FCAS - Legal Counsel

Job Title FCAS - Legal Counsel

Location Warton

Salary £70,000+

Referral Scheme Bonus £1000

Grade GG13

You’re expected to have completed 12 months in role prior to applying for an advertised vacancy and you should also discuss the internal opportunity with your line manager to ensure sustained business continuity and to further support your career development.

We know there may be exceptional individual circumstances that impact this, in the first instance please discuss this with your line manager.

If you don’t feel you can talk to your Line Manager, you can contact your HRBP.

PLEASE NOTE Should you be invited for interview; you acknowledge that the Recruitment team will contact you and your line manager regarding your application for this opportunity.

What you’ll be doing

Supporting campaigns, bids and programme delivery in key territories and advising on a wide range of contractual matters

Leading on legal-focussed matters including data protection, litigation, disputes, the management of legal entities and investigations

Providing legal support for transactions associated with the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) and other Air Sector programmes

Maintaining our “licence to trade” through good governance and compliance

Working closely with other members of the Legal and Export Control Function and embedding within business teams as a full team member

Proactively suggesting ways to improve how the Legal Function and wider business works and what it delivers

Providing legal support for transactions associated with the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP)

Your skills and experiences

Essential:

UK qualified solicitor or barrister, you will also have appropriate experience in relevant legal disciplines from a leading law firm and/or in-house experience

Experience drafting and negotiating business-critical contracts across diverse issues in a dynamic environment

Experience delivering legal advice across a diverse portfolio of matters

Desirable:

Experience in dealings with government entities and managing international contractual relationships

Industry experience in defence or in sectors with similar regulatory and operational frameworks

A readiness to travel as required to support business needs

Benefits

As well as a competitive pension scheme, BAE Systems also offers employee share plans, an extensive range of flexible discounted health, wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, including a green car scheme, private health plans and shopping discounts - you may also be eligible for an annual incentive.

AIR Legal Team:

We are a truly international business. We deal with a vast array of customers, suppliers and industry partners. We are subject to many different legal and regulatory regimes and enter into contracts across the full spectrum of value and complexity. Against this backdrop we need business-focussed legal professionals who can quickly absorb data, pick out the key issues and risks and offer real world solutions at pace. These are our Legal Counsel – the heart of our Legal Function.

You’ll be joining a function that’s been recognised, including recent award wins at The Lawyer Awards 2024 (In-House Commerce & Industry Team of the Year), the Legal Business Awards 2024 (Highly Commended In-House Team of the Year) and shortlisted in the Financial Times Innovative Lawyer Europe Awards 2024.

Why BAE Systems?

This is a place where you’ll be able to make a real difference. You’ll be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity of thought, rewards integrity, and merit, and where you’ll be empowered to fulfil your potential. We welcome people from all backgrounds and want to make sure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible. If you have a disability or health condition (for example dyslexia, autism, an anxiety disorder etc.) that may affect your performance in certain assessment types, please speak to your recruiter about potential reasonable adjustments.

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified people, who are BAE Systems employees and have been in their current role for 12 months or longer.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date 31st October 2025