Senior Associate (Commercial and Public Procurement)

Senior Associate (Commercial & Public Procurement)

DAC Beachcroft is seeking a talented Commercial and Public Procurement Associate or Senior Associate to join our highly successful, award winning team in either our Newcastle, Leeds or Manchester office.

With a thriving public sector client base - particularly in healthcare, infrastructure & projects, technology and central government contracts - as well as a growing roster of private sector clients supporting public sector initiatives, we work on high-profile, media-worthy projects and deliver a first-class service.

This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious commercial and procurement lawyer, with expertise in negotiating and drafting a broad array of contractual agreements. We value knowledge of, or a keen interest in, health and other public sector contracting. Experience in advising on public procurement law is essential, while knowledge of subsidy control law—or a willingness to develop expertise in this area—would be an advantage.

Working with some of the highest ranked lawyers in the sector, there is plenty of opportunity for development and growth.

Key Responsibilities

Working with other lawyers and leading on major projects, encompassing the full range of commercial and public procurement law work within the team (with an appropriate level of support and supervision), alongside contributing to business development initiatives. Your main role will be advising on the right structure and processes for public procurements under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, the Procurement Act 2023 and the Provider Selection Regime, drafting procurement documents, drafting and negotiating commercial contracts, project management, and providing risk advice that is commercial and solutions based.

• Lead and collaborate on major commercial and public law projects, advising on public procurement structures under current regulations, drafting and negotiating commercial contracts, and providing commercially focused risk advice.
• Draft, negotiate and manage diverse commercial contracting matters across sectors like health, government, and utilities, including large-scale projects within procurement law.
• Support business development through client engagement, marketing, and networking activities, while contributing to team growth by leading pitches, seminars, and training sessions.
• Manage your own caseload, maintain strong client relationships, and support the team by reviewing work of junior colleagues, assisting with work allocation, and demonstrating proactive financial management.
• Stay current with legal and sector knowledge, actively contributing to team expertise and ensuring compliance with data security protocols.

The Ideal Candidate

• 5+yr PQE Solicitor with strong expertise in commercial and public procurement law, ideally with experience or interest in health, social care and public sector contracting.
• Proven ability to manage complex commercial contracts and advise on procurement projects
• Strong client-focused approach with practical, risk-based advice
• Excellent communication skills, with confidence in working directly and building relationships with clients
• Collaborative team player who works effectively with colleagues and external advisors
• Change oriented with a positive, flexible approach towards the implementation of new initiatives.
• Strong academic background coupled and a keen grasp of legal issues, with a clear ability to learn quickly 'on the job'
• Ability to adopt a client focused and commercial perspective rather than an ‘academic’ approach to legal issues

About DAC Beachcroft

We're a leading international legal business with over 3,000 colleagues and a diverse range of capabilities. We're market leaders in insurance, health and real estate but with a full-service offering, including growing Financial Services and Tech capabilities. We represent a wide range of clients – from household names to government departments and NHS bodies. We act for nearly all of the top-20 UK and global insurers, we're market leaders in the provision of strategic, commercial and regulatory advice to providers and commissioners in the health sector, and in real estate we advise all of the UK’s top-five housebuilders.

We are a fast-growing international business with offices around the globe. In addition to our 11 UK offices, we also have offices in Dublin, Madrid, Paris, Milan, Rome, Singapore, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Miami, plus a broad network of affiliations across the globe.

Working with us

Our vision is to be leading business advisers, recognised for our insight and our outstanding commitment to clients, and for being the place where talented people want to work. Combine this with our supportive culture and hybrid working model, and you have: a Life that Works.

Our flexible approach means that we help our colleagues to be their best at work, while recognising that they have all sorts of different interests and commitments outside work.

We pride ourselves on our supportive, approachable culture. We are trusted, appreciated as individuals and embraced as part of a team. At DACB, we don’t just accept your differences, we celebrate and advocate for them. From bespoke solutions for our clients, to treating you as an individual. Our strength comes from your diverse ideas and bringing the ‘whole you’ to work. So if you’re good at what you do, come as you are!

We are a Disability Confident employer and guarantee to interview anyone with a disability, long term health condition or neurodiversity whose application meets the essential criteria for the role. If this applies to you and you feel you meet the minimum criteria for this vacancy as set out in this advert then please contact disabilityconfident@dacbeachcroft.com in confidence, quoting the reference number for this vacancy in the subject box of your email, and a member of the Recruitment team will be in touch.

Note for Recruitment Agencies – the DAC Beachcroft LLP resourcing team is responsible for managing all current vacancies through direct hiring and referrals wherever possible. We do work with recruitment agencies and where we require external support we will formally release those vacancies to the agencies on our Preferred Supplier List deemed best placed to assist us. Speculative CVs sent by any agency to any DAC Beachcroft employee without a specific request by the resourcing team will not be accepted and with no introduction fee applicable. Our resourcing team can be contacted at recruitment@dacbeachcroft.com