Legal Counsel

BACKGROUND

Rangers Football Club, formed in 1872, is one of the world’s longest established and most successful clubs, having won 55 League titles, 34 Scottish Cups, 28 League Cups and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1972. This collection of titles and cups makes Rangers one of the most successful club in the world, and it is currently the 9th strongest football brand according to the YouGov UK Brand Index.

Playing at the 51,700 seat Ibrox Stadium and benefitting from the world-class 37-acre training facility, the club has been a dominant force in Scottish football for decades. The club benefits from a famously loyal support and the high volume of season tickets is the foundation of the top 19 best attendances in Europe. It is estimated that Rangers has a global fanbase of 4m, half of which reside in the UK.

JOB TITLE: Legal Counsel                      

REPORTING LINE: Company Secretary & Legal Director        

DEPARTMENT: Legal 

LOCATIONS: Ibrox Stadium                      

CONTRACT: Full Time, Permanent                                 

THE ROLE

We are seeking a dynamic Legal Counsel to join our prestigious football club. This role will cover all legal-related work across the operations, commercial, and football departments of the club. The successful candidate will provide strategic and operational legal advice to ensure the club’s interests are protected and its operations are compliant with all relevant laws and regulations.

This is a unique opportunity to work in a football club environment. The position on offer is broad and will provide the successful candidate with exposure to all aspects of the club. The environment is fast paced and requires candidates with a ‘can do’ attitude. The candidate needs to be a logical thinker and able to problem solve daily. They should be able to think laterally, taking into consideration their knowledge of the wider club business with every decision they make.

The successful candidate will be part of a team with quick reporting and decision-making lines. They will be encouraged to grow their network within the industry. There are excellent career progression opportunities with this role.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Legal Advisory and Support:

• Provide comprehensive legal advice and support across all departments.
• Act as the first point of contact with all stakeholders in the club for legal compliance.
• Support the Company Secretary on all major projects and matters that are ongoing at the club.
• Coordinate with external legal advisors to effectively manage and resolve legal matters where necessary.

Commercial:

• Manage the drafting, negotiation, and execution of commercial contracts, including sponsorship and licensing agreements.
• Ensure all commercial agreements align with the club’s strategic objectives and comply with applicable laws.
• Oversee the protection and enforcement of the club’s intellectual property rights.

Operations:

• Manage the drafting, negotiation, and execution of supplier contracts and assist on any legal issues in the managing of supplier relationships.
• In collaboration with other departments, develop and implement policies and procedures, providing training to staff as required.
• Manage disputes and litigation involving the club including employment disputes, commercial litigation, and regulatory investigations.
• Manage the club’s debt recovery procedures.
• Support HR department on employment related matters.

Football Department:

• Provide legal support on player contracts, transfers, and regulatory compliance.
• Advise on disciplinary matters, disputes, and other issues related to player conduct and club regulations.
• Support on football administration matters such as immigration queries, FIFA Clearing House processing and Transfer Matching System issues.

THE CANDIDATE

The candidate attributes include:

• Qualified solicitor (Scots or English law) with between 0 and 5 years post-qualification experience.
• Excellent analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven experience in the football industry or in commercial contract negotiation and drafting is highly desirable, but not essential.
• Strong knowledge of intellectual property law and data protection regulations is desirable.
• A candidate that has had experience during traineeship or post qualification across several of the areas mentioned above will be a very good fit for this role.

LATEST CLOSING DATE: 27th January 2025

Please note, we may close vacancies early where we receive significant numbers of applications, so don’t delay!

EQUALITY & INCLUSION 

At Rangers Football Club we are ambitious about diversity and inclusion. If you’ve got the right skills for the job, we want to hear from you. We encourage applications from the right candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status or pregnancy and maternity.

Rangers Football Club also welcomes applications from suitably qualified members of the armed forces family.

GENERAL INFORMATION 

The candidate must keep up to date with new methods and undertake any necessary internal or external training sessions in accordance with Club Policies and Procedures.