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About the Role

Provide expert legal leadership on planning, highways, and licensing decisions that shape the borough. Lead a specialist legal team advising on complex matters to ensure robust, transparent decisions supporting communities and the future of the borough.

Responsibilities

Lead a team of around ten legal professionals, ensuring high-quality legal advice delivery.
Manage and develop the legal team.
Handle a caseload of complex and high-profile planning matters.
Advise senior officers and elected members on significant decisions.
Attend committee meetings, providing legal, procedural, and governance advice.
Work closely with Monitoring Officers and senior colleagues to shape policy and guide decision-making.
Contribute to the ongoing development of the service.
Foster a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and professional growth within the team.

Requirements

Qualified Solicitor or Barrister entitled to practise in England and Wales.
Strong experience in planning and also highways or licensing law.
Proven track record of leading or managing legal teams.
Ability to provide clear and confident legal advice on complex matters.
Strong stakeholder management skills.
Comfortable advising senior officers and elected members.
Ability to communicate complex legal issues in a clear and practical way.
Strong judgment.
Political awareness.
Ability to operate effectively in a fast-moving local government environment.
Commitment to professional standards, equality, and inclusive service delivery.
Experience or interest in wider areas of local government law.

Skills

Legal leadership
Planning law
Highways law
Licensing law
Team management
Legal advice
Stakeholder management
Communication
Judgment
Political awareness
Policy shaping
Governance advice

Location

Central London

Work Type

Hybrid
Full-time

Experience Level

Principal level
Management experience

Education Level

Qualified Solicitor or Barrister

Salary/Compensations

Grade J

Benefits

Opportunities to broaden expertise
Develop leadership skills
Supportive environment
Innovation encouraged
Professional growth prioritized
Flexible working arrangements
Collaborative team culture
Work-life balance

About the Company

Kensington and Chelsea is home to diverse communities, thriving businesses and unique local places.
Everything we do is focused on supporting our residents, strengthening our approach and creating a fairer borough.
A competent and caring Council that takes pride in its work every day, ensuring services are delivered with care and competence.
We listen to our residents, act with integrity and work together to build a borough that is greener, safer and fairer for all.
The 'we're all in' mindset is central to this role.
RBKC is investing in its people, communities, and future.
Respected legal service supporting two central London councils.

Equal Opportunity

Committed to promoting equality and respecting diversity.
Welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Disability Confident Employer – committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.