Senior Lawyer

Gloucestershire County Council; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)

Flexible and agile working

25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5

Buy up to 10 days additional leave

Family-friendly benefits

Career development opportunities

Supportive working environment

Employee Assistance Programme

Occupational Health Service

Cycle to Work scheme

Green Car Scheme

Employee networks (e.g. Prism)

Job summary

Gloucestershire County Council is seeking a Senior Lawyer for the Contracts & Procurement Hub. You will manage a varied portfolio of high‑value commercial matters, draft contracts and framework agreements, advise on procurement and subsidy control, and support governance and decision‑making.

You will work with officers, commissioners and advisers across current and transitional procurement regimes, handling pensions, TUPE, data protection and IP issues with professional judgment and clear

Qualifications

• Experience advising on public procurement and commercial matters.
• Strong drafting and negotiating contracts for works, goods and services.
• Ability to provide pragmatic, solutions‑focused advice under deadlines.
• Experience in governance, data protection and related regulatory matters.

Responsibilities

• Draft contracts and framework agreements for works, goods and services.
• Advise on procurement, subsidy control and commercial risk.
• Support decision‑making with robust legal advice across regimes.
• Work with officers, commissioners and advisers on projects.

Skills

Public procurement

Contract drafting

Governance advice

Client communication

Autonomy

Education

Solicitor/barrister/chartered legal exec qualification

Job description

This is a Gloucestershire County Council job.

• Job Title: Senior Lawyer - Contracts & Procurement Hub
• Job Location: Shire Hall, Block 2, 1st Floor
• Salary: £49,817 - £53,051 per annum, plus 20% Market Rate Supplement (£59,780 - £63,661)
• Hours per Week: 37.00
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Closing Date: 25/11/2026
• Job Requisition Number: 14981
• This post is not open to job share

About The Team & Role

In this role, you will manage a varied portfolio of complex and high-value commercial and governance matters. You will draft contracts and framework agreements for works, goods and services, advise on procurement, subsidy control and commercial risk and support robust, lawful and proportionate decision-making.

You will work closely with officers, commissioners and other professional advisers on important projects, providing advice across the current, transitional and sector-specific public procurement and subsidy control regimes. The role will also involve governance and decision-making issues and related matters involving pensions, TUPE, data protection and intellectual property.

About You

We are looking for an experienced solicitor, barrister or chartered legal executive with significant experience of advising on public procurement and commercial matters. You will have a strong understanding of the legal and practical issues arising from complex contracting and procurement exercises, ideally gained within local government or the wider public sector.

You will be able to manage a demanding and varied caseload with a high degree of autonomy, identify and communicate legal and commercial risk clearly and provide pragmatic, solutions-focused advice. You will be confident working directly with clients, negotiating contractual terms and contributing effectively to multidisciplinary project teams.

You will demonstrate sound professional judgement, excellent drafting and communication skills and the ability to deliver high-quality advice within competing deadlines.

About Us

In return for your hard work, you will receive:

• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Flexible and agile working opportunities
• 25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years continuous service
• An option to buy up to 10 days of additional leave each year, pro rata for part-time staff
• Family-friendly benefits to help support you and your family
• Career development and qualification opportunities
• Supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme, which provides free, confidential counselling and advice 24 hours a day, online and by telephone
• Access to our in-house Occupational Health Service
• Employee discount scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Gloucestershire Salary Sacrifice Green Car Scheme (T&Cs apply)
• Links to employee networks, including Prism, our LGBT+ network, and the Young Employees Network

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by email and invited to interview during the week commencing 14th December 2026.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Mark Sandles by email at [e-mail].

Additional Information

To access the Job Profile for this role, please follow the link below:-

Senior Lawyer - Job Profile

Due to the number of applications we received, we are unable to provide feedback at shortlisting stage and reserve the right to close the advert early.

Applications from any Gloucestershire County Council's employees who are currently on the redeployment register or at risk of redundancy will be considered first at shortlisting stage.

The council is not currently able to offer sponsorship in this role. Candidates will need to have a right to work that enables them to commit to at least 6 months' employment. Right to work is not transferable from a sponsored role held with another employer. / The council will consider sponsorship for this role, in line with Home Officeregulations and subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks.

Gloucestershire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people or vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a 'customer facing role' must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English.

We want to be an employer of choice, attracting and retaining excellent people to work for us, so that we can best serve all of Gloucestershire's diverse communities. Our promise to you is that we will provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that enables you to bring your whole self to work and realise your full potential.