Commercial Contracts Solicitor

£57,427 – £60,840 per annum (SM3)

To provide relevant legal advice and legal services on the legal aspects of procurement, contract drafting, contract management and contract dispute resolution and to enter into contracts for and on behalf of the Council from inception to completion.

Key Responsibilities:

• Delivering comprehensive, timely legal advice and legal work in particular in the areas of commercial law, contract law, procurement law, company law and local government law and practice.
• Ensuring that decision-making in relation to the Council’s contracts and procurements is lawful and in accordance with the Council’s Constitution and the Council’s governance arrangements.
• To design and deliver regular updates and training on developments in contract/procurement law and practice that have implications for the Council’s policies, procedures and Constitutional matters.
• Undertaking legal work of a specialist and/or complex nature, including legal research, the preparation of advice to Council officers and Elected Members, the drafting of contracts, and the drafting and presentation of reports and other documentation as required and including use of the case management system.
• Working with client officers to ensure that they are appropriately advised and supported and are able to provide informed instructions to the Council’s external advisers (where engaged) as required. Advising on the need for specialist external advice including procuring, instructing and managing external legal advisers.
• To design and update all relevant precedents and documentation needed to comply with the key duties of the post. Performing all functions and duties effectively and in accordance with the Council’s policies and Codes of Practice, the Council’s Constitution and the Office Manual as amended from time to time. All duties to be undertaken in accordance with the Council’s Equalities and Community Cohesion Policies, Health and Safety Policies and other policies and procedures.

Key Requirements:

• Qualified solicitor or barrister
• PQE in providing legal advice on legal aspects of contract drafting, management and contract dispute resolution
• Member of Governing Body/Law Society
• Detailed knowledge of the law relating to contract and procurement issues, EU law, governance and Local Government law as it relates to contracts, procurement and governance issues.
• Understanding of Local Authority governance processes and Constitution.

About Us:

We want Oldham to have vibrant, safe neighbourhoods where people are proud to live with opportunities for healthier, more fulfilled lives; and a sustainable, thriving economy. As we look to the future, the challenges may be significant, but so are the opportunities. We’ve identified three missions with our residents and partners, focusing on what will deliver the biggest impact:

A Great Place to Live, Healthier, Happier Lives, and Green and Growing.

We’re looking for candidates who will support us to achieve our ambitions and we encourage you to download our Corporate Plan: Ready for the Future and our Oldham Plan for further information.

Our Values and Behaviours:

By driving innovation, investing in our people, and championing our communities, we will ensure that Oldham continues to be a place where everyone can live their best life. To support this, we have three core values which define who we are and how we operate. These are ‘Proud, Ambitious, and Together’, and they shape our culture, inform our decisions, and inspire us to deliver on our commitments to the people of Oldham.

We have translated these values into five behaviours which guide our actions and are the standards we hold ourselves to, day in and day out:

• Work with a resident focus
• Support local leaders
• Committed to the borough
• Delivery high performance
• Take ownership and drive change

You can find out more about our values and behaviours on our greater.jobs Oldham page

Our Benefits Package:

At Oldham Council we offer a great benefits package for our employees, which includes the following:

• 25 days annual leave which increases after 5 and 10-years’ service
• The option to purchase additional annual leave.
• An attractive LGPS benefit pension scheme with the option to make shared cost additional voluntary contributions.
• Discounted gym membership with Oldham Active.
• Staff discount scheme for shopping, entertainment, eating-out, eating-in, travel, motoring and more.
• Salary sacrifice scheme for home and electronics and Cycle to Work.
• Wellbeing support, including a Mental Health First Aider network and an Employment Assistance Programme that provides 24 hours access to advice and support.
• Staff recognition and celebration events.
• Peer support groups
• Great work/life balance
• Friendly team and supportive managers
• State of the art offices inside a shopping centre with safe, integral subsidised parking
• Hybrid and flexible working patterns ideal for family life

Inclusive Recruitment:

We work closely with employees to help them work at their best, including making adjustments such as flexible working, describing available working patterns, providing equipment or making changes to the workplace.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and therefore expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you have lived or worked abroad for 3 months or more in the last 5 years or 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years whilst aged 18 or over, please refer to the link below for details for how to obtain your Certificates of Good Character. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants

Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to offer sponsorship.

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.

If you’re an applicant with disabilities and have previously been in or currently in care, a carer, someone who has served in the Armed Forces, or you’ve participated in the GM Elevate Programme, and you meet the essential criteria of the role, you are guaranteed to reach the first stage of assessment under our Guaranteed Assessment Scheme.

Data and Privacy:

For details of how we use your data please see our Privacy Notice

Important Information:

Please note that should a vacancy that has been released for internal or external recruitment be deemed suitable for a current employee at risk of redundancy, it can be pulled back at any point, up to the post being formally offered to a candidate who is not at risk of redundancy.

Closing date: 29 November 2026

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