Assistant Head of Legal Services (Housing and Litigation)

Greenwich Council; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Greenwich Council seeks an experienced Assistant Head of Legal Services in Housing and Litigation. This strategic role involves leading a legal team, advising on complex legal matters, and ensuring high-quality service within the local government framework. Ideal candidates will have extensive experience in legal practice and a strong commitment to public service.

Benefits

28 days annual leave, rising to 31 days

Excellent local government pension scheme

Agile and flexible working arrangements

Annual season ticket loan

Cycle to Work Scheme

Learning and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Significant experience in Housing & Litigation law, ideally within local government.
• Qualified solicitor, barrister, or FILEX with a practicing certificate.
• Strong leadership and management experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Housing & Litigation legal team.
• Provide strategic and high-quality legal advice.
• Support Director of Legal Services in achieving goals.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Strategic Thinking

Education

Solicitor or Barrister qualification

Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives (FILEX)

Job description

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Assistant Head of Legal Services (Housing and Litigation), London

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Client:

Greenwich Council

Location:

London, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

b48d5483b43f

Job Views:

4

Posted:

29.06.2025

Expiry Date:

13.08.2025

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Job Description:

Are you an experienced Housing & Litigation Lawyer ready to lead with impact?

We’re looking for a dynamic and strategic legal professional to join our high-performing in-house team as Assistant Head of Legal Services (Housing & Litigation). If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and have a passion for public service, this could be your next career step.

About Royal Greenwich

At Royal Greenwich, we’re proud of our heritage and excited for our future. Home to a World Heritage Site and a vibrant, diverse community, we are committed to delivering first-class services and unlocking the borough’s potential — even amidst financial challenges. Our elected members have an ambitious vision, and legal services play a vital role in bringing that to life.

The Role

As Assistant Head of Legal Services, you’ll lead our Housing & Litigation legal team and contribute to the wider management of Legal Services. This is a key senior leadership role within the Directorate, where you’ll advise on complex legal matters and work directly with councillors, committees, senior officers, and external partners.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the Housing & Litigation legal team.
• Provide strategic and high-quality legal advice to support major projects and initiatives.
• Manage a complex and varied personal caseload.
• Collaborate with internal departments and external legal partners.
• Support the Director of Legal Services in achieving service and organisational goals.
• Contribute to team development and performance management.
• Act as a trusted adviser and persuasive senior colleague to a wide range of stakeholders.

What We’re Looking For

We’re seeking a qualified and confident legal professional who can inspire trust and deliver results.

• A qualified solicitor, barrister, or Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives (FILEX) with a current practising certificate.
• Significant experience in Housing & Litigation law, ideally within a local government setting.
• Strong leadership and management experience.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• A strategic thinker with the ability to manage risk and drive change.
• Committed to continuous improvement and mentoring others.

Why Join Us?

At Royal Greenwich, we value our staff and offer a comprehensive package of benefits and support:

Employee Benefits:

• 28 days annual leave, rising to 31 days after 5 years’ service.
• Excellent local government pension scheme.
• Agile and flexible working arrangements.
• Annual season ticket loan.
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Learning and development opportunities to help you thrive and progress.
• Commitment to personal and professional growth.

How to Apply

Each application will be scored on how well the supporting statement addresses the Person Specification, which is provided alongside this advert. Please ensure your supporting statement clearly outlines how you meet each point in the specification.

Diversity Statement: Royal Borough of Greenwich values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this. We therefore encourage applications from all sections of the community.

High Volume Applications: Royal Borough of Greenwich reserves the right to close any vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date should there be a high volume of applications received.

Advert Close: All vacancies close at midnight unless otherwise stated.

Full Employment History: A full employment history is required for this role. Please provide a full employment history, together with a satisfactory written explanation of any gaps in employment.

How Applications are Scored: Each application is scored according to how well the supporting statement addresses each point on the Person Specification for the role. Candidates will be short-listed for interview on the extent to which they meet the specific points within the Person Specification. The Person Specification is supplied with the job advert. When completing your application, please use the supporting statement section to tell us how you meet each of the points on the Person Specification. We need to have this information in order to consider your application.

Salary: Salaries advertised are for a standard working week of 35 hours unless otherwise stated. Please use this to help you calculate a pro rata salary.

Our Staff Values: are important to us. Candidates will be continuously assessed against our staff values throughout the recruitment process. Where candidates demonstrate views and behaviours that do not meet the standards of our staff values, we reserve the right to reject their application/ registration.