candidate who opts into the scheme and best meets the essential criteria, will be shortlisted for interview. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness, fairness and inclusion - a collaborative, trusted environment, which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

As part of the pre-employment checks there is a requirement to undergo Baseline Personnel Security Screening. BPSS is a pre-condition of employment and failure to achieve it may mean that the employment offer is rescinded. UKRI reserves the right to run, or re-run, security clearance as required during the course of employment.