Lawyer (Projects) - CS/LGS8

Grade L | £43,937 - 50,558 pa | Location Leeds | Permanent | Full time (up to 37 hours pw) | Applications for part time / job share will be considered | Closing date: 10 April 2023

Lawyer (Projects) - CS/LGS8

Grade L | £43,937 pa |
Location Leeds |

  • Do you want to work for an organisation that values you as an individual?
  • An organisation that will support your professional development?
  • What about an organisation that has Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the heart of everything that it does?
  • How about an organisation that does all these things and more?
  • Yes? Then look no further than the West Yorkshire Combined Authority! Listen to what our staff say on our 'Life at West Yorkshire Combined Authority' webpage.

We currently have a vacancy for a Lawyer - Legal Projects to join our Legal and Governance team.

It is an exciting time to be joining the Mayoral Combined Authority. We have a wide variety of exciting projects that we are working on which will help shape the West Yorkshire region.

In 2021 the £1.8bn devolution deal was secured for West Yorkshire. This meant the first Mayor of West Yorkshire was subsequently elected, with Tracy Brabin taking up post in May 2021. The devolution deal and election of the Mayor has enabled us to start to drive up living standards for local communities while tackling the climate emergency and helping to deliver our commitment to become a net zero carbon city region by 2038.

To find out more about the work the Combined Authority is involved with take a look at our latest news stories.

The Role

Reporting into the Principal Lawyer - Legal Projects, the key responsibilities are but not limited to:

  • 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 Projects function.
  • Work in partnership with the Combined Authority’s Officers, external stakeholders and partner authorities and in particular provide robust legal advice in the implementation and delivery of major infrastructure, construction, regeneration, transport schemes and energy projects and regional adult education, skills and training provision.
  • Drafting high value/risk level and complex commercial contract, funding and loan documentation for (but not restricted to) infrastructure and construction projects, the energy sector, regeneration schemes, public transport projects, employment skills and further education programmes.
  • Providing advice and assistance in relation to contract disputes and dispute resolution ensuring the Combined Authority’s position is protected at all times and risks minimised.
  • Providing advice on subsidy control and competition law.
  • Liaising with the other parts of the Legal Projects, Procurement & Commercial Service as appropriate to provide an integrated corporate legal service.

Review the Role profile provided 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 current practising certificate or full CILEX (Fellowship) with significant recent post-qualification experience, ideally in a public sector organisation.
  • Significant experience of successfully working as an in-house legal advisor within the public sector working at senior level within one or more areas of Legal Projects function.
  • Significant legal and practical knowledge and experience in the specified area of law.
  • Significant legal and practical knowledge and experience of advising on large scale projects.
  • Demonstrate good knowledge of local government law and practice including a thorough understanding of the political nature of local government and the democratic process.

 

Our offer

A competitive salary that increases each year for the first four years to reflect the experienced being gained in the role, in addition to this the salary may also receive a yearly inflationary uplift. The starting salary is £43,937 and will rise through annual increments to a maximum of £50,558 (based on current salary grades).

Alongside a competitive salary, we offer an excellent benefits package including:

  • 28 days Annual Leave (increasing upon years of service) plus bank holidays
  • Generous Employer-Contribution Pension Scheme
  • Free Travel on rail and buses across West Yorkshire with the M-Card (Zones 1-5)
  • Flexible Working Practices with Health & Wellbeing initiatives to ensure you achieve the best work/life balance and career goals.

We have also recently undergone a major office refurbishment and have bright, airy, modern office space, with all latest technology, and just a 2-minute walk from Leeds Railway Station. We also have agile working options too if you would rather work from home, or another suitable location, as well as a generous flexi-time scheme.

Have a look at our Employee Benefits webpage to find out more.

To apply

If this sounds like your next role, please upload your anonymised CV, and complete the application form on our application website telling us why you would be a great fit for our role.

Please apply by 11:55pm on Sunday 10 April 2023. 

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.

Applicants with a disability are guaranteed an interview, subject to the minimum criteria being met.

Whilst agile working is an option for most staff, there is an expectation that employees are able to attend the office in central Leeds as and when required.

Candidates will be notified of invitation to interview by e-mail and interviews will be carried out either by phone, video or face to face. If you have any difficulty with the type of interview you are invited to, please inform the recruiting manager at your earliest convenience to enable them to consider an alternative solution.

Please note that whilst it is our policy to recruit at SP1 for all appointments, which is the salary stated above, each role includes career salary progression, with incremental increases applicable in most cases, on an annual basis.

Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we are unfortunately unable to respond to every applicant. If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion your application has not been successful. We do however thank you for your application and encourage you to continue looking for roles on our Careers with Us website page.

Candidate information will be retained by the Combined Authority for six months.

Terms and conditions

Applicants are advised that the Combined Authority is currently in consultation with employees and Trade Unions to review the Terms and Conditions of Employment and Staff Benefits.

The detail of the proposals for change, will be discussed with the successful candidate at the point of offer.