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.
We are now looking for a Lawyer and a Senior Lawyer to join our Contracts & Commissioning team on a full-time, permanent basis, working 34 hours per week.
Our workstreams vary in size, value and volume. We work on the Councils’ contracts/agreements which can range from the very large, high value and high profile contracts such as waste contracts to the small but equally important contracts e.g. grant agreements to local community groups and JCTs for construction and consultant agreements which are also common.
The Role - Lawyer £32,417 - £46,338 per annum (Career Grade 6-8) plus £4,000 market supplement at Grades 7 and 8.
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.
The Role – Senior Lawyer £48,657 - £54,727 per annum + £7,000 market supplement
As our Senior Lawyer (Contracts and Commissioning), you will manage a substantial caseload of complex contracts and commissioning work.
Ensuring we operate at the forefront of legal excellence and align with Lexcel standards, you will provide high‑level legal advice and services to elected members, senior managers and staff across all three local authorities.
You will supervise less senior fee earners and Legal Support Officers, ensuring high‑quality support in legal transactions.
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
* A qualified solicitor, barrister, chartered legal executive or have equivalent qualification and experience
* Post qualification legal practice experience in contracts and commissioning
* Experience providing legal advice and support to senior leaders and key decision-makers in contracts and commissioning law and practice
* Experience advising Members on all aspects of contracts and commissioning law and procedures
* 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.
The Benefits
* Generous annual leave plus time off office closure between Christmas and New Year (and an option to
* 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
* Free parking across the 3 Partner Authority sites
* Season ticket loans for rail/bus travel
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.
Please click apply for the full details and job descriptions and to apply online.
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