Legal Services, Assistant Team Leader (Property)

Buckinghamshire Council; Aylesbury; Hybrid; GBP 67,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Buckinghamshire Council seeks an Assistant Team Leader in Legal Services to support property management. The role includes managing junior staff and handling complex legal matters while contributing to client care. Ideal candidates should have significant legal experience and leadership skills in a hybrid working environment.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Generous Pension Scheme

Discounted gym memberships

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Candidates must have a strong work ethic and management experience.
• Commitment to staff development and legal expertise in property law is essential.

Responsibilities

• Assist the team leader in managing a team of lawyers.
• Undertake complex legal work related to property.

Skills

Leadership

Team Management

Legal Expertise

Education

Solicitor, Barrister, or Legal Executive qualification

Job description

Legal Services, Assistant Team Leader (Property)

Location: Aylesbury

The salary range for this position is £67,075 - £74,136 per annum, dependent on experience.

About us

Legal Services is at the heart of the Organisation and provides a fast-paced and rewarding career in a supportive environment. The in-house legal service supports the Council’s ambitions to establish one of the best councils in the Country, creating positive change for local people, communities and business. This is an exciting time to join us, as we continue to grow and develop our service.

The Property team supports the Council’s activities connected with its property portfolio including the Council’s companies and trusts. The Council’s portfolio consists of a variety of commercial property, open spaces, car parks, retail, offices, common land and highways, including land held on trust. We ensure that the Council acts within a complex legal framework and assist the client areas in obtaining the most commercially advantageous terms.

By working with us, you are part of something bigger. From supporting residents who are at the heart of what we do, to shaping our county for now and future generations – as a Buckinghamshire Council employee, you contribute to the local community, whatever your role. As one of the biggest local authorities in the UK, we are part of a network of partners spanning both public and private sectors.

Our services are wide-ranging, and the opportunities to grow and progress are endless.

You will assist the team leader to manage a team of specialist lawyers and act as a senior liaison point for clients. Together, you’ll ensure the team operates effectively and efficiently with the highest standards of client care, building and maintaining effective working relationships with senior managers in the client departments, and deputising for the Team Leader when required. You will have direct line management responsibility for junior lawyers and apprentices. A personal commitment to staff development and supervision is essential.

You will undertake complex and high profile legal work, advising senior officers and members in a proactive and politically sensitive manner in line with the Council’s vision, values and strategic objectives.

Working Style:

Legal Services works in a hybrid manner with a mixture of office based and home working. As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you will be required to work from the Council’s Walton Street office 40-60% of the week or in line with business need and team requirements. You will have full remote access to enable you to work from home the remainder of the time. You may also be required to attend meetings across the county and at times further afield.

During any probationary/learning period you may be required to attend the office more frequently for training. Attendance is required on collaboration team working days at the Walton Street Offices.

About you

We welcome applications from Solicitors, Barristers and Legal Executives, who are expert in their field and an outstanding manager of professional staff, built from a career in either the public or private sector. With a strong work ethic and a desire to learn from each other, our teams work collaboratively to ensure the best outcomes for the Council.

You will contribute as an active team member and support and engage in the development of junior members of the team. You will also contribute to the Legal Service’s objectives ensuring the provision of an effective, consistent, and high-quality service that is responsive to customer demands.

We are seeking an exceptional assistant team leader whose vision aligns with ours, and whose contribution will help us achieve our goals. You will be a lawyer with significant experience and expert in the specialism of the role. You’ll be highly self-motivated and proactive, with an ability to work under pressure in a fast paced environment. Previous experience of supervising or mentoring people is preferred.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are as part of the management of legal services you will have an important role in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

Other information

Selection will be based on an interview to take place at the Council’s offices in Walton Street, Aylesbury. If you would like to have an informal conversation with the recruiting manager, please contact: Preetinder Cheema on 01895 837231.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

a fair and inclusive culture

• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

The Assistant Chief Executive directorate is central to Buckinghamshire Council’s journey to establish itself as one of the best councils in the country. With a clear focus on service improvement through transformation and a drive to build better relationships with the local community, the directorate is fast-paced; but extremely rewarding. Our teams are not only proactively delivering on projects and plans but also reacting to developing situations. If you are ambitious, innovative, and would relish the opportunity to influence change - a role within our service area could be your next career move.

The team includes exciting areas of work, including a brand new localities model – delivering 16 community boards across the county to make it easy for our residents to engage with us as we work together to plan for the future. Other teams include our Policy and Communications and Legal and Democratic Services teams – innovating the way we communicate with our colleagues, Members and the local community, and role-modelling best practice through policy, planning and legal services. If you think you can help us achieve our goals, and want to be a part of this exciting journey, we would love to hear from you!

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.