Planning Lawyer

Reference number: SC06632

Location: London

Schedule: Full-time

Salary Range: £47,043 - £54,135

Contract Type: Permanent

The role

What does a Planning Lawyer do at Southwark Council?

As a Planning Lawyer, you will be pivotal in providing legal advice and support across various council functions, with particular focus planning and development. You will hold a varied and interesting caseload from the outset and be required to maintain files in accordance with Lexcel standards.

Your responsibilities will include advising committees, advising councillors and officers on general planning law, drafting and negotiating s106 agreements, s278/38 agreements, defending judicial reviews, conducting planning appeals, CPOs, advising about planning enforcement, environmental law and providing any related governance advice.

Who are we looking for?

We’re seeking a Planning Lawyer with a good understanding of local government law. As an admitted Solicitor, Barrister, or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives with a current practising certificate (or eligible to apply for one), you will be able to evidence at least two years post-qualification experience in planning or significant pre-qualification experience in planning.

You will have demonstrable experience of:

• Managing a varied planning and highways caseload
• Building and sustaining effective relationships with stakeholders
• Working with a case management system
• Meeting agreed performance targets.

You will fit well into our team if you:

• Use initiative and excellent problem solving skills to meet deadlines and manage conflicting priorities
• Are able to adapt to changing demands
• Enjoy finding practical solutions to legal issues
• Are a team player who thrives when working as part of a supportive team
• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Additional salary details

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.

Southwark’s Legal Service

Our vision is to be the council’s first choice provider of legal services, offering a high-quality, sustainable, responsive and efficient value for money service to the council.

Our team is a friendly and well respected in the planning industry. Their fantastic work makes a key contribution to the council’s overarching goal to deliver positive outcomes for our residents, businesses, and partners in terms of housing, office space and the council’s other plans for the local area identified in the Southwark Local Plan.

Benefits and more information:

Working for Southwark Council – Southwark

Salary Range: £47,043 - £54,135

This post attracts an additional benefit to the value of £2,327 PA for staff to use for Gym membership, health insurance, season ticket purchase, bicycle purchase, additional voluntary contribution to pension, subscriptions and professional fees.

In addition there is a 5% Market Supplement Monthly Payment based on annual salary.

Recruitment timetable

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

Interview Date: Week Commencing 16th of September 2024.

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.