Employer: West Lancashire Borough Council

Salary: £44,075 - £47,181 (pay rise pending)

Location: Ormskirk / Hybrid, with travel to other locations required

We are seeking a skilled and motivated legal professional with experience in contracts and procurement, to play a key role in delivering a high quality, proactive and customer focused legal service to the Council.

Reporting to the Principal Solicitor, you will support a broad range of corporate priorities by managing a varied caseload and ensuring that the Council's contractual and procurement activities are legally compliant, robust and aligned to best practice. This is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of local government, contributing to major projects, commercial arrangements and service delivery that directly impact our communities.

About the Role

As a Solicitor / Legal Executive in this role you will:

• Manage a diverse legal caseload with a primary focus on contracts and procurement matters, including drafting, reviewing and negotiating a wide range of commercial agreements
• Provide clear, pragmatic and solution-focused legal advice to officers on procurement processes and contract management, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and internal governance requirements
• Advise on the legal risks associated with procurement exercises and corporate projects, supporting the Council to deliver value-for-money and legally sound outcomes
• Support and attend committees, working groups and meetings, providing timely and accurate legal input on contractual and procurement matters
• Contribute to the development of legal precedents, policies and guidance to enhance consistency, efficiency and best practice across the organisation
• Work collaboratively with internal departments, external partners and third parties, including negotiating contract terms and supporting contract performance management
• Stay up to date with developments in procurement law, local government legislation and commercial practice, ensuring advice reflects current legal and regulatory frameworks
• Contribute to continuous service improvement, supporting the delivery of an efficient and cost-effective legal service

You will play an important role in supporting the Council's corporate objectives, helping to manage legal and commercial risk, strengthen governance, and enable effective and transparent procurement and contracting processes.

What You Will Bring

You will be a capable and confident legal professional with experience in contracts and/or procurement law, and a strong commitment to public service. You will bring:

• Qualification as a Solicitor, Barrister or Legal Executive, with demonstrable experience in contract and procurement work
• Strong technical knowledge of public procurement legislation and commercial contracts, ideally within a local government or public sector setting
• Experience of advising on procurement processes and drafting and negotiating a range of contractual arrangements
• The ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality work to tight deadlines
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to advise officers and stakeholders at all levels
• A proactive, solution-focused approach with sound judgement and attention to detail
• The ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a collaborative team environment
• An understanding of the wider legal, regulatory and political context in which local authorities operate

You will be driven to deliver excellent outcomes, contribute to continuous improvement and support a culture that is customer-focused, professional and responsive.

We encourage you to click the below link to visit our campaign website which includes more information about West Lancashire Borough Council, the role, key useful documents and how to apply: West Lancashire Borough Council - Legal Opportunities > NY Resourcing

Closing Date: Monday 20 July (Midnight)

Interview Dates: Week commencing 3rd August (Precise dates TBC)

Please note: we are also recruiting to the following roles, for further information, please click the link above.

• Governance Solicitor
• Housing and Litigation Solicitor
• Interim Contracts & Procurement Senior Solicitor
• Interim Planning Solicitor

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