Job Title Property Lawyer - #1747577

Job Purpose

Salary: £46,000 - £48,000 + benefits

Location: Working from home/remote, with regular travel to hub locations

We have a fantastic opportunity for a talented Property Lawyer to join our national Legal & Governance team; assisting the Trust’s Senior Property Lawyer with the handling and management of transactional property matters across the Trust’s property portfolio. We are growing our legal team as we bring more of our legal activities in-house.

The Trust

The Canal & River Trust is a charity entrusted with the care of over 2000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs in England and Wales. These historic, natural and cultural assets form part of the nation’s strategic and local blue-green infrastructure network, linking urban and rural communities as well as habitats. Our waterways contribute to the health and well-being of local communities and economies, creating attractive and connected places to live, work, volunteer and spend leisure time. They also play an important role in mitigating the impact of climate change and provide valuable habitats and much-needed biodiverse corridors for wildlife.

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 supporting on contractual and property documentation, bringing and defending litigation (including judicial review) plus a full range of commercial, employment and boat licensing matters.

As Property Lawyer you will be supporting the delivery of legal advice across the Trust’s broad property portfolio in connection with its commercial property transactions and related legal matters.

Location

This is a national role supporting property transactional matters for the Trust across our operational regions in England and Wales and will is therefore suited be based working from home, with a requirement to attend our hub spaces when required for collaborative meetings with colleagues and stakeholders. 

Main hubs include: Leeds, Ellesmere Port, Burnley, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Gloucester, London.

Knowledge, Skills/Qualifications & Experience

We’re a complex organisation and our Legal & governance team work closely every day across the organisation in supporting our Estates, Property Investment, Utilities, Engineering and Regional Operations teams, in addition to liaising with a variety of external partners, stakeholders and advisors. A national role, you will be working collaboratively in an experienced Legal team of qualified lawyers, claims manager, paralegals and legal PA.

Key accountabilities:

• Support the Senior Property Lawyer and Principal Property Lawyer on complex transactions, whilst managing your own caseload of commercial property matters.


• Draft, review and negotiate leases, licences, agreements, transfers and associated legal documents for acquisitions, disposals and other transactions.


• Provide legal advice on day-to-day landlord and tenant issues, lease renewals, consents, title matters and statutory obligations.


• Assist with due diligence and title investigations for acquisitions, disposals, and projects.


• Manage instructions from internal stakeholders with a commercial, pragmatic approach.


• Help identify and mitigate legal risk in line with Trust policy and Charities Act obligations.


• Work in accordance with the property team support framework in delivery of legal advice to the wider Trust teams.

Knowledge, Experience & Skills:Our Values really matter to us. It is important for us that they also resonate with you, and will be evident in the way you deliver your work, and work with stakeholders and colleagues alike.

• Qualified lawyer (or equivalent) with a minimum of 5 years‘ commercial property experience gained in private practice or in-house.


• Sound working knowledge of property legislation and case law, including landlord & tenant.


• Strong drafting and negotiation skills, highly organised, detail-oriented, and capable of working independently with minimal supervision.


• Ability to adhere to and manage deadlines.


• Have a proven track record of building and maintaining relationships both internally and externally.


• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.


• Collaborative and able to think creatively when solving problems.


• Ability to build collaborative relationships accross all levels and disciplines within the Trust and to participate effectively in meetings.


• To be aware of your own responsibilities regarding safeguarding and to support our commitment to providing safe environments and working practices that promote and protect the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk at all times

To Apply: click on the "Apply for this job" button and follow the process - upload current CV & complete the personal statement section of the application form (iFORM)

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

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

What We Offer

In addition to your salary of £46,000 - £48,000 you will benefit from 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).

Other benefits include: 

• Competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, where we will double your contribution to a maximum of 10%.


• 25 days paid holiday (plus paid Bank Holidays), increasing to 30 days after 5 years.


• Home working status with ‘hub’ facilities available should you need the flexibility to work outside of home.


• Personal learning & growth opportunities through internal and external development programmes  


• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues, e.g. health, financial, well-being and domestic matters.


• Access to a range of employee benefits including store discounts, boating holiday discounts and holiday purchase scheme.


• 2 days paid volunteering leave per annum, allowing you to volunteer for a local community project etc.


• Free fishing facilities across our canal network.

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