Senior Commercial Lawyer

West of England Mayor; Bristol; On-site; GBP 61,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority is seeking three Senior Commercial Lawyers to join their Legal team. This role involves acting as a principal legal advisor, providing strategic legal support, and managing complex commercial contracts. The position offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits, including flexible working options and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

26 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Local Government Pension Scheme with 15.3% employer contribution

Flexible, family-friendly and hybrid working options

Reduced bus fare travel across the West of England

2 days paid leave each year to volunteer

Qualifications

• Significant experience in commercial contracts and procurement law.
• Strong ability to provide strategic legal support in a complex political environment.
• Confident leadership with a focus on delivering successful outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Acting as the principal legal advisor on high-value, complex projects.
• Providing expert legal guidance on governance and statutory requirements.
• Leading on the negotiation and management of commercial contracts.

Skills

Commercial contracts

Procurement law

Grant funding

Strategic legal support

Job description

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) is seeking to appoint three Senior Commercial Lawyers to join the Legal team.

This is an exciting time to join the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. In the last year nearly three quarters of a billion pounds of new investment has been secured for the region. Plans are underway to deliver on Mayoral priorities to improve transport and infrastructure, skills and housing for our residents, take decisive action to tackle the climate emergency, and to support communities in our region.

Your key responsibilities in this role would be to ensure a focus on delivering the priorities of the Metro Mayor by:

• Acting as the principal legal advisor on high-value, complex projects, ensuring legal compliance and providing strategic advice across a range of commercial contracts, procurement, and grant funding operations.
• Providing expert legal guidance on governance, statutory requirements, and decision-making processes, ensuring that projects progress on time and within legal risk tolerances.
• Leading on the negotiation, drafting, and management of commercial contracts, as well as managing external legal resources where necessary.
• Offering proactive legal support to senior leadership, stakeholders, and key external partners to facilitate strategic decision-making and successful project delivery.

Are you someone who has significant experience in commercial contracts, procurement law, and grant funding, with a strong ability to provide strategic legal support in a complex political environment? Are you a confident leader with a focus on delivering successful outcomes while managing risk and compliance?

If this is your next role, please apply so you can tell us why you'd be a great fit for this position. Please see the job description for more information.

The closing date for this role is 29th May however please note you may be contacted ahead of the closing date.

About the Company

Our offer

Alongside the opportunity to lead change, drive strategic initiatives, and make a real difference in the West of England, we offer an excellent benefits package including:

• 26 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 31 days after 5 years continuous or reckonable service. There is also the option to increase your annual leave with our annual leave purchase scheme.
• 2 days ofpaid leave each year to volunteer
• Local Government Pension Scheme with an employer contribution of 15.3%
• Flexible, family friendly and hybrid working options[;[ to ensure you achieve the best work/life balance and career goals. We followa hybrid working model.
• Reduced bus fare travel across the West of England

The West of England is an amazing part of the world to live and work. We are based ina new bright and airy office, with all the latest technology, close to Bristol Temple Meads Train Station.

The salary for this role is £61, 710 - £67, 505. This is the full-time equivalent salary, and will be pro-rata for part-time. We advertise salary ranges for job roles, with new appointments for external candidates typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, where higher skill levels or experience are applicable, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate. This approach allows for potential year-on-year salary increases, offering progression and appropriate rewards to employees.

We believe in fostering a culture of continuous learning and development, empowering you to thrive in your career. We prioritise your growth and success by providing a diverse range of learning and development opportunities. Our goal is to keep you motivated, equipped with essential skills, and confident in delivering excellent services.

Good Employment Charter As a founding Member of the West of England Good Employment Charter and accredited Living Wage Employer, we’re committed to creating a diverse environment where all our employees can thrive. We make sure all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment and we particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or citizenship status.

Reasonable Adjustments If you have an accessibility need, disability, condition or need any additional support that means you might require changes to the application or recruitment process (for example, you might need to submit your application in a different format), please get in touch with our Resourcing Team [e-mail]. We are here to assist and accommodate your needs.

Please note this vacancy may close early or be extended depending on the number of applications so please don’t wait to apply.If you have started your application, we’ll give you notice of the new closing date by email.

From a recruitment agency? We’re not engaging with agencies for this role. Any CVs received from agencies will be considered as unsolicited and the property of the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, with no obligation to pay agency fees.

• Contract Type Permanent/Full Time - 37 hours per week
• Closing Date 29 May, 2025
• Job Category Legal
• Business Unit Law and Governance
• Location 70 Redcliff Street, Bristol, United Kingdom