Senior Associate - Public Procurement

We are recruiting for a Senior Associate with specialist experience in advising the public sector to join our public procurement (PP) team, which forms part of our Government and Trade (GAT) Practice.    

All of our PP team members have strong experience in advising on both public procurement and commercial contract matters therefore we are relaxed in terms of where your current specialism lies. The role would be ideally suited to a qualified Solicitor 4-8 years’ PQE with experience in advising on both public procurement and commercial contracts matters on behalf of the public sector. However if you have a desire to develop your skills in one area over the other, then we would also encourage you to apply. Our intention is to expose you to high profile public sector work which allows you the flexibility to develop your skills across both commercial contracts and public procurement with a view to allowing you the choice in terms of where you ultimately land in terms of your chosen specialist area. 

You will be based out of our Birmingham office, however the team work on a flexible, hybrid basis. 

The firm’s GAT Practice is made up of three distinct but complementary teams – the Public Procurement Team, the Public Contracts Team, and the International Trade Team. 

The GAT Practice is part of the firm’s Commercial Services Group, which is led by partner, Bill Hull. The GAT Practice has 6 partners and 13 specialist lawyers operating out of multiple TLT offices across the UK, including Bristol, London, Manchester and Glasgow. 

Key public sector clients within the GAT practice include: 

• Cabinet Office 
• Home Office 
• Government Legal Department 
• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 
• Ministry of Justice 
• UK Health Security Agency 
• Department for International Trade 
• Mayor's Office for Police Commissioners 
• National Crime Agency 
• London Borough Legal Alliance 

We also act for a number of private sector entities engaged in Government projects, including multinationals such as Babcock International and Vodafone. 

Our open and collaborative culture makes life at TLT enjoyable and rewarding. We are genuinely supportive of each other; you can approach anyone for a conversation. And you’ll be recognised for your individual work as well as your contribution to the team. 

We will invest in you. We want you to be successful. Learning and development is paramount at TLT. Your progress helps us meet the changing needs of our clients, build collaborative relationships that endure and set our firm apart as business advisers as well as lawyers. That’s why we invest heavily in developing our people through training programmes and actively promote career progression. 

Your Role 

TLT is appointed to several public sector frameworks (including the CCS Legal Services Panel and Public Sector Legal Services Panel) so, you will be working on high profile projects of national importance. This role will therefore provide exposure to some of the highest profile and most significant Government projects in the UK and internationally and will afford you the opportunity to further enhance your expertise in a broad range of procurement work across the public sector. You will be working with and supporting clients such as: 

• Central government departments 
• Non-department public bodies 
• Local authorities 
• Housing associations (Registered Providers) 
• Private and third sector organisations providing services into the public sector 

Your role will involve all aspects of procurement advice, including: 

• Advising on procurement strategy 
• Drafting procurement documentation (including the corresponding contractual documentation depending on your experience/desire to become involved in this aspect of the project) 
• Complex procurement advisory work 
• Procurement litigation experience in relation to informal and formal procurement challenges 

This is an exciting time to join our busy team and help clients navigate the forthcoming new procurement regime.  

As a Senior Associate in our Public Procurement team, you will: 

• Operate as a senior lawyer within the team and will report directly into a Legal Director 
• Support Legal Directors and Partners on large projects, as well as taking the lead on projects in a variety of public sector procurements, where appropriate.  This will include: 
• Advise upon procurement strategy from project inception through to delivery and conclusion of a procurement process 
• Lead on the drafting of the full suite of tender documentation 
• Facilitate and advise upon procurement compliance throughout the process 
• Provide oversight of evaluation and tenderer de-briefing 
• Input into the contracting strategy and draft the corresponding contractual documentation (depending on your experience/interest in drafting the corresponding contractual documentation) 
• Support the GAT leadership team with practice and business development activities, including the preparation of tenders for new business opportunities 
• Mentor and supervise junior GAT lawyers, contributing to training and skills development as well as day to day supervision 
• Be encouraged to develop any special areas of interest you may have, as well as having an active involvement in business development, and a willingness to design and deliver internal and external client training 

Your Skills and Experience   

As part of TLT, you benefit from decades of experience and expertise across our firm, which we share with one another. Our employees are talented people, distinguished by technical excellence, with a willingness to embrace team working and a passion for client service. Our ideal candidate will have a similar supportive, flexible, and driven ethos and will have accumulated the following experience and skills:  

• A Qualified Solicitor (SRA or Law Society Registered) 4– 8PQE, with the ability to work independently with limited supervision. Applicants with appropriate experience outside this PQE range will also be considered. 
• Experience in public procurement law gained within private practice or the public sector would be ideal, however candidates with strong experience in drafting/negotiating public sector contracts with some limited exposure to public procurement law would also be considered. 
• Experience in procurement litigation is desirable (but not essential). 
• A forward thinker, with excellent analytical, communication and organisational skills, you will be self-motivated with the ability to manage workloads and deadlines. 
• Commercially aware with some exposure to business development, with the ability to maintain and nurture strong client relationships development (past tender/bid experience would be beneficial although not essential). 
• The ability to contribute to our collaborative culture, with an ambition to assist in the development of junior team members. Proven experience of supervising and/or managing junior team members is desirable, but not essential. 
• Have the drive and ambition to succeed as a key senior component of the team at TLT, with the commitment to developing the firm’s offering locally and nationally.  

Your Team 

Our team advises on all aspects of the public procurement regime. Our specialist team helps to ensure that robust and successful procurements are completed without challenge. Our lawyers advise on all stages of the procurement process including pre-market engagement, initial scoping, potential application of exemptions, drafting all procurement and contract documents, negotiations with bidders, and the evaluation and award process. We also advise on any disputes or challenges that may arise and the options available to a defending body or challenging party. 

The team includes individuals with extensive in-house experience in the public sector, allowing us to apply our sector insight and technical expertise in a way that helps businesses meet their requirements. We're also inaugural members of the Procurement Lawyers Association, which gives us cutting edge insight into this constantly evolving area. 

About TLT 

Fast paced, fast growing and forward thinking, TLT is the law firm that helps clients stay one step ahead, and we do the same for our people. 

We work with high profile clients in innovative sectors. With local, national and international reach, we have over 1,400 people in offices across the UK and a network of partner firms across Europe, India and the US. In 2021 we were named The Lawyer’s Law Firm of the Year and Law Firm of the Year at the British Legal Awards 2022 in recognition of our incredible success story. 

Our purpose is to protect, prepare and progress our clients for what comes next and it’s essential that we do the same for our people, our planet and our communities too. In our open and collaborative culture, we encourage everyone to be their whole self, to have a voice and to contribute. 

Our Benefits 

We value our employees highly and we want you to feel valued. You’ll receive a competitive salary with an annual pay review. You will also have access to an extensive range of benefits via our flexible benefits scheme including 25 days holiday and private medical insurance from your first day with us. 

At TLT we have launched a progressive fully flexible working approach. This approach means that as a firm we empower our people to work in a place and at a time that meets their needs, those of their clients and of the wider team and firm. Part of this agile approach is a focus on hybrid working and supporting the work life balance of our people. 

TLT is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive working environment and encourages applications from all suitably qualified people, regardless of any of the characteristics protected by the laws in the locations in which we operate. 

We welcome applications from people with disabilities and are committed to providing reasonable adjustments, where necessary, to make interviews and jobs more accessible. Should you have any difficulty during the recruitment process, require any reasonable adjustments or an application to Access to work please contact the recruitment team on HR-Recruitment@TLTsolicitors.com