Associate​/Senior​/Principal Associate - Procurement

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Mills & Reeve are hiring an experienced Procurement Solicitor to join our growing, national team.

We need a first class experienced solicitor to join our leading national cross-sector public procurement team.

This role works alongside our other public procurement lawyers and provides support and advice in relation to public procurement law to clients including central and local government, national agencies, NHS bodies, education institutions, charities and utility companies, as well as suppliers to the public sector and utilities from SMEs to PLCs.

Ideally based in Birmingham or Cambridge, although we also welcome applicants wanting to be based in Leeds, Manchester or Norwich. You will be involved in all aspects of procurement advice for both procuring entities and suppliers. Tasks include:

• drafting and advising on procurement documentation (from contract notices through to evaluation strategy, standstill and award);
• procurement strategy and other procurement advisory work;
• advising on challenges to procurement decisions and processes.

Mills & Reeve has a number of panel appointments including the CCS Legal Services Panel Framework. We have an impressive and growing client list and you will work closely with a number of the largest public sector bodies, as well as leading suppliers on high profile matters. We aim to provide clients with pragmatic and commercially focused advice.

We are looking for an enthusiastic team player with a passion for public procurement law, who will take responsibility for own matters and help grow the practice.

You will have 2+ years PQE with previous public procurement experience. We are looking for someone who can demonstrate excellent commercial legal skills, sound commercial acumen, an understanding of the public sector and a passion for public procurement work.

Work will include, but not be limited to:

• advising on all aspects of public procurement law;
• working with our procurement litigation specialists advising on proceedings in the High Court (both defending and bringing challenges);
• assisting in the maintenance of our market-leading procurement online resource, the Procurement Portal;
• supporting other business development activities, including speaking at training events, seminars and external conferences, contributing to newsletters, blogs, tenders and pitches;
• contribution to internal know-how and precedent development; and
• supervising more junior members of the team, trainees and apprentice solicitors.

Whilst the main focus of the role is public procurement, we would welcome applications from candidates who are also able to support clients in the drafting and negotiation of commercial contracts, particularly in respect of public sector outsourcing and projects.

• A breadth of experience of public procurement and commercial law;
• Excellent written English for drafting purposes;
• Marketing and business development experience;
• Experience of public speaking;
• Excellent commercial management skills including experience in scoping and pricing work;
• Excellent time and paper management skills.

As you'd expect, we offer a competitive salary and a wide range of benefits.  to find out more about our core benefit offering.

If we offer you a role, we will conduct comprehensive pre‑employment screening. This includes a basic DBS, verification of your right to work, a three‑year employment history and a self‑declaration to assess your character and suitability for the role. Full details are available upon request.

Mills & Reeve is centred on achieving more for clients, their businesses and the wider communities we serve. Our clients and their industries benefit from our knowledge and learning, and receive consistent experiences with no surprises. We tell them what they need to know when they need to know it.

We build personal relationships, with advice individually tailored to individual need. And if clients need things we don't offer, we draw on our network to give recommendations. Our 1,450 plus people and…