Senior Lawyer

Senior Commercial Lawyer

Your new role

Who are National Highways?

National Highways plays a vital role in managing and improving the strategic road network to make journeys safer, smoother, and more reliable. The strategic road network is the backbone of the country, enabling businesses to transport products and services, providing access to jobs and suppliers, and facilitating trade and investment across the country. Investment in the SRN directly supports at least 65,000 jobs and 5,000 apprenticeships. Companies that rely on the SRN contribute over £400bn in Gross Value Added to the economy.

Legal Services at National Highways

Legal Services encompasses both the National Highways Legal Team and Information Rights Team. Our aim is to provide the organisation with an effective legal and information rights service. We offer strategic legal advice on commercial, construction, planning, operational, highways, employment, regulatory, and property matters, ensuring legal compliance and minimising exposure to risk.

Why choose the National Highways Legal Team?

• Work with a wider purpose in the national and public interest - our purpose is to connect the country. Our work has an important impact on the economy, businesses, local communities and public safety.
• Diverse, challenging and high-profile legal work - we work with all parts of government to deliver some of the largest and highest-value infrastructure projects in the country and beyond.
• Go beyond the traditional client - lawyer relationship - as an in-house lawyer at National Highways you will be embedded in the organisation, building long-term relationships with colleagues, making a wider contribution beyond the law, and seeing first-hand how your work makes a positive impact.
• Go beyond traditional private practice silos - we are a large in-house team and there is opportunity to gain exposure to many different areas of law, whilst maintaining a specialism.
• Opportunity to work with and learn from experts in their field - we help to shape legislation and national standards.
• We are a diverse team - we welcome people from all backgrounds and all stages of their career. Where possible we like to "grow our own", and we provide extensive development opportunities. High quality work is not just for senior lawyers.
• Supportive and approachable culture.
• Positive, family friendly, work- life balance - we work hard but working long hours is the exception, not the rule.
• No targets, no billing and no internal re-charging - freedom to focus on the legal work

The role

As a Senior Lawyer within the Commercial Legal Team at National Highways you will advise on all aspects of commercial contract and procurement law to enable National Highways' spending on the strategic road network, to build new road capacity, improve the quality of the existing network, encourage innovation and efficiency and enhance safety, the environment and sustainability.

This is a diverse role and provides an excellent opportunity to apply your expert legal knowledge and skills to NEC based contracts, infrastructure projects, IT and technology contracts, services contracts, public procurement, dispute resolution, intellectual property, asset protection, research and grant funding, collaborative working and a broad range of commercial legal queries.

• To provide specialist legal advice, advising on all aspects of commercial contract and procurement law, including in relation to the procurement of high value, complex NEC engineering and construction contracts and IT and technology contracts.
• To effectively manage relationships with customers and stakeholders.
• To obtain or procure external legal support as required, holding external lawyers to account.
• Provide direction legal support/supervision to more junior members of the team on an ad hoc basis.

About you

• Qualified Solicitor or Barrister authorised to practice in the UK.
• In -depth understanding of / expertise in the work undertaken by the Commercial Legal Team and ability to provide effective written and oral advice on the same.
• Ability to influence and work effectively with stakeholders and colleagues at a range of levels including those at a senior level, providing check and challenge where appropriate.
• Ability to lead complex legal matters working autonomously with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work proactively and independently to identify "client" needs and to find solutions to complex legal and business issues within the required timescales.
• Lead by example, by showing commitment to the role, assuming responsibility, and actively contributing to and supporting others within the Commercial Legal Team and the wider Legal Directorate.

External candidates will be offered a starting salary at the lower end of the pay scale, while current employees will be appointed in accordance with our established pay policy.

We are committed to creating a diverse environment and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.