As a Chief Lawyer, you will grow and develop a team of professionals. The team’s focus is on enabling service delivery, to achieve this we adopt a partnering model with our clients, supporting them to deliver an ambitious agenda for North Northampton.

We are looking for a Chief Lawyer to lead our Contracts and Procurement in-house legal team. The role will require you to provide high quality and complex legal and procedural advice in relation to Contracts and Procurement matters which include, but are not limited to:

• 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.

As part of the management team you will proactively lead and develop the Legal Services team to provide a full in house service to client departments.  You will also contribute to the strategic development and delivery of the Governance and HR Directorate and Council wide initiatives in accordance with Council policy requirements

• Hold a relevant degree and be a qualified CILEX, Solicitor or Barrister, licensed to practice.
• Effectively and appropriately provide and communicate legal advice commensurate to experience to Members, Officers and other stakeholders generally and at committee meetings.
• Have experience in contracts and procurement work and managing a team at a senior level.
• Proactively lead and develop the Legal Services team to provide a full in house service to client departments.
• To ensure through the provision of legal advice that NNC, its Members and Officers are aware of their statutory duties and legal obligations, to enable them to act confidently within the law and the NNC Constitution in fulfilling their roles.