Principal Lawyer (Procurement & Commercial)

We currently have a vacancy for a Principal Lawyer – Procurement & Commercial to join our Legal, Governance & Compliance Service.

We are seeking a skilled and proactive team leader who will report into Legal Service Lead – People & Place. You will lead and manage the Procurement & Commercial function, supervising a small team of Lawyers and Legal Officers to provide the Combined Authority with a proactive, professional and comprehensive legal service. You will act as a senior advisor for the Combined Authority and provide legal support in connection with all aspects of commercial contracts. This includes delivering robust, pragmatic support and advice on contract drafting, negotiation, and dispute resolution.

It is an exciting time to be joining the Mayoral Combined Authority. We have a wide variety of impactful projects that we are working on which will help shape the West Yorkshire region.

It is important that you demonstrate how your breadth of experience, knowledge and skills align with the role when applying. We have therefore created comprehensive guidance for candidates, and you are strongly urged to read this before completing your application form. Please visit our Advice for Candidates webpage to find this guidance and further support in completing your application form.

Due to the nature of this role, it is a requirement that the successful applicant will be subject to relevant vetting checks at the appropriate level and any job offer will be conditional subject to successful vetting clearance. Applicants should be aware that it is not possible to make meaningful vetting enquiries in many jurisdictions outside the UK. Vetting clearance cannot therefore be granted if the applicant has not been resident in the UK for the relevant minimum period and comparable vetting enquiries cannot be made in jurisdictions where the individual has been residing.

The relevant periods are three years for NPPV 1&2 and five years for NPPV3.

The Role
Reporting into the Legal Service Lead- People & Place, your key responsibilities will include:

• Take the strategic lead on all complex and high value public procurements and the robust drafting and negotiation of commercial contracts, effectively anticipating and responding to opportunities and change to enable the Combined Authority to continue to evolve and adapt in a timely and efficient manner.
• Engage proactively and effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders including senior officers, Directors, members and government officials in order to most effectively drive the Combined Authority’s commercial agenda.
• Shape, lead and manage the practice area function, leading the team to provide the Combined Authority with a proactive, professional, comprehensive legal service forming an integral part of the Legal Commercial Service and more widely a seamless interface with Commercial Services.

About You
You will have the following key skills, attributes, education, and experience:

• Qualified Solicitor or Barrister entitled to hold a current practising certificate or full CILEX (Fellowship) with significant recent post-qualification experience, ideally in a public sector organisation.
• Substantial and extensive legal and practical knowledge and experience relating to local government law and practice as combined authorities.
• Substantial experience of shaping and leading a legal function to deliver high standards.
• Substantial and extensive legal and practical knowledge and experience relating to the implementation and delivery of complex and high value public procurement projects and programmes.
• Demonstrable knowledge of the legislative framework of related functions including some or all of the following: commercial contracts, public procurement regulations, intellectual property law, infrastructure projects, construction law (including knowledge and experience of using the NEC suite of contracts) public transport schemes, major regeneration and energy projects and regional adult education, skills and training provision.

Our Offer
Alongside a competitive salary, we offer an excellent benefits package including:

• Work your way – From flexible and agile working options, including a generous flexi-time scheme to help you balance your personal life and career.
• Time to recharge – Enjoy 28 days of annual leave (with increases based on length of service), plus all Bank Holidays.
• Free greener travel across West Yorkshire – Cover your commute sustainably with unlimited free bus and rail travel using the MCard (Zones 1–5).
• Secure your future – Benefit from a highly competitive Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Investing in you – Take advantage of supported professional development, regular training, and up to 3 paid volunteering days per year.
• Grow with us – Incremental salary progression for most roles and annual cost of living increases.
• Family first – We offer enhanced parental and bereavement leave, plus other family-friendly policies to support you when it matters most.
• Your wellbeing, our priority – Access 24/7 free confidential counselling services and the Headspace app for you and up to 5 family or friends.
• Modern workspace in a prime location – Work in bright, contemporary offices just a 2-minute walk from Leeds Train Station, fully equipped with the latest tech.

Take a look at our Employee Benefits webpage to find out more.

To Apply
If this sounds like your next role, please complete the application form and tell us within the supporting statement why you would be a great fit for our role and how your skills, knowledge and experience align with the requirements under the ‘About You’ section of the advert and criteria within the Role Profile. Please visit our Advice for Candidates webpage and review the guidance on this page for support in completing your application form.

If you would like to discuss this role in more detail, please contact Javid Daji via Javid.Daji@westyorks-ca.gov.uk.

Closing date: 29 November 2026

For further information or to apply, please click on the ‘Enquire/Apply’ button.