Senior Lawyer

Medway and Gravesham Legal Services is looking to recruit Senior lawyers to complement our busy and friendly team. We are looking for a Senior Lawyer in the Contracts team and two Senior Lawyers in the Childcare team.
The council understands that a motivated workforce is the most important factor for it to be successful and achieve its aims. It’s vital that employees feel rewarded for their contribution.
The council recognised that it needed to improve its reward offer to attract and retain talented and motivated lawyers to join its highly respected internal legal team. As such the council has significantly invested in increasing the reward offer for each role, increasing the size of the team and implementing a career progression framework which supports professional development and succession planning through internal growth.  This has already borne fruit with one successful recruitment campaign, and we are now looking to fill the remaining vacancies.
As a Medway Council employee, you will have the opportunity to develop both professionally and personally by undertaking relevant training opportunities, enjoy a comprehensive benefits package including competitive rates of pay, pension scheme, flexi time and generous annual leave. Along with access to an employee advice, information and counselling service, employee forums and an employee discount scheme for national and local retailers.
The team operate a flexible hybrid work style with remote working being combined with office attendance to allow colleagues to collaborate and contribute to the positive team atmosphere. The team is mostly based at Gun Wharf, Chatham (where free parking is available) the Place team, including the successful applicant for the contract role, may be required to spend some time at the Gravesham Borough Council offices to whom we provide a shared service.
We are looking for proactive individuals who excel in client management, drafting, negotiation, mentoring colleagues, advocacy in a variety of courts and tribunals, and providing advice at committees. For the contracts role we are also looking for knowledge of the public procurement regime and its practical application in the local government arena.
We welcome applications from both experienced local government lawyers and those in private practice who are looking to join local government. We provide an introductory training course to local government law to all those joining the Council irrespective of previous background.
Our Senior Lawyer roles are aimed at those either already in management roles or looking for an opportunity to progress to a management role. We provide full training and assistance to those just starting out in their first management roles.
We pride ourselves on the training and support provided to staff and in joining us  you will contribute towards and encourage a culture of learning, knowledge sharing and excellence within Legal Services.
In return we offer you:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Generous local government pension scheme package
• Access to wider training and development qualifications
• Flexible working scheme
• Travel plan discounts
• Car Benefit Scheme from Tusker
• Access to CAREFIRST advice & counselling service
• Employee discount scheme for national and local retailers
• The Government has introduced new ways of supporting parents with childcare costs. Further details are available here: - https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

We're committed to making Medway carbon neutral by 2050. We have developed an action plan to ensure we play our part in addressing the climate emergency.  Our declaration fits into our Council Plan priority of making Medway a place to be proud of. The main outcome being a 'clean and green environment'. All Medway Council staff can access an additional day’s paid leave to undertake a volunteering activity which supports climate change.
Our organisation:
Medway is a unitary authority in the South East of England, made up of the towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham and more rural areas, including the Hoo Peninsula.
Situated in Kent in the South-East of England, the area has plenty of green spaces, excellent facilities and easy access to the national motorway and rail networks, facilitating superb transport links to London.
We provide all local Government services for a quarter of a million people, looking after education, environment, social care, housing, planning, business and much more - everything from frontline services such as rubbish collection and events like the Dickens Festival to work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure services in Medway run smoothly and cost effectively.
Working at Medway Council means that you get to be part of this journey working alongside talented, professional colleagues to drive forward change to transform the lives of our residents and the communities they live in.
If you would like to have an informal discussion with the recruiting manager, call Vicky Nutley 01634 332298.
Important Information-
Applicants must be able to demonstrate all essential requirements as listed in the job profile.
Equal Opportunities Commitment Statement

Medway Council is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All appropriately qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, family commitments, sexual orientation, age, HIV status, religious or political beliefs, social class or trade union activity or irrelevant spent conviction.
For further information please refer to the Medway information pack available as a download or to view online.
Please be advised that if you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted.  All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email.
Please visit http://www.mindfulemployer.net/ for information on how Medway Council put good practices in place to ensure employees and job applicants who declare mental health issues receive the right level of support.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time prior to the closing date.