Job Description Legal Business Partner (Commercial)/Lawyer Shared Legal Services Band H

This role will be based within the Shared Legal Service at West House, and will also be required to work at any other of the councils’ premises as required in order to meet the needs of the service.

This role forms part of the shared legal service between Councils and Babergh Mid Suffolk Councils (the Councils) (the Shared Service). As legal business partner (Commercial), the post-holder will be responsible for giving high level, strategic legal and business advice to the senior management and leadership teams of all four Councils relevant to their specialist area.

Job Purpose

This role is central to the success of the shared legal service between West Suffolk Councils and Babergh Mid Suffolk Councils (the Councils) (the Shared Service).

They will be responsible for handling the most complex and strategically important legal matters for all four Councils in the Shared Legal Service that are relevant to their subject matter specialism.

The post-holder will act as business partner to all senior officer(s) of the Councils from time to time to give strategic and tactical legal advice to officers and members involving statute, case law and policy, in corporate/public law, collaborations and business partnerships, corporate governance, commercial and business law, contracts and procurement, including EU requirements, State Aid and employment law (TUPE), corporate governance, business structures.

The post-holder’s principal purpose will be to provide senior leadership and management with creative, innovative and entrepreneurial legal solutions to issues facing the Councils and to provide legal advice on the most complex and high value commercial cases for all four Councils

They will be required not only to support democratic decision-making but also be pro-active in identifying and researching solutions to business problems.

Tasks required by the job

Actively contributing to corporate strategic decision making within the framework of the Councils’ joint strategic plans, by providing innovative and pro-active solutions to legal and business issues arising in their area of specialism, and that demonstrably contribute to Council outcomes.

Providing effective leadership and operational management to project teams as and when required

Date last updated: 1

Attending meetings (including those outside of normal office hours) of members, officers and/or external bodies to advise on legal issues, governance and procedure

Being the seasoned professional with extensive theoretical, practical and procedural knowledge of a professional area and understanding of policies, procedures, working practices, processes and systems.

Delivering advice, guidance and solutions to the organisation and managers in order to enhance the quality of services delivered.

Working across boundaries as a key player with other business partners and/or service/corporate managers.

Monitoring and evaluating the performance of their specialist area and plan for performance improvement including re-evaluating work methods

Interpreting varied and highly complex information/situations to develop plans and solutions over the long term, which have a wider impact on the whole organisation

Using highly developed communication skills to advise others, negotiate, advocate, present or convince others to adopt a course of action that they might otherwise not wish to take.

Using very highly developed communication skills to exchange complicated and/or sensitive information with individuals or groups.

Carrying out other duties commensurate with the grade as reasonably required by the Head of Service and the Service Manager (Shared Legal).

Any other duties of a similar nature which may be required.

Date last updated: 2