£68,319 with progression to £75,687 per annum

LOCATION: Stevenage with hybrid working

About Herts Legal
With more than 100 colleagues in the team Herts Legal is one of the largest and most successful legal teams in local government and offers a complete legal service to clients across the County Council, District Councils and other public sector bodies.

Our lawyers are crucial to the County Council's continued success. We have high standards for our services and we are pleased to be recognised as a Centre of Excellence by the Law Society's Lexcel quality standard assessor.

Herts Legal provides a fantastic opportunity for ambitious, passionate and organised Lawyers who want to join a supportive and flourishing public sector legal team.

We offer flexible hybrid working and have recently moved to newly refurbished modern offices in Stevenage.

The Role
You will manage a caseload, with the emphasis on income generation, including complex and high-profile matters, delivering high quality and timely practical and solution focused advice to Council officers, the Cabinet, committees, and other council bodies.  You will understand the commercial as well as legal issues surrounding the procurement and award of commercial contracts, and the future delivery of services across the Council.

You’ll need extensive knowledge and experience of public procurement and commercial contracts, in the context of local authorities and not for profit sectors. Experience of working in a shared/traded environment would be welcome.
The role is based in the Commercial Team which comprises 8 to 10 lawyers specialising in public procurement and commercial law. The highly effective practice management team looks after the business processes enabling the lawyers to focus on the law. 

Criteria for the Role

Essential criteria:

• Extensive knowledge and experience of public sector procurement law
• Extensive knowledge and experience of commercial contracts
• A qualified solicitor, barrister, or legal executive.

Desirable Criteria:

• Knowledge and experience of local government and public law
• Knowledge  and experience of NEC and JCT construction contracts
• Experience of working in local government

Role Responsibilities

• Manage your own case load of medium and high profile matters
• Provide quality practical advice and support to clients on  public procurement and commercial contracts, including contract negotiation and drafting and contract disputes.  
• Support and encourage other team members to develop their knowledge and skills.
• Support colleagues when required on  matters ranging from significant capital projects, major procurement projects, academy transfers and local government matters.
• Seek and maintain business opportunities for Herts Legal  both internally and with other public bodies.
• Be the legal lead for major strategic projects on behalf of Herts Legal and its clients.
• Prepare and present training courses and seminars to Members, officers and others.

Person Specification:

• Experience of preparing  legal documentation in  routine / noncomplex cases using precedent documentation and preparing and assisting with complex work as part of a project team as required .
• Able to work independently on more complex matters with multi-disciplinary teams .
• Attention to detail and a pragmatic, flexible and commercial approach to problem solving.
• An excellent communicator at all levels.
• The ability to devise and lead strategically on complex or novel matters which covers key legal principles and timescales, key officers and stakeholders involved, appropriate levels of senior management involvement,  effective communication, risk management,  and appropriate cost- effective use of internal and external resources.   
• Organised and able to prioritise a  heavy caseload.
• Committed to continual professional development, and developing skills and knowledge of additional legal disciplines relevant to the work of the Commercial Law Team
• Understand working in a politically sensitive environment.

Your Application
If you think you have the knowledge, experience and skills to make a success of this dynamic and exciting role at Herts Legal, we look forward to receiving your application and meeting you.

If you would like to discuss the role further, please contact Stephen.dorrian@hertfordshire.gov.uk or telephone 07813 400504 initially.

Additional information
Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required).

Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

Closing date: 22 September 2024

For further information or to apply, please click on the 'Enquire/Apply' button below.