Property Legal Counsel
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Job Description
Posted on:
28 October 2026
Details
Reference number
Salary
Grade 7
£56,185 - £66,581 (National)
£58,340- £68,574 (Outer London)
£60,494 - £70,566 (Inner London)
If you are successful at interview and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale
minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary.
Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.
Job grade
Contract type
Loan
Secondment
Length of employment
Type of role
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
- Location
- About the job
- Benefits
- Things you need to know
- Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is responsible for protecting every community from the impact of infectious diseases, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents and other health threats. We provide intellectual, scientific and operational leadership at national and local level and globally, to make the nation's health secure.
We are a leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.
UKHSA's In-House Legal Team is a multidisciplinary team of specialist lawyers delivering high-quality legal support across a diverse portfolio of work, including public law, commercial and procurement law, information law, intellectual property, and litigation. Working in close partnership with operational, scientific and corporate colleagues, the team provides pragmatic, solutions-focused and risk-based legal advice that enables UKHSA to fulfil its mission of protecting public health and strengthening the nation's health security.
The team is seeking to recruit specialist property lawyers with experience in property matters and a working knowledge of construction law. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to complex and impactful legal work within a nationally significant public health organisation.
Working for your organisation
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Job description
Main Duties
This is an exciting opportunity to join UKHSA's multidisciplinary in-house Legal Team and support the organisation's diverse and strategically important property, estates and capital infrastructure portfolio. The postholder will work closely with operational, commercial, scientific and corporate colleagues, providing legal support across a broad range of property and construction matters.
The role will involve advising on a wide range of property matters, including acquisitions, disposals, leases, licences, easements, landlord and tenant issues, and dilapidations, together with construction and estate-related matters arising from UKHSA's estate and capital infrastructure activities. The postholder will support the delivery of projects and operational objectives by providing pragmatic legal advice across property, construction, commercial, regulatory, compliance and governance issues affecting UKHSA's estate and capital projects.
Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, the successful candidate will draft, review and negotiate a broad range of legal documentation, and provide clear, risk-based advice to support effective decision-making. The postholder will work closely with colleagues across UKHSA, the Government Legal Department, other government departments, external legal advisers, Counsel and technical specialists to ensure that legal risks are appropriately identified and managed.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The successful candidate will:
- Have good experience of advising on a range of commercial property matters, together with good working knowledge of construction law, enabling them to support the delivery of UKHSA's property, estates and capital infrastructure programme of works.
- Provide legal advice on acquisitions, disposals, leases, licences, easements, landlord and tenant matters, dilapidations and other property transactions, while supporting the delivery of construction and infrastructure projects, including advising on construction contracts (such as NEC and JCT forms), planning and development issues, and wider regulatory, compliance and governance matters affecting UKHSA's estate and capital projects.
- Draft, review, negotiate and complete a wide range of property and construction-related documentation, identifying legal and commercial risks and providing practical, proportionate and solutions-focused advice.
- Manage a varied caseload, working collaboratively with colleagues across UKHSA, the Government Legal Department, other government departments, external legal advisers, Counsel and technical specialists, and coordinating legal input where matters engage multiple stakeholders or legal disciplines.
- Instruct and manage external legal advisers and Counsel where appropriate, ensuring the delivery of high-quality and cost-effective legal services
- Build effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, communicating complex legal issues clearly and confidently to both legal and non-legal audiences
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of the in-house Legal Team by sharing knowledge, providing guidance within their areas of expertise, supporting corporate initiatives and helping to develop effective and proportionate legal processes.
- Demonstrate strong organisational and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively under pressure, manage competing priorities, meet challenging deadlines and deliver pragmatic legal solutions that support UKHSA's strategic objectives
the above list is not exhaustive
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (FCILEx) with post-qualification experience in commercial property law and a working knowledge of construction law. The successful candidate will have experience of advising on a broad range of commercial property matters, including acquisitions, disposals, leases, licences, easements, landlord and tenant issues and dilapidations. Experience of drafting, negotiating and advising on property documentation, construction contracts (including NEC and JCT forms) and related commercial arrangements is essential. Candidates should demonstrate sound legal judgement, strong commercial awareness and the ability to provide clear, pragmatic and solutions-focused advice to support organisational objectives.
- Strong skills in the effective management of a varied caseload.
