<div><p>Highways Lawyer - 21 hours per week</p><p>Job Purpose:</p><p>To contribute to the provision of a comprehensive legal service to the client and its Officers.</p><p>The client is a unitary authority and the local highway authority for its area. We are seeking to appoint a Highways Lawyer to provide legal advice and support on a wide range of highways and transportation matters, varying in complexity, to support the effective discharge of the clients statutory functions.</p><p>The role will include advising on highways matters arising from a high level of development and regeneration activity across the borough, including the highways and traffic implications of major and complex schemes. The post will be undertaken within a changing and evolving organisation, including in the context of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), requiring flexibility, resilience, and a collaborative approach to service delivery.</p><p>About you:</p><p>You will be a qualified solicitor, barrister, or chartered legal executive with a minimum of two years relevant post‑qualification experience, with demonstrable experience in highways law or a closely related public law area.</p><p>You will have experience of advising on highways matters arising from significant development and regeneration activity, with an understanding of the interface between highways, planning, and infrastructure delivery.</p><p>You will be confident advising on Traffic Regulation Orders and traffic management measures, including those required to support development and regeneration schemes.</p><p>You will be a collaborative and emotionally intelligent lawyer, able to build effective working relationships with officers, Members, and external stakeholders, and to communicate legal advice clearly, proportionately, and with sensitivity in a political and public‑sector environment.</p><p>You will be a strong team player, comfortable working within a changing organisational context, including during periods of Local Government Reorganisation, demonstrating resilience, adaptability, and a constructive approach to supporting colleagues and maintaining service continuity.</p><h3>Key Service Accountabilities</h3><h3>Highways</h3><ul><li>Providing legal advice on the Highways Act 1980 and related legislation</li><li>Drafting and reviewing enforcement notices, orders (including stopping‑up and diversion orders), and agreements, including but not limited to sections 38 and 278 agreements, s.50 agreements, highway licences etc</li><li>Advising on highways and traffic matters arising from planning, development, and regeneration proposals</li><li>Drafting, advising on, and supporting the making of Traffic Regulation Orders, including those linked to development, regeneration, traffic management, and highway safety schemes</li><li>Advising on public rights of way, traffic regulation, and highway adoption issues</li><li>Advising on statutory duties under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010</li><li>Supporting the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) role as a statutory consultee on surface water drainage</li><li>Drafting and negotiating legal agreements relating to sustainable drainage systems (SuDS)</li><li>Assisting with legal aspects of flood risk management schemes and enforcement under the Land Drainage Act 1991</li></ul><h3>Governance and General</h3><ul><li>Advising on public law, governance, and decision making risk</li><li>Supporting officers and Members on highways‑related committee and decision‑making</li><li>Instructing and managing external legal advisers where required</li><li>Contributing to reports and guidance to support lawful, robust, and proportionate decision‑making</li><li>Working collaboratively as part of the Legal Services team, demonstrating professionalism, emotional intelligence, and a positive, team‑focused approach</li></ul><h3>Have a firm understanding of Key Legislation</h3><ul><li>Highways Act 1980</li><li>Flood and Water Management Act 2010</li><li>Land Drainage Act 1991</li><li>Related highways, traffic, and public law legislation</li></ul><p>Location: Grays, Essex</p></div>