Job Description and Person Specification

Job Title: Senior Commercial Property Lawyer

Grade: 11

Reports to: Head of Legal and Democratic Services

Service: Legal and Democratic Service

Location: Beech Hurst, Andover

Our Values

We expect all of our employees to live by and demonstrate the council’s key values of kindness, collaboration, accountability, equity diversity and inclusion, authenticity and pride

Main job purpose

This is a fantastic role, with a diverse and challenging workload. The main purpose of this critical role within the legal team is:

to be the council’s lead and subject matter expert for all commercial and other property matters
to manage and deliver the legal work for all land transactions of the Council on a day to day basis
to deliver complex aspects of conveyancing transactions for the Council, including major commercial property transactions
to undertake negotiation between lawyers of legal requirements for any land transaction, save for s106 agreements.

Main responsibilities and duties / principal accountabilities

To deal with all land transactions, ensuring a satisfactory outcome for the council
To draft, prepare and ensure completion of leases and licences of industrial and commercial premises to ensure the interests of the council are protected both financially and commercially, including drafting documentation without precedents if necessary.
To draft, prepare and ensure completion of all legal documentation relating to sales and purchases of land and to ensure completion of the same including drafting documentation without precedents if necessary.
To undertake due diligence work and the drafting of any transactional documents in relation to residential and other properties for the purposes of the council’s ‘Project Enterprise’.
To provide advice and guidance to officers and elected members including on the interpretation of legal documents and leases to facilitate sound decision-making.
To assist, support, mentor and lead the junior members of the team to enable them to progress in both knowledge and experience in all aspects of property law.
To periodically review and revise documentation to meet changes in legislation and other statutory requirements.
To maintain a record of all training and development undertaken in accordance with the requirements of your professional body.
To undertake such other tasks commensurate with the post holder’s experience and qualifications as may be allocated from time to time by the Corporate Legal Services Manager or Head of Service.
To ensure that service delivery complies with current regulations, accepted professional standards, the council's policies and procedures and appropriate legislation. This includes legislation on equalities, health and safety and safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

Supervision and management

The postholder will have no direct line management responsibility but as set out above is expected to mentor, lead and develop more junior members of the team.

Contacts and relationships

The post-holder will work closely with the council’s Property and Asset Management Service and will develop and maintain a good working relationship with members of that team.
Senior officers and elected members will look to the post-holder for advice and guidance as the organsiation’s commercial property subject matter expert so developing and maintaining these relationships is key.
The post-holder will be important and senior member of the Legal Services team and fostering, mainaining and demonstrating leadership within the team is fundamental.
The role will involve regular interaction with external partners and stakeholders for example, the partner in a development and management agreement for one of the council’s business parks. Fostering and developing these key relationships is key to the success of this role.

Working environment

This is an office-based role with the ability to work flexibly in accordance with the council’s Agile Working Policy and other flexible working policies. This means that some of your time may be worked from home or from other council facilities, depending on business needs and service provision.

Person specification

Educational and professional qualifications

Qualified solicitor or barrister or Chartered Legal Executive	Essential
Educated to degree level or equivalent	Essential
Evidence of continuing professional development	Essential

Knowledge

Expert, in-depth knowledge of property and conveyancing law and property related transactions, with an ability to provide expert advise on complex issues with minimal supervision.	Essential
Knowledge of the law and procedures relating to Contract and Procurement Law	Desireable
Knowledge of the law theory and practice of Compulsory Purchase	Desireable

Experience

Significant recent experience of and Commercial Property and conveyancing transactions	Essential
Experience of contract law and procurement	Desireable

Key skills

Effective written and oral communication skills with the ability to draft a wide range of documents including property related documents	Essential
Computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft applications	Essential

Personal qualities and behaviours

Excellent attention to detail	Essential
Excellent team worker and team player	Essential
Able to work on own initiative	Essential
Adaptable and flexible, i.e. willing to undertake new ways of working or areas of work as required	Essential
Able to work to strict timescales and to co-ordinate and manage competing deadlines	Essential

Other factors

This is a politically restricted post.

Corporate responsibilities

All employees are required to adhere to corporate policies, procedures and codes of conduct; full details can be found on the intranet or from your line manager. Particular aspects include:

Health and Safety - Every employee while at work has a duty to take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself/herself and of other persons who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work - Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

All employees are required to adhere to the Council's corporate policy, procedures associated with their duties and to undertake tasks/training in that context, as required.

Safeguarding - This Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment, and to adhere to the Council's Safeguarding Policy.

Equalities – This Council is committed to providing equal opportunities for all. We believe that employing people from different backgrounds with a range of perspectives and experiences helps us to deliver high quality services to all our residents. We employ people based on their abilities and potential, regardless of any protected characteristics.

Social Media - Employees are required to adhere to social media corporate policies and to undertake tasks/training in that context as required. Employees must not bring the Council into disrepute through their use of social media either personally or on behalf of the Council.

Financial – Employees are required to adhere to the Council’s financial regulations and to undertake tasks/training in that context, as required.

Risk Management - Employees are required to adhere to the Council's risk management strategy and to undertake tasks/training in that context, as required. Data Protection and Data Security - We hold and process information about our customers and as such we are legally obliged to protect that information. Data protection is important for the Council, and employees are required to understand and adhere to relevant policies and procedures.

Last Updated: 06 June 2024