Head of Commercial (Contracts, Property & Planning)

Head of Commercial (Contracts, Property & Planning) – Interim
📍 South East London (Hybrid Working- 1-2 days onsite each week)
💷 PAYE Rate: £49.43 per hour / Umbrella Rate: £68.81 per hour
📅 12-week initial contract | Immediate start
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Senior Planning Lawyer / Legal Leader to join a well-regarded London local authority on an interim basis.
This is a pivotal leadership role within Legal Services, offering the chance to lead a high-performing team while advising on a broad range of complex planning, highways and property matters.
The Role
You will be responsible for leading and managing a specialist legal team covering contracts, planning and property, while also acting as a key advisor to senior stakeholders across the organisation.
Key responsibilities include:
* Drafting, negotiating and completing Section 106, Section 38 and Section 278 agreements
* Advising on a wide range of planning and highways legal matters
* Leading and managing a team of planning, property and contracts lawyers
* Attending and advising at Planning Committee and other key meetings
* Supporting corporate initiatives and contributing to the wider Legal Services leadership team
* Deputising for the Monitoring Officer when required
About You
To be considered for this role, you will:
* Be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or CILEX Lawyer with significant post-qualification experience
* Have strong experience within a local authority legal team
* Demonstrate expert knowledge of planning law, including Section 106 and highways agreements
* Have proven experience managing or supervising legal teams
* Be confident advising senior stakeholders, including elected members
Additional Information
* Hybrid working: 1–2 days per week in the office
* Interviews scheduled imminently (flexible format)