Head Of Legal Services

Cheshire East Council; Crewe; Hybrid; GBP 79,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enhanced annual leave

Pension scheme

Flexible working

Buy extra leave

Cycle to work

Employee assistance

Job summary

Cheshire East Council is seeking an experienced leader to head its Legal Services. You will provide strategic direction, manage a large multidisciplinary team and act as Deputy Monitoring Officer, reporting to the Director of Law & Governance.

The role demands governance knowledge, strong commercial awareness, and a track record of service transformation. Lexcel accreditation, stakeholder engagement and sound decision‑making are central to success. Hybrid/remote working is available.

Qualifications

• Qualified as a Solicitor or Barrister.
• Extensive post-qualification legal experience.
• Leadership experience in local government or similar complex settings.
• Strong governance knowledge and public sector decision‑making.
• Experience leading large professional teams and driving transformation.
• Commercial awareness and strategic thinking in a public context.
• Ability to operate in politically sensitive environments.
• Commitment to innovation, customer focus and service excellence.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and management of the Council's Legal Services function.
• Lead and develop a high-performing, customer-focused legal service.
• Act as principal deputy to the Director of Law & Governance for Monitoring Officer responsibilities.
• Provide trusted legal, governance and constitutional advice to senior officers and Members.
• Lead service improvement, innovation and transformation initiatives.
• Promote governance, transparency and ethical conduct.
• Develop service and workforce plans and performance frameworks.
• Lead quality assurance and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Build strong professional relationships across the organisation and externally.
• Support sound decision-making and manage organisational risk.

Skills

Leadership

Governance

Strategic thinking

Commercial awareness

Public sector experience

Change management

Politically sensitive environment

Service transformation

Innovation

Education

Solicitor or Barrister

Job description

Head of Legal Services

This is a pivotal and exciting opportunity to join one of the largest local authorities in North West England at a time of significant change and opportunity.

Cheshire East Council is committed to becoming a high-performing, customer-focused organisation underpinned by strong governance, excellent public services and sound decision-making. Legal Services has a critical role to play in that journey. The legal function sits at the heart of the Council, supporting delivery across all services, enabling transformation and providing assurance that decisions are lawful, transparent and effective.

The Council is ambitious about the future of Legal Services and is committed to building a modern legal practice that combines exceptional technical expertise with outstanding client care, commercial awareness and a relentless focus on service quality. The service is being redesigned to ensure it is aligned to organisational priorities, responsive to client needs and equipped to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex local government environment.

The Council is investing in digitalisation, innovation and new ways of working. It is committed to strengthening performance management, service standards and customer experience, creating a genuinely modern legal service that is recognised internally and externally as a trusted strategic partner.

An important element of this ambition is achieving and maintaining Lexcel accreditation, the recognised benchmark of excellence in legal practice management, client care, governance and continuous improvement.

This role offers a rare opportunity to help shape that future.

Cheshire East Council is seeking an experienced and forward-thinking legal leader who can combine strong professional judgement with strategic vision and operational delivery. The successful candidate will be comfortable working at the most senior levels of the organisation, providing trusted advice on complex issues whilst leading a large multidisciplinary legal team through a period of change and improvement.

For those motivated by the opportunity to build, lead and transform a modern public sector legal service, this is an exceptional opportunity to make a lasting impact and help deliver the Council's ambitions for the future.

Organisation Cheshire East Council Location Crewe Job Category Legal and Governance Grade Senior Management (JNC/Chief Officer) - Senior Manager Salary Min £78,788 Per Annum Salary Max £91,556 Per Annum Hours per week 37 Weeks per year 52.143 Employment Type Permanent Closing Date 08/11/2026 Ref No E3877 Documents

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THE MODEL

The future Legal Services model will be built around five core principles.

