Legal Counsel – Procurement Lawyer

Job description

Job responsibilities

Reporting to UKHSAs Senior Legal Counsel, the successful candidate will:

• be a mid-level lawyer and play an important role in the UKHSA Legal team in advising UKHSA on all procurement matters
• manage complex and varied caseloads in the area of procurement, contract drafting, interpretation and management, working with internal clients, government lawyers, external law firms and counsel
• play an important co-ordination role when commercial matters involve cross-cutting legal issues for diverse teams in UKHSA, other government departments and third-party organisations
• be expected to contribute to the wider team through playing a proactive role on matters such as knowledge management, training, and various projects
• work closely with a variety of internal stakeholders (both external and internal) to mitigate legal risk in procurement matters
• need to be comfortable working effectively towards short deadlines
• be expected to demonstrate good communication skills
• be expected to work responsively, creatively and be solutions-driven and be able to see the bigger picture
• be flexible in approach to different legal disciplines and willing to take conduct of work outside own expertise

Please see the full job description for the full list of duties and responsibilities.

Essential Criteria

• Solicitor or barrister with a good commercial understanding and experience in procurement matters, including contract drafting and interpretation
• Good skills in the effective management of a varied caseload
• Reliable legal judgement, analysis and appreciation of legal risk and the confidence to give persuasive and balanced risk-based advice
• Solutions-orientated with a commercial focus and be able to think strategically and creatively and see legal issues in their wider context and advise accordingly in an agile way and be able to work at pace
• Persuasive written and verbal communication and advisory skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with those who may be unfamiliar with legal processes/strategies
• Sound analysis, using secure legal research to produce timely and fit for purpose advice
• Demonstrate positive client service by understanding the complexity and diversity of clients needs and expectations
• Proactively manage risks and identify solutions.
• Communicate with others in a clear, honest and enthusiastic way in order to build trust
• Explain complex issues in a way that is easy to understand
• Take into account peoples individual needs
• Deliver difficult messages with clarity and sensitivity, being persuasive when required
• Build strong interpersonal relationships and show genuine care for colleagues
• Create an inclusive working environment where all opinions and challenges are taken into account and bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable
• Remain available and approachable to all colleagues

Selection Process

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and experience.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed essential criteria and this will be in the form of:

• an application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
• a 1000 word supporting statement

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.

Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

• Meets all essential criteria
• Meets some essential criteria
• Meets no essential criteria

Please note only those applications meeting all essential criteria will be taken through to shortlisting.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:

• Solicitor or barrister with a good commercial understanding and experience in procurement matters, including contract drafting and interpretation.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.

Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a face to face interview. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

You will be required to prepare a 5 minute presentation as part of the interview. The details will of this will be sent prior to the interview.

Behaviours and experience will be tested at interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Location

This role is being offered as home-based / remote.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates will require Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) as a minimum with willingness and capability to work towards Security Check (SC) clearance.

You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 5 years to obtain Security Check (SC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting at this higher level and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Essential

• Application Form and Statement of Suitability

Behaviours

Essential

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

Homeworking

Homeworking

E14 4PU

Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)