CANDIDATE PROFILE

You will have substantial post qualification experience in planning and highways and/or contracts and/or property. A minimum of 5 years pqe with excellent management experience is required.
You will be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Legal Executive, a technical expert in one or more of the above 3 fields of law, with a proven track record of delivering excellent client service.
For the full list of essential and desirable criteria for this role then please refer to the Person Specification within the Job Description attached.

ABOUT US

Bexley is a vibrant and diverse outer London Borough nestled in the Thames Gateway between London and Kent which means it combines the perfect blend of city vibe and the tranquillity of Kent. It’s got award-winning parks, open spaces, and heritage sites. The borough has excellent transport connections, including the Elizabeth Line and proximity to the M25. Bexley offers fantastic amenities such as libraries, leisure centres, and shopping areas. Our borough is also home to numerous primary and secondary schools, as well as further education institutions.

We wish to recruit an experienced Head of Commercial Lawyer (Contracts, Property, and Planning) who will play an integral role in delivering the Council’s corporate strategy, the Bexley Plan 2022-2026, and its transformation agenda.
Our Legal Services Department is Lexcel accredited, offering a modern working environment and practices, which include flexible and remote working. The post holder will have direct and indirect management of a number of staff and will be a key member of the Legal Services Management Team.
You will be a confident and self-assured lawyer with substantial experience in planning law with excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Main duties and responsibilities will include:

• Manage your own caseload of planning and highways/contracts/property files and provide legal advice (written and verbal) to the client officers across the whole of the Council.
• Directly manage and supervise the team of contracts and planning lawyers, and the Principal Property Lawyer. Indirectly manage and supervise the team of property lawyers.
• Be an integral part of the Legal Services Management Team providing leadership and ideas to ensure the Legal Services is effective and impactful.
• To deputise for the Monitoring Officer as and when the need arises with the potential to be appointed as the Deputy Monitoring Officer.

Please refer to the Job Description for more information.
The work is high profile and your advice and support will make a real difference for the residents and stakeholders of the London Borough of Bexley.
For an informal discussion about the role please contact Kheng Chau, Head of Commercial, Tel: 020 3045 3314 or by email kheng.chau@bexley.gov.uk or Patricia Narebor, Deputy Director of Legal and Democratic Services, Tel 020 3045 3983 or by email Patricia.Narebor@bexley.gov.uk