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- Tasks: Provide high-quality legal advice in contracts and commissioning law across multiple councils.
- Company: Join Mid Kent Legal Services, a forward-thinking and innovative legal service provider.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous leave, a great pension scheme, and flexible working arrangements.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on high-profile projects while developing your legal career.
- Qualifications: Qualified solicitor or equivalent with at least 2 years of relevant experience.
- Other info: Work in a supportive environment prioritising wellbeing and career growth.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
About Us
Mid Kent Legal Services (MKLS) provides legal services and advice across the Mid-Kent area (to Swale, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells councils). The service covers a range of areas including Property and Regeneration, Planning, Contentious, Contracts & Commissioning and Corporate Governance. Working across multiple councils means a range of high-level, challenging and impactful work ranging from supporting the delivery of garden communities, to the redevelopment of large shopping centres, to letting very large contracts, to delivering affordable housing. In short, it’s a real opportunity to make a difference in an area with vibrant towns, beautiful villages and countryside and fantastic leisure and cultural amenities. MKLS has a reputation as being forward thinking, progressive and innovative and is closely and strongly aligned with its partner authorities. It provides a supportive and nurturing environment, providing opportunities for staff to progress internally and uses technology to maximise the effective use of lawyers' time. In short, it is a great place to work.
The Benefits
- Local Government pension scheme
- Generous annual leave plus time off between Christmas and New Year (and option to purchase extra leave)
- Wellbeing support including confidential advice, counselling, flu vaccines
- Discounts on leisure, retail, and fuel and salary sacrifice schemes including Cycle to Work and car leasing
- Generous sick pay
- Free parking across the 3 Partner Authority sites
- Season ticket loans for rail/bus travel
- Career development
This is the ideal opportunity for a contracts and commissioning legal professional to join our forward-thinking shared service. With generous benefits, including a brilliant pension scheme and access to professional development, you’ll thrive in a role that supports your growth in the practice area of contracts and commissioning law. 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 our Lawyer (Contracts and Commissioning), you will be developed and supported to provide high-quality, proactive professional legal advice in contracts and commissioning law and practice. Ensuring we operate at the forefront of legal excellence and align with Lexcel standards, you will provide legal advice and communications to clients, across all three local authorities. You will be developed and supported to supervise less senior fee earners and Legal Support Officers, ensuring high-quality support in legal transactions. Additionally, you:
- Stay updated on legal developments in contracts and commissioning
- Be developed and supported to represent MKLS in internal working groups and external meetings
- Uphold the Council’s policies
We are now looking for a Lawyer (Contracts and Commissioning) to join us on a full-time, permanent basis, working 34 hours per week. This is an exciting time to join the MKLS Contracts and Commissioning Team with a number of large and high-profile projects happening across the Partner Authorities.
About You
To be considered as our Lawyer (Contracts and Commissioning), you will need:
- To be a qualified solicitor, barrister, chartered legal executive or have equivalent qualification and experience
- Minimum of 2 years post qualification legal practice experience in contracts and commissioning
- Some knowledge and understanding of the new Procurement Act and experience of drafting appointment contracts, non-disclosure agreements and exclusivity agreements
- Some knowledge and understanding of the political nature of local government and democratic process
- A full, valid driving licence
Other organisations may call this role Legal Counsel, Legal Services Advisor, Solicitor, Barrister, or Chartered Legal Executive.
Selection Process
Following the submission of your application form, it will be reviewed by the recruiting manager. Those that are successful in securing an interview can expect a face-to-face interview. 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.
If you would like to discuss this position, please contact Timothy Pyant, Interim Business Manager on 01622 602155.
Lawyer - Contracts and Commissioning in Sittingbourne employer: Swale Borough Council
Contact Detail:
Swale Borough Council Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Lawyer - Contracts and Commissioning in Sittingbourne
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the legal field, especially those who work in contracts and commissioning. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching MKLS and its projects. Show them you’re not just another candidate; you’re genuinely interested in their work and how you can contribute to their mission.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your interview skills with a friend or mentor. Get comfortable discussing your experience in contracts and commissioning law, and be ready to tackle scenario-based questions that might come up.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our forward-thinking team.
We think you need these skills to ace Lawyer - Contracts and Commissioning in Sittingbourne
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight your experience in contracts and commissioning law. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t hold back on showcasing relevant projects or achievements!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and ensure your key points stand out. This helps us quickly see why you’d be a great fit for our team.
Show Your Passion: Let your enthusiasm for the role and the work we do shine through in your application. We’re looking for someone who’s not just qualified but also genuinely excited about making a difference in local government.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way to ensure it gets to us directly and allows you to keep track of your application status easily.
How to prepare for a job interview at Swale Borough Council
✨Know Your Contracts and Commissioning Law
Brush up on your knowledge of contracts and commissioning law, especially the new Procurement Act. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with the role and provide examples of relevant cases you've worked on.
✨Understand Local Government Dynamics
Familiarise yourself with the political nature of local government and the democratic processes involved. This will help you demonstrate your understanding of how legal advice impacts decision-making in a council setting.
✨Showcase Your Supervisory Skills
Since you'll be supervising less senior fee earners, prepare to discuss your leadership style and any previous experiences where you've mentored or guided others in a legal context.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions about the team’s current projects and the challenges they face. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you assess if it's the right fit for you.
