Senior Solicitor

We are currently partnering with a forward-looking and highly collaborative Higher Education institution based in Greater Manchester, who are looking for a Senior Solicitor to join their growing team on a permanent basis.

Our client is proud to be an organisation with a collaborative, supportive team culture, with a genuine commitment to employee wellbeing, offering agile working and development opportunities.

This is a full-time position with a salary band of £59,000 to £63,000 (subject to experience) and the start date is subject to notice. They are also looking for someone to attend the office at least once per week.

Duties will include (but are not limited to):

• Leading on a broad range of legal and strategic work, with around 70% focused on high-value, complex contracts and 30% on policy, governance and wider organisational matters
• Driving the legal work on key projects and programmes, spanning construction contracts (JCT), property agreements, software licensing, IT upgrades and IP matters
• Supporting major projects and partnerships, including a large regeneration scheme funded by the Levelling Up Fund and the expansion of the organisation’s innovative facilities
• Advising on policy development in response to sector-wide changes
• Working on international academic partnerships, particularly with institutions across South-East Asia
• Attending and contributing to project boards, committees and forums at senior level
• Managing and developing the legal team, from triaging and allocating work to mentoring future talent
• Empowering colleagues and stakeholders to own and deliver their projects, acting as a trusted legal advisor in the background

Experience required:

• We’re looking for someone confident, commercially minded, and motivated by the opportunity to shape the legal function
• Strong commercial contracts experience (public sector or higher education experience not essential)
• Autonomy and decisiveness, with the ability to influence and advise senior stakeholders
• A collaborative, empowering management style and a passion for mentoring others
• Professional qualification as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive (CILEx)

Rewards and Benefits:

• Excellent pension scheme
• 32 days annual leave - plus bank holidays, additional time off at Christmas and the opportunity to buy additional days
• Flexible and agile working
• Access to training and development opportunities
• Access to an online employee portal, offering a wide range of lifestyle benefits and discounts
• Wellbeing support - including an Employee Assistance Programme, counselling, sports and fitness facilities (including discounted gym memberships)

Working hours:

• 37 hours per week
• Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm

Please note that you require recent experience to apply for this role.

James Andrews is acting as an employment agency and business in relation to this role.