Lawyer - Contracts and Procurement - AR

Job Description and Person Specification Job details

Job title: Lawyer - Contracts and Procurement
Reports to: Senior Lawyer - Contracts and Procurement
Directorate and Service area: Law and Governance, Legal Services

Purpose of the job

To deliver good quality legal advice to client departments, ensuring they are aware of, and comply with, statutory requirements and the Council's activities are conducted in a lawful and transparent manner.

Principal responsibilities

• 1. Demonstrate awareness/understanding of equal opportunities and other people's behavioural, physical, social and welfare needs.
• 2. Comply with the Council's policies and procedures including (but not limited to) safeguarding, financial regulations, promotion of equalities, customer care, agreed audit actions and health and safety (ensuring that reasonable care is taken at all times for the health, safety and welfare of yourself and other persons).
• 3. Carry out any other duties which fall within the broad spirit, scope and purpose of this job description and which are commensurate with the grade of the post.

This job description reflects the major tasks to be carried out by the post holder and identifies a level of responsibility at which they will be required to work. In the interests of effective working, the major tasks may be reviewed from time to time to reflect changing needs and circumstances. Such reviews and any consequential changes will be carried out in consultation with the post holder.

Principal responsibilities of this job

• 4. Provide legal advice and services as requested to the Council, its Members and it's client departments commensurate with experience to ensure that the implications of local government law are complied with and understood, including adequately representing the Council in courts and tribunals.
• 5. Supervision of lawyers.
• 6. Support senior lawyers with the drafting and provision of advise on reports for the Cabinet, Cabinet Members, Council Committees and Sub-Committees and to attend Committees and other meetings as may be required, which may include meeting out of normal office hours, ensuring that all procedural and standing order requirements are complied with.
• 7. Support and contribute to the effective delivery of the council's objectives and priorities.
• 8. Support achievement of the team's income target.
• 9. Monitor and share changes in the law and practice as appropriate and implement changes to policy and processes when necessary, informing client departments of changes in the law and practice when they occur.
• 10. Respond to queries and calls promptly and professionally, using effective communication and engagement.
• 11. Ensure complete and proper digital and physical records are maintained as appropriate relating to all work undertaken including time records using the service's case management and time recording system.
• 12. Work collaboratively with other teams and support the training and development of colleagues and clients.

Special features of the post

There may be a requirement for the postholder on notice to work outside of normal working hours, for which the appropriate overtime payment or time off in lieu will be provided.

Person Specification

Qualified CILEX, Solicitor or Barrister, licensed to practice. Postgraduate level management qualification.

Good negotiating and influencing skills. Experience in at least two areas of the following work:

• Preparing contract documentation
• Providing relevant legal advice on competitive processes and/or mitigating procurement risk
• Advising on governance and compliance requirements, including in relation to the Council's Contract Procedure Rules and Public Procurement legislation
• Negotiating and drafting agreements of all types (including agreements for services, funding agreements, grant agreements, variation, novation, and concessions)
• Intellectual Property
• Alternative delivery models: trading companies, partnerships and joint venture arrangements, including the establishment of social enterprises, shared services arrangements between public bodies
• Contractual disputes

Effective management of competing demands and tight deadlines. Work constructively with Members and demonstrate political sensitivity. Working in a local authority in-house legal team.

Ability and Skills

• Ability to handle a broad caseload including advocacy in criminal and civil litigation matters.
• Leadership, delegation and team building skills.
• Problem solving.
• Strong communication and presentation.
• Analytical thinking and evaluation.
• Strategic thinking - balancing expectations and requirements now and in the future.
• Political and cultural awareness.