Business Area: Group General Counsel When you join USS, the size and scale of our pension scheme means you will have numerous opportunities to learn and develop your career. Given our size you'll have real autonomy and influence as you collaborate closely with a wide-ranging team of experts.
Our office is a vibrant place to work, and we offer flexibility of office/homeworking due to our hybrid model. In your role as Deputy GGC, you will make a meaningful and valued contribution from the outset. This role will provide a great opportunity to act as a strategic partner and deputy to the Group General Counsel (GGC), supporting the leadership and performance of the GGC function and deputising as required. The role provides senior legal leadership, ensures high-quality advice to key stakeholders, and helps shape and deliver the strategic direction of the function. As a trusted part of the Group General Counsel team you will be responsible for: Deputising and Leadership - Act as a formal deputy to the GGC, representing them across Boards, Committees, Executive forums and external engagements as required.
- Take delegated accountability for key decisions, issues and stakeholder relationships in the GGC’s absence.
- Partner closely with the GGC in shaping and driving the strategic direction and priorities of the GGC function.
- Provide leadership and direction across the function as part of the GGC Management Team, ensuring alignment, pace and focus on the most critical objectives.
- Work with the GGC Management Team to ensure that the legal function is appropriately resourced and structured to meet current and future business needs.
- Drive the development of a high performing team, including succession planning, capability building and talent development.
- Coach and develop a ‘learning’ culture within the GGC function with a clear focus on continuous improvement.
- Foster an inclusive, collaborative culture that supports innovation, accountability and professional development.
- Role model USS-wide collective leadership, working closely with the Senior Leadership Team to champion USS’s culture, values and ways of working.
Strategic advice - Provide strategic legal leadership on complex and high-impact issues facing the USS Group, ensuring clear, pragmatic and commercially aligned advice to Boards and senior stakeholders
- Act as a trusted adviser to the GET, the USSIM Executive and the USSL and USSIM Boards, and their respective Chairs and sub-committees.
- Oversee the provision of legal advice to Boards and Committees, ensuring consistency, quality and clarity of output across the function.
- Provide direction to ensure the function is well positioned to anticipate and respond to regulatory and external developments.
- Provide strategic oversight, in partnership with the GGC Management Team, to ensure that policies and procedures supporting legal and governance activities remain effective, proportionate and aligned to organisational needs.
- Drive expectations and standards for legal advice and reporting, ensuring it is consistently high, clear, and aligned with the organisation’s standards.
Strategic direction and delivery - Partner with the GGC to shape and deliver the GGC strategy and priorities of the GGC function, ensuring alignment to wider organisational objectives.
- Lead or sponsor strategically significant initiatives, particularly those with material legal, regulatory or governance implications.
- Ensure the function is forward-looking and responsive to regulatory developments and changing business priorities.
- Drive innovation, simplification and continuous improvement in how GGC support is delivered.
Internal and External Engagement - Ensure that the GGC function is well represented and understood across the organisation and provides appropriate training/other information to support the wider operation of the business.
- Build excellent relationships with peers in other funds across the UK and internationally and leveraging those relationships effectively to ensure that USS is aware of legal and regulatory risk trends and that the GGC function continues to evolve in line with best practice.
- Maintain involvement with external professional bodies and provide insight on external trends and developments that may impact upon the future direction and strategy of USS Group.
We know that sometimes people can be put off applying for a job if they don't tick every box, if you're excited about working for us and have most of the skills or experience we're looking for, then please apply, regardless of whether you meet all the requirements outlined in this profile.
To be successful in the role you will have: Essential: - Proven experience of leading and developing a high performing legal team, taking the lead on both complex technical issues and general management.
- Experience of providing strategic advice at board and non-executive committee level, and insight into the key success factors for effective non-executive governance, management of conflicts of interest and executive/non-executive relationships.
- The gravitas and credibility to be a trusted adviser to senior executives and non-executive directors combined with excellent judgement.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills and an ability to simplify complex legal issues so that non-lawyers can easily engage with them.
- Track record of successfully building effective relationships across an organisation and engaging with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Proven ability to build and leverage a network of relationships that are important to the organisation and its stakeholders.
- Significant previous experience as a Head of Legal (or equivalent) in a complex business, within the financial services sector or a law-firm partner with comparable expertise.
- Direct and extensive experience of FCA regulation, investments and significant commercial contracts (including outsourcing agreements).
- Proven track record of effectively collaborating with teams across an organisation.
- Significant experience of managing relationships with key suppliers (including panel law firms).
- Substantial budgetary management experience and proven ability to manage the provision of excellent value legal and governance advice and support.
Desirable: - Proven track record in running projects, affecting positive change across a range of business areas and working with a panel of external advisors.
- Experience of engaging with regulators, particularly financial services and/or pensions supervision.
- Experience working with a complex board and providing advice in a complex stakeholder environment.
- Exposure to issues related to OPS or pension funds.
At USS, every individual contributes to building a secure financial future for our members and their families. We strive to create a work environment where everyone can thrive professionally while making a meaningful impact on the lives of others. We're also committed to helping you build your career by providing opportunities for development. We put a focus on recognising and supporting each individual's unique career path, driving this forward with the support of an engaged and proactive management team. Here at USS, we want you to thrive in and out of work with a friendly team, flexible culture and excellent range of benefits! How we will reward you - Great starting salary
- Generous annual leave package
- Access to a high quality pension scheme provided through Universities Superannuation Scheme
- Supportive people policies (including enhanced occupational sickness pay and family friendly pay)
- Financial contributions towards your personal development to help you maintain your physical and mental wellbeing
- Access to a range of health and wellbeing services i.e., private healthcare, discounted gym membership
- Learning and development opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and talent
- Employee Volunteer Day’s to support the communities where you work and live
- Cycle to Work Scheme
Our people are what makes us different. We work together to create a diverse and inclusive culture that embraces individuality, where people are welcomed and feel comfortable in the knowledge that they can be themselves. Our purpose firmly states the importance of members, putting them ‘front and centre’ of what we do. This is embedded through our values:
- Integrity
- Collaboration
- Excellence
Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) was established in 1974 as the principal pension scheme for universities and other higher education institutions in the UK. We work with around 330 employers to help build a secure financial future for almost 577,000 members and their families. We are one of the largest private defined benefit pension schemes in the UK, with total assets of around £76.8bn (at 31 March 2025). To find out more, please visit https://www.uss.co.uk
USSL is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We strive to ensure our recruitment process is as flexible and inclusive as possible so we can attract diverse candidates and recruit the best talent. We want all candidates to perform at their best during the recruitment process, so if you need any reasonable adjustments or if there is anything we can do to help support you through your recruitment journey please let us know by contacting resourcing@uss.co.uk. |
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