Haringey is a fantastic place to live and work – the world in one borough. A place brimming with creativity, personality, radicalism, and community. It is a place where we stand up for each other. A place that is proudly distinctive. We’ll be celebrating all this and more as the “rebel borough” when we are the 2027 London Borough of Culture.

Our history champions change-makers and everyday rebels; revelling in our differences, battling discrimination, championing equality, and doing things our own way. Haringey’s people are a huge asset, with knowledge, expertise, and passion. Our staff members embody our organisational values: Caring, Creative, Courageous, Collaborative and Community-focused. These values keep us looking forward, ambitious for the future, and continuously striving to do our very best for all of our residents.

About the role

The Principal Contracts & Procurement Lawyer will sit within our Extended Management Team contributing to the operational and strategic development of the legal service and will deputise for the Head of Legal where required. The successful candidate will be the technical legal lead on all contractual matters for goods, services and major projects, advising on grant funding agreements, subsidy control, public procurement, policy, strategy and governance in respect of contract related issues. The successful Principal Lawyer will be required to manage a team of 6,alongside carrying a complex contracts and procurement caseload.

Candidates with relevant experience from both the public and private sector are encouraged to apply. Candidates with private sector experience must have a solid understanding of how local authorities operate and demonstrate their ability to transfer knowledge and skills to successfully deliver a service within a local government context.

About the team

We have a highly regarded collaborative, supportive and friendly team which is central to the wide range of work connected with Haringey’s projects and ambitious plans across the borough.  You will lead a team in a Lexcel Accredited legal service. You will benefit from working alongside experienced colleagues who are helpful and have had exposure to multiple high value and complex contract and procurement matters and who are happy to share their knowledge.

About you

You will be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Filex with a current practising certificate. The candidate will be required to have good client care skills, management experience and experience with the full range of local authority contracts work. Candidates with relevant experience from both the public and private sector are encouraged to apply. Whilst experience of advising on contracts law is essential, local government experience is not. Candidates with private sector experience should have a solid understanding of how local authorities operate and demonstrate their ability to transfer knowledge and skills to help shape and deliver an excellent service within a local government context.

Working for Haringey

At Haringey Council we are committed to creating a workplace culture where all our people feel valued, included, and able to be their best at work, and we recognise the benefits of a diverse workforce so welcome applications from all ethnicities and communities so that we continue to make a difference to our residents and community.  Our benefits package includes a leave entitlement of 30 days + bank holidays, potential hybrid working opportunities, health and wellbeing support, a generous local government pension scheme and a range of discount schemes across leisure and culture that provide both financial and money-saving discounts.