Southwark Council

Head of Legal Team - Planning (2 Year FTC)

Reference number: SC06792

Location: London

Schedule: Full-time

Salary Range: £65,736 - £82,023

Contract Type: Fixed Term

The role

Your role is not just important; it's key role to work with client department to achieve the continued transformation to our borough with many new developments taking place along the river Thames, residential estates at Elephant and Castle, at the former Surrey Docks at Canada Water, and through to Peckham and Camberwell.

Your mission:

• Guide our Clients, Cabinet, Committees, and Steering Groups through the intricacies of planning law, ensuring decisions are rooted in sound legal principles and regulatory frameworks.
• Uphold the standards for governance, shaping new methods and procedures, and staying ahead of legislative changes to keep Southwark Council at the cutting edge of public service law.
• Play a pivotal role in the development and execution of the Corporate Delivery Plan, Southwark 2030 aligning our strategies, policies, and operational plans with the council's ambitious objectives.
• Working with the Head of Law to shape the strategic direction of the department, ensuring it is agile and responsive to the evolving landscape of local government.
• You will empower your team of senior lawyers to excel in their roles, fostering a culture of motivation, personal development, and unwavering commitment to quality.
• Champion equality, diversity, and inclusion, aligning with Southwark 2030 and Southwark Stands Together (SST) to ensure our legal services reflect the vibrant and diverse community we serve.

How will you make an impact:

• A qualified solicitor or barrister with a current practising certificate (or FILEX), with a track record of delivering high-quality outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to align legal insights with strategic Planning goals, making a tangible impact.
• Hands-on experience in Planning Law, ideally within local government, with a strong grasp of Regeneration Law, S106 Agreements, and Development Agreements.
• Experience managing and inspiring a legal team, handling a diverse caseload with confidence.
• Solid experience in budget management, with a talent for setting and prioritising financial goals.
• Skilled in fostering a performance-focused culture, implementing effective strategies, systems, and procedures.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, maintaining meticulous attention to detail while meeting deadlines.
• Enjoy a balanced approach with flexible home working, alongside occasional travel to our London Bridge HQ.

Additional salary details

Are you ready to take the lead a team of planning lawyers who work at the intersection of law, governance, and community impact? Are you a legal expert with a an in-depth knowledge of planning law and local government law? Do you thrive on navigating complex legal landscapes and delivering impeccable advice and supporting a team of lawyers to do so? If so, Southwark Council is calling you to join us as an inspiring Head of Team - Planning to spearhead our dynamic team of planning lawyers on a 2 year fixed term basis.

If you have a wealth of experience in Local Government and a passion for driving excellence within a talented team of legal professionals, this is your moment to make a significant inroad into senior management with a difference and continue to work on interesting and complex work. As the Head Team - Planning, you'll be at the forefront of a service that is not only business-driven but also deeply committed to meeting the statutory and contractual obligations of the Council and support the senior management team of the Legal Department as an active member.

About Southwark Council

Southwark Council is the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues such as The Shard, The Tate Modern and Borough Market along with many social enterprises and we have a young, diverse, and growing population.

At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities. Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities.

Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark’s communities and the council’s staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality) underpins all that we do.

Benefits and more information:

Working for Southwark Council – Southwark

Salary Range: £65,736 - £82,023

This post attracts an additional benefit to the value of £2724 PA for staff to use for Gym membership, health insurance, season ticket purchase, bicycle purchase, additional voluntary contribution to pension, subscriptions, and professional fees. As an alternative, staff can convert the benefits package to cash, which will be paid monthly.

Recruitment timetable

Application Closing Date: 11.59pm on the 13^th of September 2024.

Interview Date: W/C the 16^th of September 2024.

The hiring process will also incorporate a presentation and reasoning and personality test.

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition.

Apply link: https://jobs.southwark.gov.uk/jobs/head-of-legal-team-planning-2-year-ftc--sc06792