About the role

Virgin Media O2 launched on 1 June 2021, combining the UK’s largest and most reliable mobile network with a broadband network offering the fastest widely available broadband speeds.  We’re a customer-first organisation that brings a range of connectivity services together in one place with a clear mission: to upgrade the UK.  Virgin Media O2 is the corporate brand of the 50:50 joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica SA and is one of the UK’s largest businesses.  It’s an incredibly exciting time to join.

Reporting to the Head of Legal - Sales, Product and Customer service this is a Legal Counsel role within Virgin Media O2’s General Counsel’s Office, providing commercially focused, accurate, effective and timely legal advice, analysis and support to the business on a broad range of commercial legal matters, including legal advisory support to various business stakeholders.

The role is varied and fast paced encompassing advisory as well as transactional matters. This individual will be a versatile resource, working on multiple material matters and key initiatives across Virgin Media O2, ensuring consistent, pro-active, value enhancing and high calibre support for the business and the efficient and effective execution and delivery of material contracts.

The Legal Counsel will be proactive and adept at engaging across functions, whilst providing best in class divisional legal business partnering to divisional stakeholders, directing key initiatives across a broad range of matters, analysing complex legal and commercial issues, challenging the business, developing strategies, creating tangible improvements in business performance, and communicating legal advice constructively and succinctly.

It matters to us that Team Virgin Media O2 is as diverse as the communities we serve. We’re aware of the importance of diversity within the legal team, so we welcome and encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.

Key Responsibilities

• A critical role where the incumbent delivers diverse and bespoke legal solutions.
• Accountable for a broad range of commercial legal matters, driving effective execution of projects, identifying risk, escalating as appropriate, recommending mitigation, and implementing solutions, with primary responsibility for legal advice relating to, amongst other matters:

• negotiation of material commercial contracts across Virgin Media O2, including indirect partner agreements, pre-pay distribution agreements, telesales agreements.
• negotiation of material device procurement agreements.
• advice in connection with terms and conditions relating to our franchise channel and partner channel and other related product and service agreements.
• advice on consumer matters and customer terms and conditions (including consumer regulations), legal advice regarding consumer propositions, tariffs, bundles, pricing and billing and consumer related policies (e.g. traffic management, acceptable use).

• Able to work autonomously, with judgment as to when escalation is appropriate, keeping the Head of Legal and GCO Senior Leadership Team and relevant parties informed as to material issues, presenting clearly and precisely, enabling senior stakeholders to understand key facts and issues including accurate and articulating reporting on status and execution of projects, changes to agreements and material risk.
• Supports all areas of the legal department as and when necessary, taking on responsibilities, picking up a variety of deals on an as needed basis given ongoing changes across the business.
• Manages ‘client’ relationships across all levels.  Credible and effective in dealing with stakeholders and their teams.
• Proactively supports contract management function, raising upcoming key milestones and supporting negotiation and renewal of deals.
• Recognised as a trusted member of the business, whilst maintaining the necessary independence and integrity of a legal advisor. Influences at all levels, acts as a source of counsel and sounding board, participates and acts as a catalyst, with confidence and gravitas, challenging the status quo, pushing back when appropriate, providing lateral thinking.
• Responds to internal and external contacts in a timely and effective manner. Proactively progresses matters to a conclusion through efficient and effective planning and management to meet competing demands.
• Seeks feedback from the business, external partners, or clients to ensure quality of service and work output is maintained to the highest standards and that deliverables and expectations are exceeded.
• Stays up to date with legal developments and key business information, is aware of the marketplace and the company’s position within it, and shares knowledge within the function; recognises when changes require action and advising of relevant stakeholders. Able to develop expertise in areas of specialism where required.
• Shares knowledge with the legal department, taking an active role in departmental educational opportunities, periodic departmental meetings and other initiatives designed to promote departmental communication and cohesiveness.

What We Need from You:

Essential Skills:

• Versatile and able to turn their hand effectively to any kind of commercial contract or technical agreement, and an understanding of the regulatory framework governing the consumer area. 
• Self-sufficient and proactive with sound business acumen, able to analyse complex legal and commercial issues in the context of the business’ core business issues and challenges.
• Financially literate with an understanding of the Company’s key performance indicators.
• Diplomatic and articulate: able to communicate points constructively and succinctly.
• Excellent drafting skills.
• Degree level education / relevant professional qualifications.
• Relevant and demonstrable legal experience, gained both in private legal practice and, ideally, in industry as well

We’ll be sending you emails about the status of your application. To make sure you receive these, please add @O2.com and @telefonica.com to your Safe Senders list.

We’re looking to pay a great compensation package (depending on experience) for this position. We also offer plenty of extras to sweeten the deal, which could include things like bonuses, life assurance cover, health care and lots of flexible benefits.  

Also, every employee has their personal development supported with a LinkedIn learning account; plus other role specific learning available through our award-winning digital learning platform - O2 Campus. 

We also believe a great work-life balance is important, so we’re open to considering flexible working arrangements. Like to know more, feel free to raise it.  

Join us and we’ll encourage you to be bold every day. So take a deep breath, your career is about to go to exciting new places. 

If you have any questions around the role then please email ResourceTUK@o2.com who will be happy to help.