Procurement & Commercial Lawyer

West Yorkshire Combined Authority; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 47,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexi-time

28 days annual leave + bank holidays

Free greener travel – MCard access (Le

LGPS pension

Professional development

Annual cost of living increases

Parental and bereavement leave

Wellbeing support

Modern workspace near Leeds Station

Job summary

West Yorkshire Combined Authority is recruiting a Procurement & Commercial Lawyer to join the in-house Legal, Governance & Compliance Services team in Leeds. The role covers strategic advice across the full project lifecycle, including procurement, contracts, negotiation and dispute resolution.

Reporting to the Principal Lawyer, you will draft high-value commercial documents, advise on regulatory compliance, and collaborate with officers and partner authorities on major projects for the

Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor or Barrister with post-qualification experience, ideally in a public sector setting.
• Extensive knowledge of public procurement regulations and contract law.
• Ability to communicate complex legal advice to diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior legal advice on procurement and commercial matters for major projects.
• Draft high-value contracts and framework agreements for goods and services.
• Support negotiation, dispute resolution and compliance within the public procurement regime.
• Collaborate with Officers, external stakeholders and partner authorities.

Skills

Public procurement

Contract drafting

Negotiation

Public sector

Legal advice

Job description

Procurement & Commercial Lawyer

£52,619 per annum - Grade 9

Leeds / Hybrid

Full time / Permanent

We are seeking skilled and proactive Procurement & Commercial Lawyers to join our in-house Legal, Governance & Compliance Services team.

This is an opportunity to become part of a small, high performing team, providing strategic legal advice across the full project lifecycle - from early development to the award of contracts. You will act as a senior advisor for the Combined Authority in relation to the in-house Legal Procurement & Commercial function and provide legal support in connection with all aspects of commercial contracts. This includes delivering robust, pragmatic support and advice on the public procurement regime, contract drafting, negotiation, and dispute resolution.

Our Offer

• Work your way – From flexible and agile working options, including a generous flexi-time scheme to help you balance your personal life and career.
• Time to recharge – Enjoy 28 days of annual leave (with increases based on length of service), plus all Bank Holidays.
• Free greener travel across West Yorkshire – Cover your commute sustainably with unlimited free bus and rail travel using the MCard (Zones 1–5).
• Secure your future – Benefit from a highly competitive Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Investing in you –Take advantage of supported professional development, regular training, and up to 3 paid volunteering days per year.
• Grow with us – Incremental salary progression for most roles and annual cost of living increases.
• Family first – We offer enhanced parental and bereavement leave, plus other family-friendly policies to support you when it matters most.
• Your wellbeing, our priority – Access 24/7 free confidential counselling services and the Headspace app for you and up to 5 family or friends.
• Modern workspace in a prime location – Work in bright, contemporary offices just a 2-minute walk from Leeds Train Station, fully equipped with the latest tech.

The Role

Reporting into the Principal Lawyer, your key responsibilities will include:

• Act as a senior legal advisor, supporting the Principal Lawyer and Service Lead to provide a quality legal service to the Combined Authority in relation to the Legal Transport function.
• Work in partnership with the Combined Authority’s Officers, external stakeholders and partner authorities and in particular provide robust legal advice in connection with the Combined Authority’s procurement, implementation and delivery of major projects and schemes and in the fields of public procurement law, contracts, competition and intellectual property laws and practice.
• Drafting high value/risk and complex commercial contract documentation for (but not restricted) to construction and infrastructure projects, subsidised transport schemes, consultancy arrangements, framework agreements and all other procurements for goods and services by the Combined Authority.

Please review the Role Profile on our website for more information about the responsibilities.

About You

You will have the following key skills, attributes, education, and experience:

• Qualified Solicitor or Barrister entitled to hold a practising certificate or full CILEX (Fellowship) qualification with recent post-qualification experience, ideally in a public sector organisation.
• Substantial and extensive legal and practical knowledge and experience relating to the implementation and delivery of complex and high value public procurement projects and programmes.
• Demonstrable knowledge of the legislative framework of related functions including some or all of the following: commercial contracts, public procurement regulations, infrastructure projects, construction law (including knowledge and experience of using the NEC suite of contracts/ other standard form contracts) public transport schemes and regeneration.
• Demonstrable ability to communicate complex legal advice to elected members and officers at all levels of the organisation and significant experience of conveying legal advice in a politically sensitive environment.

Further Information

The Combined Authority is passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better outcomes. We welcome applications irrespective of people's age, disability, neuro-divergence, sex, gender identity and gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, or other personal circumstances. We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability and/or who are neuro divergent. To find out more about inclusivity at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority please visit our dedicated webpage.

Under the Disability Confident Scheme, applicants with a disability are guaranteed an interview, subject to the minimum criteria being met