£47,240 - £53,133 per annum + £4,000 market supplement

Mid Kent Legal Services
This is a hybrid working role.

About Us

Mid Kent Legal Services (MKLS) is part of Mid Kent Services, a shared services directorate formed by Swale, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils. MKLS provides high quality legal services across the three Authorities encompassing Property and Regeneration, Planning, Contentious, Contracts & Commissioning and Corporate Governance. MKLS’s vision is aligned to the Partner Authorities for which it acts which is forward thinking, progressive and innovative. We look at utilising technology to maximise lawyers' time to deliver an efficient service to our clients.

MKLS is a supportive and nurturing environment which provides opportunities to progress through learning and development.

We are now looking for a Senior Lawyer (Planning) to join us on a full-time, permanent basis, working 34 hours per week.

The Benefits

- Salary of £47,240 - £53,133 per annum + £4,000 market supplement
- Local Government pension scheme
- Generous annual leave plus office closure between Christmas and New Year
- Options to purchase extra leave
- Wellbeing support includes confidential advice, counselling, flu vaccines
- Immediate access to a benefits platform offering discounts on leisure, retail, and fuel
- Salary sacrifice schemes including Cycle to Work and car scheme
- Generous sick pay
- Free parking across all 3 partner Authority sites
- Season ticket loans for rail/bus travel
- Career development

This is the ideal opportunity for an experienced planning lawyer with a track record of dealing with complex and often high profile planning agreements, providing high level legal advice and dealing with the complex issues arising from present day developments to join our forward-thinking shared service.

With exceptional benefits, including a brilliant pension scheme and opportunities for professional growth, you’ll have the chance to make a positive impact whilst developing a better work/life balance and furthering your career.

What’s more, we offer outstanding working arrangements, with the majority of your time spent working from home and a 34 hour working week including 1pm finishes on Fridays. On top of this, we offer a number of working options such as compressed hours, nine day fortnights and part-time working all within an inclusive and supportive working environment where your wellbeing is prioritised.

The Role

As a Senior Lawyer (Planning), you will provide high-quality professional legal services and manage a caseload of complex planning matters.

Ensuring we operate at the forefront of legal excellence and align with Lexcel standards, you will provide high-level legal advice and service to elected Members, committees, senior managers and staff across all three local authorities.

Confirming that planning decisions and processes comply with legal standards, you will provide expert legal advice on planning matters, draft and review critical documents and provide support at planning appeals and inquiries.

You will also stay informed of legal developments in planning law and contribute to policy development, ensuring that local policies remain compliant and strategically sound.

Additionally, you will:

- Stay updated on changes and developments in Planning law
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective planning processes.
- Supervise junior fee earners and administrative staff in the Planning team
- Deliver training and Member briefings to enhance understanding of planning law and procedures

About You

To be considered as our Senior Lawyer (Planning), you will need:

- To be a qualified lawyer, solicitor, barrister, legal executive or have equivalent qualification and experience
- Post qualification legal practice experience in planning and development
- Experience with case management and legal research
- Supervisory experience in connection with planning casework
- Experience with legal document drafting
- Experience of Planning Appeals and court proceedings
- Familiarity with statutory instruments, regulations, and guidance relating to local government planning and development law
- Experience in advising at Committees
- Experience operating in politically sensitive environments
- Knowledge and understanding of the political nature of local government and democratic process
- A full, valid driving licence

Other organisations may call this role Senior Legal Counsel, Lead Lawyer, Legal Services Manager, Solicitor, Barrister, Chartered Legal Executive, or Senior Legal Manager.

Webrecruit, Mid Kent Legal Services and Maidstone, Swale and Tunbridge Wells local authorities are equal opportunities employers, value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. Equal opportunities are the only acceptable way to conduct business and we believe that the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.

So, if you’re looking for a great new opportunity as a Senior Lawyer (Planning), please select the button shown to be taken to our website where you can submit an application and read testimonials from our teams about their experience of working with us.

This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.

Closing date: 18 February 2025

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