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Procurement and Contracts Team Leader

£50,998 to £55,224 inclusive annual salary + Market Supplement (up to £5k depending on experience) + Local Government Pension Scheme (Pay Award Pending)

Permanent, full-time (37 hours per week)

Flexible working options (including hybrid)

Job Ref: P2495

About the role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Procurement & Contracts Solicitor in the Legal Shared Service Procurement and Contracts Team. This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated legal professional who enjoys combining leadership, collaboration and technical expertise to make a genuine difference within local government.

This pivotal role will predominantly:

• Lead, inspire, support, develop and manage the Procurement and Contracts Team, while contributing to the ongoing success and improvement of the Legal Shared Service.
• Ensure the delivery of proactive, robust, high quality professional and specialist legal advice on procurement and contractual legal matters, identifying risks and delivering practical, commercially aware solutions.
• Ensure client requirements are met within legal constraints.

In addition, the postholder will support the achievement of the Council’s corporate plan, projects and aims and ensure the delivery of high-quality customer service from the in-house team, external solicitors and from counsel.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, support develop and manage the Procurement and Contracts team and contribute to the development of the Legal Shared Service, generally.
• Lead on complex legal matters, identifying potential areas of risk and liability and advising on solution focused strategies.
• Ensure Legal Shared Services provides proactive, pragmatic, robust and solution focused advice and a support service to all clients (internal and external).
• Research, analyse, investigate and provide legal advice to councillors and to officers on any matter within the functions of the Council.
• Attend Member and Officer meetings as required, including meetings of the Council, Cabinet and Committees to ensure that decisions are lawful.

About you

We’re seeking a confident qualified legal professional with:

• Legal expertise and experience in contracts law and local government procurement.
• Proven track record in managing a legal team.
• Strong interpersonal and client management skills.
• A collaborative approach to working across Councils and teams.

You will possess strong technical expertise, complemented by exceptional leadership, communication and relationship-building skills. You will be committed to developing and motivating high-performing teams, fostering a positive and collaborative culture, delivering excellent customer service, and providing practical, value-focused legal solutions that support the Council’s priorities and deliver positive outcomes for our communities.

Join us to make a positive impact in our community by putting sustainability at the heart of everything we do, while living our values of trust, care, collaboration, confidence and customer focus.

St Albans is a unique English Cathedral City with a colourful history which can be seen in the Roman remains and variety of beautiful architecture, heritage sites and conservation areas. Set within green belt, off the M25, A1M and M1, the District includes a cathedral, vibrant city centre and thriving villages. Our centrally located offices in the city are near to the station (London St Pancras 20 minutes), shops and restaurants. In short, it is a great place to live and work.

In addition to working within a great team and a comprehensive salary you will have access to:

• 5 days basic annual leave (increasing with service) + bank holidays.

Please note: annual leave will be pro-rated for anyone who does not have a standard full-time pattern of 37 hours over 5 days, e.g. part-timers

• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Flexible working options
• Staff Parking Permit
• Reimbursement of professional fees
• Comprehensive development and training
• Discounted membership at selected local sports and fitness centres
• Access to discounts and benefits via online platform

Additional Information

• Disability Confident
  We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets all the essential criteria for the post.
• Disclosure Checks
  This post is subject to a Basic Disclosure Check.
• English Fluency
  The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.

For an informal discussion, please contact Lucie Allen, Principal Lead Lawyer, at lucie.allen@stalbans.gov.uk or Sameera Khan, Head of Legal Shared Services, at Sameera.khan@stalbans.gov.uk

A detailed job description and person specification are published on the advert for this role. The person specification sets out the criteria we use to assess applicants. The Council reserves the right to reject applicants at the shortlisting stage, where the application process has not been completed correctly.

For full details and to learn more about us visit Jobs and Careers or email recruitment@stalbans.gov.uk or telephone (01727) 819251 stating your details and the post reference number.

Closing date for applications: 11 August 2026.

Interviews are scheduled for: Interviews are conducted throughout the application process; we encourage you to submit your applications as soon as possible.

NOTE: We reserve the right to close the vacancy at an earlier date and we strongly encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.