The role
This is an outstanding opportunity to take a role and make it your own, delivering high level legal leadership and advice to a central London Council.
We are looking for a senior leader and experienced lawyer who is a technical expert who will work closely with the Council’s Regeneration and Planning officers; and be the main legal adviser to Councillors on our public Planning Committee meetings and have the opportunity to negotiate on some major site planning agreements, landmark regeneration schemes (which have in the past few years included five CPO inquiries), infrastructure projects, and advising on the emerging New Southwark Plan.
You will head a team of Planning, Property and Contracts lawyers providing high quality legal support to the Council and be responsible for some high profile and transformational projects. The Team has tended to undertake the vast majority of its legal work in-house and makes rare use of the panel of external solicitors. We see this approach as being key to developing our talent and ensuring that our Lawyers have the opportunity to undertake a varied and challenging caseload.
Two senior leaders within our team will be leaving us in the summer, we have taken the opportunity to review our senior management structure to build greater resilience, but also provide for better career opportunities and succession planning for our service. You will act as a Deputy Monitoring Officer and work closely with the Director of Law and Governance to develop and deliver effective legal services that meet the Council’s evolving obligations and needs. This will involve developing strong working partnerships both inside and outside the council, as well as keeping up-to-date with changing legislation and managing a departmental budget of up to £2m.
About you
You will have a background in advising on complex planning, property and regeneration matters including Highways law. You will need to be politically astute and aware of the impact your advice could have for both the Council and the communities we serve. This means you will need the ability to develop good working relationships with people across the Council and to explain complex legal concepts clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing. You will have led and motivated a team of lawyers and you will also have experience of financial management.
Additional details
This post attracts an additional JNC financial benefits package to the value of £3,503 per annum, pro-rata (April-March).
About Southwark
At Southwark, we cover an area that stretches from the vibrant riverside around London Bridge to Canada Water in the east and through Camberwell and Peckham to the peace of Dulwich Woods in the south. With more than 290,000 residents and a rich variety of communities, the Borough enjoys a unique cultural and social diversity. The redevelopment of the housing estates around Elephant and Castle is evidence of the rapid progression.
It is this diversity that makes Southwark so special, and we are working with local people, communities and businesses to innovate, improve and transform public services, from housing and education to green spaces and leisure. As we continue this ambitious regeneration and growth programme, you will play a key role, providing legal advice and guidance on a range of potentially complex issues
The Council is determined to continue the regeneration of the Borough and central to this is the commitment to build more Council homes. Many of these will be sited in the areas around Old Kent Road and Canada Water which have both been designated by the Mayor as Opportunity Areas and this has led to significant development proposals.
Our vision is a fairer future for all in Southwark, and this applies to our employees as well as our residents. It is an exciting time to join us as we set out to improve and transform the lives of people across our diverse borough. You’ll find an exciting, vibrant and supportive environment where you can continue to develop your skills and expertise.
Recruitment timetable
Closing Date: 31/03/2022 at 23:59
Shortlisting Date: 04/04/2022
Interview and Assessment Date: 14/04/2022
We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together programme. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.
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