Location
Westway Information Centre, Kensington & Chelsea Citizens Advice

Hours
Full Time - standard local government hours with flexible working arrangements

Salary
Competitive salary at Grade J

About the Role
Provide expert legal leadership on the planning, highways and licensing decisions that shape our borough.

As a Principal Lawyer, you will lead a specialist legal team advising on complex planning, highways and licensing matters. Your expertise will help ensure the Council makes robust, transparent decisions that support our communities and shape the future of the borough.

You will spend the majority of your week in the Borough or City Hall, working in an agile way to lead the Bi-Borough team. Whether on the frontline or behind the scenes, you will be part of a dedicated team making a real difference to residents’ lives.

You will lead a team of around ten legal professionals, including solicitors and paralegals, ensuring the delivery of high-quality legal advice that supports the Council’s priorities.

Alongside managing and developing your team, you will personally handle a caseload of complex and high-profile planning matters and be knowledgeable in one or both of the following areas: highways and licensing. Your work will involve advising senior officers and elected members on significant decisions affecting the borough.

You will regularly attend committee meetings, providing legal, procedural and governance advice to ensure decisions are legally sound and transparent.

This role operates across two central London authorities as part of a bi-borough legal service, offering the opportunity to work on some of the most high-profile planning and licensing matters in the country.

Working closely with Monitoring Officers and senior colleagues, you will help shape policy, guide decision-making and contribute to the ongoing development of the service. You will also foster a culture of technical excellence, collaboration and professional growth within your team.

At RBKC, we invest in our people, communities and future. You will work within a respected legal service supporting two central London councils, with exposure to complex and high-profile planning and licensing work.

We offer a supportive environment where innovation is encouraged and professional growth is prioritised. Flexible working arrangements and a collaborative team culture will help you balance meaningful work with a healthy work-life balance.

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.

As a competent and caring Council, we take pride in our work every day, ensuring our 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. By providing expert legal leadership and supporting complex decision-making, you help ensure the borough continues to grow in a way that is fair, well-governed and responsive to the needs of our communities.

Interviews will be held in person week commencing 21st September 2026.

Experience
You will be a qualified Solicitor or Barrister entitled to practise in England and Wales, with strong experience in planning and also highways or licensing law.

You will have a proven track record of leading or managing legal teams and the ability to provide clear and confident legal advice on complex matters.

Strong stakeholder management skills are essential. You will be comfortable advising senior officers and elected members, communicating complex legal issues in a clear and practical way.

Experience or interest in wider areas of local government law will also help you thrive in this collaborative legal service.

About you
You will demonstrate strong judgement, political awareness and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-moving local government environment.

A commitment to professional standards, equality and inclusive service delivery will be central to how you work.

You will foster a culture of technical excellence, collaboration and professional growth within your team.

Qualifications
Qualified Solicitor or Barrister entitled to practise in England and Wales.