Associate – Public Procurement

We are recruiting an Associate to join our Public Sector Contracts and Procurement team. This role would best suit a qualified lawyer (NQ+) with experience in public procurement.

This is a full-time, permanent role based in Manchester or Birmingham. We have a progressive, flexible working approach, focusing on hybrid working to support the work-life balance of our people.

Role: You will work with our leading public procurement and commercial lawyers to give public procurement law and contract advice to a range of public sector clients, particularly central government departments and government agencies. You will have the opportunity to further enhance your expertise in a broad range of procurement and contract work across the public sector. As we are appointed to several public sector frameworks, you will be working on high-profile projects of national importance.

As a key addition to the existing team, day-to-day you can expect to be involved with:

• A broad and varied caseload covering procurements, contracts and agreements for local authorities, government and law enforcement agencies
• Advising on procurement strategy and drafting procurement documentation
• Supporting procurement litigators in relation to informal and formal procurement challenges
• Drafting, reviewing and managing contracts, framework agreements, and call-off arrangements throughout the whole contract lifecycle
• Working collaboratively with the team to meet tight deadlines and manage project work
• Working closely with partners across each office location in long-term strategy and development of the team
• Taking an active role in business development, and supporting in designing and delivering internal and external client training

Skills & Experience:

• A qualified lawyer (NQ+) with an understanding and experience in UK public procurement law, including the Procurement Act 2023 and Public Contracts Regulations 2015, with experience advising on procurement processes and drafting/reviewing key documentation (e.g. ITTs, specifications and notices)
• Experience in public sector contracts and procurement, preferably including experience with various tendering procedures (open, restricted, negotiated, competitive dialogue) and use of procurement portals such as Jaggaer and Proactis
• Ability to draft, review, and manage contracts, framework agreements, and call-off arrangements throughout the full contract lifecycle
• Understanding of value for money principles, contract pricing models, budget management, and whole-life costing
• Familiarity with Cabinet Office guidance, Government Commercial Function standards, social value requirements, and sector-specific rules
• Strong interpersonal skills for working across departments, managing supplier relationships, and negotiating at an operational level
• A proactive and analytical approach, with strong drafting, communication and organisational skills, and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines
• A collaborative team player, comfortable working across multi-office teams, while also confident working independently where appropriate
• An enthusiasm for business development and a genuine interest in keeping up to date with developments in public procurement and your sector focus