Team Senior Lawyer - Contracts

We Manage Jobs(WMJobs); Stafford; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A progressive local authority in England is seeking an experienced Senior Lawyer to lead the Contracts and Procurement team. This role involves providing complex legal advice across various departments and managing a dedicated team of lawyers. The ideal candidate will possess a legal qualification with substantial experience in contract law and proven leadership abilities. Benefits include flexible working arrangements, substantial annual leave, and a pension scheme with high employer contributions.

Benefits

Pension scheme with up to 29.6% employer contribution

Flexible working arrangements

28 days of annual leave plus bank holidays

Qualifications

• Significant experience managing complex legal casework.
• Proven leadership skills to mentor and develop a team.
• Ability to engage across verbal, written, and digital platforms.
• Experience in drafting complex agreements.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor the Contracts and Procurement team.
• Provide legal advice across Council departments.
• Draft and review a variety of complex legal agreements.

Skills

Legal environment experience

Leadership abilities

Excellent communication skills

Complex document drafting

Education

Qualified Chartered Legal Executive, Solicitor or Barrister

Job description

We are looking for an experienced senior lawyer to lead our Contracts and Procurement team. This is an exciting opportunity to grow and develop the team while helping to shape its future direction. You will oversee the delivery of legal services within the team and provide complex legal and procurement advice across all Council departments.

We are a forward-thinking, modern authority known for our strong financial management. We are ambitious and encourage our employees to be bold and innovative in their work. Our legal department consists of 100 dedicated lawyers and support staff.

We offer a diverse and rewarding caseload that allows you to apply your expertise in managing a range of complex legal matters.

Benefits

• Pension scheme with up to 29.6% employer contribution.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• 28 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase additional leave.

Main Responsibilities

Responsibilities will include:

• Leading, mentoring, and developing the existing Contracts and Procurement team to ensure high performance and professional growth.
• Providing complex legal and procurement advice to clients on various matters relating to all Directorates of the Council.
• Reviewing, drafting and advising on a variety of complex agreements including frameworks, services contracts, ICT contracts, social care contracts, collaboration agreements, section 75 agreements and various central and local government grant funding arrangements and loan agreements including Subsidy Control considerations.

The Ideal Candidate

We are looking for you to be a qualified Chartered Legal Executive (with practice/advocacy rights), Solicitor or Barrister with proven experience in Contracts and Procurement and the ability to lead a team.

We are also looking for you to have,

• Significant experience in a legal environment, with the ability to manage complex casework.
• Strong leadership qualities to mentor, supervise, and manage team members, ensuring high performance and professional growth.
• Excellent communication skills, able to engage clearly and confidently across verbal, written, and digital platforms.
• Ability to draft complex legal documents and provide accurate, high-quality advice.

If you are unsure if your skills and experience are suitable for this role or require any more information, please contact Imran Razaq, Deputy Legal Services Manager on 01785 854186 or [e-mail].

Interviews will be held: week commencing 2 February 2026.

We would also be happy to consider flexible working.

Our Recruitment Process

We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role.

About Staffordshire County Council

We are no ordinary county council:

Our Values

The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:

We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.

Our benefits

We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire.

Our recruitment process

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities.

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a GoldAward Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.