• Customer Focus - Legal Services must be easy to access, responsive and focused on meeting customer needs. We want our clients to view Legal Services as trusted advisers who add value and help deliver outcomes.
• Quality and Professional Excellence - The service will operate to clear professional standards supported by robust quality assurance, knowledge management and performance frameworks. Lexcel accreditation will provide an important benchmark for continuous improvement.
• Digitalisation and Innovation - Technology, automation and digital working practices will be embedded across the service. We will maximise opportunities to improve efficiency, knowledge sharing and customer experience through the intelligent use of technology.
• Strategic Partnership - Legal Services will operate as a strategic corporate partner, providing practical solutions and supporting delivery of organisational priorities.
• Continuous Improvement - We expect every part of the service to challenge existing approaches, seek efficiencies and contribute to better outcomes for residents and service users.

SUCCESS AT CHESHIRE EAST

The successful candidate will lead delivery of a programme of improvement focused on:

• Establishing a modern, customer-focused legal service.
• Improving service standards, client feedback and responsiveness.
• Delivering a revised Legal Services operating model aligned to Council priorities.
• Embedding a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.
• Strengthening quality assurance and professional standards.
• Progressing and maintaining Lexcel accreditation.
• Developing workforce capability, succession planning and talent management.
• Enhancing management information, performance reporting and service insight.
• Increasing the effective use of digital tools, automation and knowledge management.
• Strengthening governance, constitutional compliance and organisational assurance.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As Deputy Monitoring Officer, Head of Legal Services, you will:

• Provide strategic leadership and management of the Council's Legal Services function.
• Lead and develop a high-performing, customer-focused legal service.
• Act as principal deputy to the Director of Law & Governance in discharging statutory Monitoring Officer responsibilities.
• Provide trusted legal, governance and constitutional advice to senior officers and elected Members.
• Lead service improvement, innovation and transformation activity.
• Promote the highest standards of governance, transparency and ethical conduct.
• Develop service plans, workforce plans and performance frameworks.
• Lead quality assurance and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Build strong professional relationships across the organisation and externally.
• Contribute positively to the Council's improvement agenda and medium‑term sustainability objectives.
• Work closely with the Monitoring Officer, Section 151 Officer, Chief Executive and Members to support sound decision‑making and manage organisational risk.

LEADERSHIP SUPPORT

You will have the full support of the Director of Law & Governance, Corporate Leadership Team and senior colleagues in driving the development of Legal Services as a modern, influential and highly regarded professional service.

The Council recognises the importance of investing in legal capability and governance and is committed to delivering a legal function that supports organisational excellence.

ABOUT YOU

We are seeking an inspirational and credible legal leader with:

• Qualification as a Solicitor or Barrister.
• Extensive post-qualification legal experience.
• Significant leadership experience within local government or a similarly complex environment.
• A strong understanding of governance, constitutional law and public sector decision‑making.
• Experience of leading and developing large professional teams.
• A track record of service transformation and organisational improvement.
• Strong commercial awareness and strategic thinking.
• Experience of operating successfully in politically sensitive environments.
• A commitment to innovation, customer focus and service excellence.
• The leadership capability to build a culture of accountability, learning and high performance.

WHAT WE GIVE IN RETURN

ENHANCED ANNUAL LEAVE - 34 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holidays) from day 1, increasing up to 39 days after only 5 years’ service.

ENHANCED PUBLIC PENSION - A career average pension (contributions built at a rate of 1/49th of your yearly pensionable pay).

FLEXIBLE WORKING PATTERN - 37-hour standard full-time working week with flexi time and hybrid/remote working arrangements.

PURCHASE OF ANNUAL LEAVE - The ability to purchase up to 10 days’ extra annual leave each year in addition to your normal annual leave entitlements (this is pro‑ra for part‑time staff).

CYCLE TO WORK SCHEME - Receive up Income Tax and National Insurance savings of up to 25-39% off the retail price of the bike and safety equipment package (savings dependent on the value of your chosen package and your tax status).

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME - A completely free to use and confidential assistance service for all employees to help staff manage, reduce and overcome the impact of life issues which they may experience from time to time, both within work and their personal life.

VIRGIN MEDIA AND O2 DISCOUNTS - Exclusive discounts on Virgin Media Broadband and O2 pay monthly plans.

DISCOUNTED GYM MEMBERSHIPS - Access to corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure which includes:

• Gym, Swim and Group Fitness at all 16 facilities
• Off-Peak Racket Sports
• Athletics Tracks
• Sauna/Steam/Spa