Head of Legal Service

Royal Borough of Greenwich; London; On-site; GBP 200,000 +; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in London seeks a Head of Legal Services to ensure corporate governance and legal compliance. The role demands a qualified legal professional with extensive local authority experience and a passion for public service. The successful candidate will manage legal teams, provide strategic legal guidance, and support compliance with governance requirements in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

Supportive work environment

Professional development opportunities

Commitment to diversity and inclusion

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in local authority legal practice.
• Proven track record of providing legal advice to senior leaders.
• Experience managing legal teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Council's corporate governance to ensure lawful decisions.
• Provide legal assurance to senior officers and stakeholders.
• Manage and develop up to 37 Legal Services staff.

Skills

Legal expertise

Communication

Management

Political acumen

Education

Qualified solicitor, barrister, or chartered legal executive

Job description

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Job Introduction

Are you an experienced or aspiring Head of Legal Services ready to lead with impact?

We're looking for a dynamic and strategic legal professional to join our high-performing in-house team as Head of Legal Services. 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.

About the Role

The Royal Borough of Greenwich is seeking a dynamic and experienced Head of Legal Services to lead and manage one of our Legal Services teams and deputise for the Director of Legal & Democratic Services / Monitoring Officer when required.

This senior leadership role is pivotal in ensuring the Council's corporate governance and legal compliance are maintained at the highest standards. You will oversee the lawfulness and fairness of decision-making processes, support the transformation and development of Legal Services, and lead on strategic policy, service planning, and corporate citizenship.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as Deputy Monitoring Officer, stepping in as needed to support governance and legal oversight.
• Lead the Council's corporate governance to ensure decisions are lawful and fair, overseeing the Constitution and safeguarding democratic processes.
• Provide legal assurance to senior officers, elected members, and stakeholders on governance, ethical, and legal frameworks.
• Manage and develop a Legal Services team of up to 37 directly managed staff and oversee up to 50 consultancy/contracting staff.
• Lead on compliance with information management legislation including FOIA, EIA, and DPA.
• Support the delivery of the Greenwich Legal Services vision, including service transformation and innovation.
• Act as a senior legal advisor to the Leader of the Council, Cabinet, Chief Executive, and General Management Team.
• Represent Legal Services in corporate initiatives, policy groups, and external forums.
• Provide high-level legal advice, supervision, and continuous professional development to legal fee earners.
• Ensure recruitment, appraisal, workload management, and performance are aligned with Council policies.

About You

• Qualified solicitor, barrister, or chartered legal executive with extensive experience in local authority legal practice.
• Proven track record of providing legal advice and support to senior leaders and key decision-makers.
• Skilled communicator, able to engage effectively with elected members, senior managers, and staff at all levels.
• Experienced in managing legal teams, including performance management of fee earners.
• Politically astute with the ability to navigate a sensitive and complex political environment.
• Knowledgeable about best practice, innovation, and continuous improvement in legal services.
• Commitment to the Council's equal opportunities and staff values, promoting a positive and inclusive workplace.
• Desirable: Management qualification and experience in multiple legal practice areas.

Why Join Us?

The Royal Borough of Greenwich offers a supportive, forward-thinking environment where you will have the opportunity to shape and lead our Legal Services as part of a dedicated leadership team. We are committed to diversity, inclusion, and professional development, ensuring you can grow your career while making a real impact on the community.

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.

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

Early Advert Close: Royal Borough of Greenwich reserves the right to close any job advert earlier than the advertised closing date where there is reason to do so (for example high volume of applications).

How Applications are Scored: Each application is scored according to how well the supporting statements 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 statements 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 'Salary Calculator to help you calculate a pro rata salary.

Our Staff Values: 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.

Attached documents

• Job Description
• Recruitment Pack
• Person Specification