Legal Counsel

At the centre of our future growth strategy is Standard Life, our pension brand in the workplace and retail space. Standard Life is transforming to build the market-leading workplace proposition of the future.

The Standard Life brand has resonated in the pensions world for a long time. In a fast moving industry we are approaching our markets with a renewed sense of excitement, purpose and ambition. Above all we are looking to evolve and showcase our propositions in line with the ever changing needs of our corporate clients - to remain in and stay ahead of the pack.

We have an opportunity for a solicitor to join our Product Legal team which supports (1) our propositions which are open to new customers (Open Division) and (2) those that are in run-off (Heritage Division). The role’s focus is to support and develop the workplace business and support Phoenix in achieving its ambitions and visions.

Key Responsibilities

• join a supportive team who are trusted partner of business
• provide advice and guidance to the Open and Heritage Divisions.
  • on boarding of new Workplace business and interacting with clients
  • taking an active role in advising propositions teams on new and enhanced product development
  • working with the customer operations team on matters such as product queries, complaints and areas where retail customers will need support
  • review of T&Cs and related documents ensuring legal certainty and that they can be readily understood by the customer
• Ensure that Workplace Pensions management team are aware of and understand their legal responsibilities under relevant legislation, codes of conduct and equivalent guidance
• Be an active team member of the wider GC function, proactively contributing to the GC Function’s vision of a high performing, innovative and fulfilled team

What We’re Looking For

Essential

• Solicitor, either English or Scots Law qualified, with a commercial approach and legal knowledge of the laws applicable to a financial services business and preferably workplace and pensions
• The ability to work autonomously and to be proactive in approach with confidence to advise on the legal aspects of a matter as well as offering wider input drawing on practical experience
• A willingness to work outside of your comfort and learn new skills
• Accustomed to operating within a highly regulated environment.
• Technical knowledge of the statutory and regulatory framework applicable to the pensions sector preferred
• Ability to work/liaise appropriately at all levels including executive management and build great working relationships
• Accustomed to considering the business agenda and using this understanding to provide a proactive legal service to management.
• Ability to work to continually changing deadlines and additional workloads.
  

What We Offer

Bring your ‘whole self’, skills and dedication to the Phoenix Group and we’ll recognise your effort, support your development and help to drive your ambition. We’ll ensure you’re rewarded for your contribution with a competitive package that includes an attractive pension, annual bonus potential, private medical insurance, generous holiday entitlement, enhanced maternity and adoption leave and a range of other financial services and lifestyle flexible benefits.

Join us and you join a unique organisation. It’s not just the 14 million policyholders we serve, or the £300 billion of assets we look after. Or that we’re a FTSE 100 company that has been listed as one of the UK’s Top Employers for nine years running. It’s our talented, inclusive and diverse workforce that makes us a success. We offer flexible working opportunities ensuring we attract and retain the very best of talent. Find out about more about our people’s stories , our values and our commitment to diversity .

Key Competencies

We believe that building an inclusive and diverse team is critical to our success. We are looking for applicants with diverse lived experiences, ideas, backgrounds, and world views from different walks of life. Below is a range of skills, qualifications, and experiences we think would be great for the role

• Analytical Skills
  

Use of a variety of diagnostic techniques to understand a situation/issue/problem by breaking it down and tracing the root cause/underlying implications in a methodical step-by-step way.

• Build Relationships

Building partnerships, networks and relationships.

• Commerciality

The ability to be commercially focused at all times.

• Communication Skills

Clearly and effectively communicates information, ideas, plans, requests and opinions to internal and external stakeholders through a range of channels including written and oral. Ensures alignment with communication guidelines and policies.

• Impact & Influence

Influencing others to achieve a positive impact. This includes communicating clearly, building support for ideas and having an impact on other people.

• Laws, Regulations and Standards

Knowledge of specific regulations, legislation, governance and compliance requirements that impact a role, business area or Standard Life as a whole.

• Market and Industry Knowledge

Knowledge of the markets, competitors, products, services, trends, impacting forces and factors, etc. that make up the industries which Standard Life operates in.

If you have a combination of these skills and attributes, and believe you can make a difference to the future of our team and business, we want to hear from you!

Online Interviews and Onboarding

All our interviews, onboarding and new joiners are now managed remotely. We have in place a strong virtual support network to ensure new colleagues are supported and developed as they navigate their first few months with us

About Us

Phoenix Group is a member of the FTSE 100 index and is the UK’s largest long-term savings and retirement business. We specialise in the acquisition and management of Heritage life insurance and pension funds. We’ve businesses in the UK, Germany and Ireland and hold a broad range of both Heritage and Open products split across three key business segments: UK Heritage, UK Open and Europe. Our open business manufactures and underwrites new products and policies to support people saving for their future in areas such as workplace pensions and SIPPs, primary under the Standard Life brand. And we market corporate pension trustee services and manufacture products to be sold under other brands. Did you know Phoenix Life manufactures SunLife’s market leading Guaranteed Over 50’s plan? Find out more about Phoenix Group here .