- Reliable legal judgement, analysis and appreciation of legal risk and the confidence to give persuasive and balanced risk-based advice and provide solutions orientated with a commercial and strategic focus to meet the clients individual needs
- Excellent and persuasive written and verbal communication and advisory skills with the ability to communicate confidently and sensitively and explain complex issues to those who may be unfamiliar with legal processes/strategies. With the ability to deliver difficult messages with clarity and sensitivity, being persuasive when required
- Promote diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity and create an inclusive working environment where all opinions and challenges are taken into account and bullying, harassment and discrimination are unacceptable.
- Welcome and respond to views and challenges and assumptions from others, despite any conflicting pressures to ignore or give in to them, but at the same time be willing to compromise if beneficial to progress
- Build strong interpersonal relationships and show genuine care for colleagues. Remain available and approachable to all colleagues and be receptive to new ideas and stand by, promote or defend own and teams actions and decisions where needed
Desirable role criteria:
- Experience of working in a scientific or healthcare environment.
- Experience of working on capital infrastructure programme of works.
- Experience of managing instructions to external law firms.
Qualifications and Registrations
For roles where specific qualifications or registrations are required, successful applicants will be asked to provide appropriate evidence. Employment cannot commence until satisfactory documentation has been received and verified.
Incident Response Activity
From time to time, the role holder may be required to support UKHSAs incident response activity by contributing their appropriate expertise within an Incident Cell; during such periods, supported by the line manager, this work will take priority over normal day-to-day responsibilities, commensurate with their grade, skills and experience.
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours ,Experience and Technical skills.
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
- Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
- 1,500 word supporting statement
Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1,500
This should outline how you consider your skills,experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role,with reference to the essential criteria
You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your CV)Please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.
Longlisting:
In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:
- Meets all essential criteria
- Meets some essential criteria
- Meets no essential criteria
If used, the pile(s) Meets all essential criteria will proceed to shortlisting
Shortlisting:
In the event of a large number of applications we may conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:
- Qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (FCILEx) with post-qualification experience in commercial property law and a working knowledge of construction law. The successful candidate will have experience of advising on a broad range of commercial property matters, including acquisitions, disposals, leases, licences, easements, landlord and tenant issues and dilapidations. Experience of drafting, negotiating and advising on property documentation, construction contracts (including NEC and JCT forms) and related commercial arrangements is essential. Candidates should demonstrate sound legal judgement, strong commercial awareness and the ability to provide clear, pragmatic and solutions-focused advice to support organisational objectives.
- Strong skills in the effective management of a varied caseload.
- Reliable legal judgement, analysis and appreciation of legal risk and the confidence to give persuasive and balanced risk-based advice and provide solutions orientated with a commercial and strategic focus to meet the clients individual needs
Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications/large amount of successful candidates
Stage 2: Interview
You will be invited to a single remote interview
Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills will be tested at interview. Technical skills and Experience will be assessed via questioning.
The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be :
- Leadership (lead behaviour )
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
Interview dates are yet to be confirmed
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records
Reserve List
If more than the required number of suitable candidates pass the interview criteria, you may be kept on a reserve list for 12 months subject to your agreement. You may be contacted, in merit-order, if similar roles with closely matching essential criteria become available and the department choose to appoint from a reserve list. The panel will assess if candidates meet the requirement of the role first, using a specific benchmark system. If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available.
Eligibility Criteria - External
This vacancy is open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service as well as internal applicants.
If this role is fixed term and you are not currently a Civil Servant, you will take up the post on a Fixed Term appointment; you may be able to take this role up as a Secondment. If you are an existing Civil Servant, based outside of UKHSA, you will take up the post as a loan which you will need your department to agree. Loans are normally agreed for a period of two years. However, this may be extended where required, subject to agreement between UKHSA and your home department. You cannot take the post up as a fixed term. If you are an existing UKHSA member of staff, you will take up the post as either a level transfer or a temporary promotion as per the UKHSAs Pay policy. If this role is permanent, it may also be available as a loan (for existing Civil Servants only) or secondment arrangement, subject to business need and agreement from the hiring manager and, where applicable, the employee's home organisation
Location - Homebased
This role is being offered as homebased
Future location
UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.
The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
International Police check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.
Internal Fraud check
If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicants personal details name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Baseline Personnel Security Standard
Please note: The Chief Operating Officer (COO) group, where this role sits, is undergoing organisational change over the next 1218 months. While the process is still in the planning stage, some roles may be affected by future restructuring. We are committed to keeping candidates informed and will share updates as they become available.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Recruitment Team
- Email : conny.agyei@ukhsa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk
Will this role count as your QWE, and who will confirm it?
Check it against the SRA’s questions in two minutes. If there is no COLP or solicitor where you work, the SRA lets a solicitor outside confirm it: an FQPS solicitor can, from £149.