Job Purpose

Looking for a new Legal opportunity that offers professional development, flexible working, creative autonomy, and prioritises wellbeing and development? 

We have a fantastic opportunity for a talented Senior Property Lawyer to join our national Legal & Governance team; responsible for leading the delivery of internal legal support for the Trust’s operational and commercial property activities, across our 6 Regions in England & Wales.

The Trust

The Canal & River Trust is one of the UK’s largest charities, we maintain 2,000 miles of historic canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs, along with museums, archives and the country’s third largest collection of protected historic buildings – preserving them for future generations. We care for living waterways that transform places and enrich lives, delivering greater wellbeing to millions of people.

We are a truly unique organisation, as a charity with significant statutory functions, interacting in a wide range of legal and regulatory frameworks, managing risk, and generating sufficient income to meet our responsibilities and further our charitable objects to operate the waterways, protect the environment, heritage, engage with the many diverse local communities which our network connects.

About our Legal Team

The Trust’s legal team plays a vital role in protecting the Trust’s interests, across the whole range of our activities, to ensure regulatory compliance with charity, environmental, planning, heritage, health and safety (as well as the Trust’s unique historic waterways Acts of Parliament dating back over 200 years), providing advice and drafting on contractual and property documentation, bringing and defending litigation (including judicial review) plus a full range of commercial, employment and boat licensing matters.

The Senior Property Lawyer role is an indispensable member of the team, providing advice on a huge range of property law issues (title, landlord and tenant, easements, restrictive covenants) with a particularly emphasis on charity law requirements of property disposals and compliance with the 2012 Trust Settlement with Defra in terms of restrictions on the Trust’s operational property – as well as powers and duties under the original historic ‘enabling’ legislation, much of which still applies to the Trust today.

Location & coverage

Our Senior Property Lawyer will be offered on a remote working basis, with a requirement to attend our main hub spaces as and when required for team working a collaborative meetings.   

Relevant hubs include: Leeds, Liverpool, Burnley, Newark, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Gloucester, London.

The regularity & flexibility of travel will be discussed further at interview stage. 

See our canal network here: (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network). 

Our Values

Knowledge, Skills/Qualifications & Experience

The legal team works closely with colleagues across the Trust, helping to shape policy, inform decision-making, balancing risk and exploiting commercial and income opportunities. The legal team advises at all levels of the Trust, both in relation to regional teams and central teams right up to Executive and Board level.

Offering a unique professional and intellectual legal challenge in areas such as the environment, heritage and charity, this role proposes an exciting opportunity to become directly involve in our fantastic major national infrastructure and transport network; really making a difference in local communities as part of your day-to-day work. 

Our-values (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/refresh/media/thumbnail/35240-our-values.pdf).   

Key Accountabilities:

Providing specialist property law advice across the Trust’s operational and commercial property activities (including land registration, deduction of title, landlord and tenant, easements, and restrictive covenants)

Providing advice to the Trust in relation to infrastructure projects and development proposals with potential impact on the canal network, to ensure the protection of the network and to help maximise any commercial opportunities arising from such proposals.

Providing advice on compliance with the requirements of charity law and the Trust Settlement with DEFRA in the context of disposals of interest in land by the Trust, including making applications to the Charity Commission and the Secretary of State for consent to certain types of transactions.

Supervision and regular review of the provision of legal services from the Trust’s property law panel of external law firms.

Together with the Legal Team PA, ensuring that the appropriate internal authorities are obtained for the sealing of deeds on behalf of the Trust as well as advising more generally on the valid execution of documents by the Trust and its subsidiaries.

Advising on all legal aspects of the Trust’s relationships with its various subsidiaries and joint venture companies, particularly in the context of large commercial property transactions. 

Working collaboratively in a Legal team of c10 qualified lawyers and one PA. In this role you will have 1 or 2 direct reports. 

Maintain key internal relationships with: Legal & Governance Director, Chief Investment Officer, Head of Estates, Head of Property Investment, Head of Utilities. External relationships with: External legal advisers, Charity Commission & DEFR. 

Knowledge, Experience & Skills:

Technical 

Qualified solicitor with substantial property law experience gained in private practice or in-house. 

Knowledge of charity law as it applies to the management and disposal of real property, desirable. 

Track record of providing proactive, expert and timely legal advice. 

Able to demonstrate substantial experience of giving high level, commercial, risk-based advice with the ability to provide clear explanations of complex legal issues. 

Knowledge of charity law and the law of trusts, advantageous. 

Line management experience, advantageous.

General

Excellent oral and written communication skills. 

Ability to build collaborative relationships across all levels and disciplines within the Trust and with external legal advisers and to participate effectively in meetings at a senior level.

Ability to give pragmatic advice and to solve problems to meet the needs of the Trust, managing significant caseloads where necessary. 

Lead by example, ensure others take responsibility for the safety of colleagues, volunteers, themselves and customers. Comply with Canal & River Trust’s Health & Safety policy and defined standards. Investigate and report incidents, accidents and near misses. Ensure safe use of appropriate equipment, prepare Risk Assessments and Method Statements ensuring contents are understood and acted upon.

To Apply:  click on the "Apply for this job" button and follow the process - complete the application form & upload current CV.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk

We are currently conducting our interview processes virtually as we continue to respect and follow necessary social distancing guidance to protect our team and our candidates. You may be invited to a face to face further stage interview which will always be conducted following strict social distancing guidelines. 

What We Offer

In addition to your salary of £62,500, you will benefit from a Car Cash Allowance (£485 per month), a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, great holiday entitlement and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits, all of which can be found here (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/our-benefits).

£68,320 inclusive of allowances. 

At the Trust we care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do as a Trust. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.

All candidates will be treated on the basis of their merits, skills and abilities and solely by being assessed against the requirements for the job.

When you join the Canal & River Trust you become a member of an engaged team working to preserve our heritage for future generations. Come and share your passion and knowledge with a team that makes a difference to millions of people every day.

Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us