Legal Advisor - General Pharmaceutical Council
Canary Wharf, London (hybrid working 12 days per quarter)
£55,000 - £62,000 + strong benefits
If you’re a Lawyer who enjoys variety, influence, and working close to decision-makers, this is one of those rare in-house roles where you’re not just advising on the sidelines, you’re part of the conversation shaping outcomes.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is the independent regulator for pharmacists and pharmacies across Great Britain. Their corporate legal team sits at the centre of the organisation, advising on everything outside of fitness to practise. It’s a small, high-impact team where your work will be visible, valued, and genuinely broad.
The role
This is not a narrow specialism. You’ll work across public law, regulatory advice, governance, commercial matters, and corporate litigation. One day you might be advising on statutory powers or policy development, the next supporting on a judicial review or drafting an information sharing agreement. You’ll be:
- Advising on the GPhC’s statutory functions, powers, and legal duties
- Supporting policy teams to turn ideas into legally sound, workable outcomes
- Handling pre-action correspondence and supporting on litigation, including judicial review
- Working on regulatory reform and secondary legislation
- Drafting and advising on commercial and procurement arrangements
- Horizon scanning to spot legal and regulatory risks before they land
- Delivering training to colleagues to improve legal understanding across the organisation
- Engaging with senior stakeholders, including executive and board level
It’s a role that leans closer to a junior general counsel than a traditional advisory post.
What they’re looking for
- Qualified Solicitor or Barrister (England & Wales)
- Confidence working with public law principles and statutory interpretation
- Someone who can take complex issues and land them in a clear, practical way
- Strong judgement, good stakeholder instincts, and the ability to work independently
- Experience in a regulatory, public sector, or in-house environment is ideal, but not essential
You don’t need to come from a healthcare background. What matters more is your ability to think clearly, communicate well, and handle variety.
Why this role stands out
- Breadth: genuinely varied work across legal disciplines
- Access: regular exposure to senior leadership and strategic decision-making
- Influence: your advice shapes policy, not just reacts to it
- Autonomy: a small team where you’re trusted to get on with it
- Development: steep learning curve in a supportive environment
Package
- Salary £55,000 - £62,000 depending on experience
- Hybrid working (around 12 days per quarter in the office)
- 30 days annual leave + bank holidays, with option to buy more
- Generous pension (up to 14% employer contribution)
- Life assurance, flexible working, season ticket loan, and wellbeing support
Final thought
If you’ve been feeling a bit boxed in, either by a narrow specialism or by being too far from decision-making, this is the kind of role that opens things up again.