Senior Associate - Public Procurement

Kardow; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Private medical insurance

Hybrid working

Flexible working

Job summary

TLT is recruiting a Senior Associate for the Public Sector Contracts and Procurement team. Based in Manchester or Birmingham, the role focuses on public procurement advisory, contract drafting, and strategy for central government departments and agencies.

The successful candidate will handle a broad caseload, contribute to business development, and collaborate across UK offices to deliver high-profile procurement projects with digital and commercial teams.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with 3+ years' PQE in UK public procurement law.
• Experience advising on procurement processes and drafting key documents (ITTs, specs, notices).
• Experience with public sector contracts and procurement procedures (open, restricted, negotiated, competitive dialogue).

Responsibilities

• Advise on procurement strategy and drafting procurement documentation.
• Draft/review contracts, framework agreements, and call-off arrangements.
• Support procurement litigators in informal and formal challenges.
• Negotiate tendering procedures and manage supplier relationships.
• Work across multi-office teams to meet deadlines and develop the team.

Skills

Public procurement law

Legal drafting

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Team collaboration

Education

Qualified lawyer with UK PQE

Tools

Jaggaer

Proactis

Job description

Senior Associate - Public Procurement

We are recruiting for a Senior Associate to join our Public Sector Contracts and Procurement team at TLT. This role would best suit a qualified lawyer 3+ year's PQE with experience in public procurement.

This is a full-time, permanent role based in Manchester or Birmingham. At TLT we have a progressive, flexible working approach, which focuses on hybrid working to support the work life balance of our people.

Your Role

You will work with our leading public procurement and commercial lawyers to give public procurement law and contract advice to a range of public sector clients, particularly central government departments and government agencies.

The successful candidate will be afforded the opportunity to further enhance their expertise in a broad range of procurement and contract work, across the public sector.

TLT is appointed to several public sector frameworks (including the CCS Legal Services Panel and Public Sector Legal Services Panel) so, you will be working on high profile projects of national importance.

As a key addition to the existing team, day to day you can expect to be involved with:

• A broad and varied caseload of work covering a range of procurements contracts and agreements for local authorities, government and law enforcement agencies
• Advising on procurement strategy and drafting procurement documentation
• Supporting our procurement litigators in relation to informal and formal procurement challenges
• Negotiating tendering procedures
• Drafting, reviewing and managing contracts, framework agreements, and call-off arrangements throughout the whole contract Lifecyle
• Working collaboratively with the team to meet tight deadlines and manage project work
• Working closely with the Partners across each of our office locations in long-term strategy and development of the team
• Taking an active role in business development, and supporting in designing and delivering internal and external client training

Your Skills & Experience

You will be/have

• A qualified lawyer 3+ year's PQE, with a strong understanding and experience in UK public procurement law, including the Procurement Act 2023, Public Contracts Regulations 2015, with experience advising on procurement processes and drafting/reviewing key documentation (e.g. ITTs, specifications and notices)
• Experience in public sector contracts and procurement, preferably including:
• Experience with various tendering procedures (open, restricted, negotiated, competitive dialogue) and use of procurement portals such as Jaggaer and Proactis
• Ability to draft, review, and manage contracts, framework agreements, and call-off arrangements throughout the full contract lifecycle
• Understanding of value for money principles, contract pricing models, budget management, and whole-life costing
• Familiarity with Cabinet Office guidance, Government Commercial Function standards, social value requirements, and sector-specific rules
• Strong interpersonal skills for working across departments, managing supplier relationships, and negotiating at an operational level
• A proactive and analytical approach, with strong drafting, communication and organisational skills, and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines effectively
• A collaborative team player with a strong team ethos, comfortable working across multi-office teams, while also being confident working independently where appropriate
• An enthusiasm for business development and a genuine interest in keeping up to date with developments in public procurement and your sector focus

Your Team

The firm's Public Sector Contracts and Procurement team is part of the wider Digital Data and Commercial team, which operates out of multiple TLT offices across the UK, including Bristol, Birmingham, London, Manchester, and Edinburgh.

Our experience is local and national working with a range of public entities. We use our expertise to help on a wide range of procurements everything from ad-hoc advice to complex procurements and digital transformation.

We advise on all aspects of the UK procurement regime. Our specialist team helps to ensure that robust and successful procurements are completed without challenge. Our lawyers advise on all stages of the procurement process including pre-market engagement, initial scoping, potential application of exemptions, drafting all procurement and contract documents, negotiations with bidders, and the evaluation and award process. We also advise on any disputes or challenges that may arise and the options available to a defending body or challenging party. Clients include bodies in local government, central government, and the police, as well as other public bodies and registered providers of social housing.

The team includes individuals with extensive in-house experience in the public sector, allowing us to apply our sector insight and technical expertise in a way that helps businesses meet their requirements. We're also inaugural members of the Procurement Lawyers Association, which gives us cutting edge insight into this constantly evolving area.

About TLT

Fast paced, fast growing and forward thinking, TLT is the law firm that helps clients stay one step ahead, and we do the same for our people.

With local, national and international reach, we have over 1,800 people in offices across the UK and a network of partner firms across Europe, India and the US. Over the last few years TLT's successful growth, delivery of high-quality work and support for colleagues has been consistently recognised by The Times and at the Legal Business, The Lawyer and British Legal Awards.

Our ambition is to create opportunities for what comes next for our clients, recognised as their 1st tier adviser and being valued for our values. We do this in our unique way by creating social value and a dynamic environment where our people are curious, creative and ambitious for their success.

In our open and collaborative culture, we encourage everyone to be their whole self, to have a voice and to contribute to the success of TLT.

Our Benefits

We value our employees highly and we want you to feel valued. You'll receive a competitive salary with an annual pay review. You will also have access to an extensive range of benefits via our flexible benefits scheme including 25 days holiday (which will increase to 30 days based upon length of service) and private medical insurance.

At TLT we have a progressive fully flexible working approach. We empower our people to work in a place and at a time that meets their needs, those of their clients and of the wider team and firm. Part of this agile approach is a focus on hybrid working and supporting the work/life balance of our people. We're happy to talk about how flexible working can work for you and this role.

TLT is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive working environment and encourages applications from all suitably qualified people, regardless of disability, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other characteristics protected by the laws in the locations in which we operate.

We welcome applications from people with disabilities and are committed to providing reasonable adjustments, where necessary, to make interviews and jobs more accessible. Should you have any difficulty during the recruitment process, require any reasonable adjustments or an application to Access to work please contact the recruitment team on [e-mail]