Employment Lawyer - FTC

Fixed term contract - 6 months (possibility to extend)

Hybrid - London Store Support Centre (on average twice per month) and Home

Why join us

Joining Sainsbury's as a Group Employment Lawyer means becoming an integral part of a dynamic in house Employment Law team that plays a vital role in supporting stakeholders across the Group, including retail, logistics, and Sainsbury's Bank. You will have the opportunity to provide strategic legal advice, handle complex employment issues, and guide transformation projects while working closely with our People teams. This diverse and autonomous role offers the chance to work on a wide range of legal matters, contribute to commercial decisions, and continuously grow and develop your expertise within a collaborative and supportive environment.

What you'll do

As the Group Employment Lawyer at Sainsbury's, you will play a key role in providing efficient, pragmatic, and solution oriented legal advice to stakeholders across the Group. Your responsibilities will include conducting and managing employment litigation, supporting transformation projects, advising on the legal aspects of commercial agreements, and providing day to day legal guidance. You will work collaboratively with our People teams on a range of transactional, policy, and litigation matters, offering risk analysis and recommendations on various employment and industrial relations issues. This role will require you to navigate complex legal challenges involving TUPE, trade unions, and collective consultation, reinforcing your role as a trusted advisor to our business while keeping abreast of employment law developments and delivering training to enhance organisational knowledge and compliance.

Who you are

As the Group Employment Lawyer, you are a highly qualified legal professional with a strategic mindset. With a proven track record in Employment Law, either gained in private practice or in house, you possess the skills to provide commercially sound legal advice across a wide spectrum of employment related issues. Your ability to navigate complex legal matters involving TUPE, trade unions, and collective consultation demonstrates your expertise in guiding the business through strategic employment decisions. Your strong interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills enable you to build effective relationships and work closely with stakeholders. Your energy, enthusiasm, and drive contribute to a high performing team environment.

Essential criteria

• Professional qualification as a Solicitor or Barrister, with post qualification experience advising on UK employment law matters, gained in house or in private practice.
• Proven experience managing a caseload of respondent side employment tribunal litigation, including assessing legal and commercial risk, preparing and running claims in a high volume environment, drafting tribunal documentation and conducting ACAS conciliation.
• Strong experience supporting organisational change and transformation projects, providing employment law advice on matters such as restructures, operating model change, TUPE, collective consultation, redundancy and redeployment.
• Ability to provide pragmatic, commercially focused employment law advice across a broad range of UK employment matters, including day to day employee relations issues and complex, sensitive people matters.
• Evidence of drafting, reviewing and negotiating employment related documentation, including settlement agreements, employment contracts, policies and employment provisions within commercial agreements (for example outsourcing, supply or services contracts).
• Proven ability to manage multiple, competing priorities in a fast paced environment, while working collaboratively, supporting colleagues and contributing positively to a high performing team.