Legal Team Manager

Ministry of Justice; Folkestone; Hybrid; GBP 58,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental legal organization in England seeks a Tier 3 Legal Team Manager to lead legal operations and manage staff. The role involves building stakeholder relationships, ensuring service quality, and driving performance improvement. Candidates require leadership experience and a legal qualification. Salary ranges from £58,511 to £65,329. The position allows for hybrid working arrangements.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Competitive pension scheme

Childcare benefits

Flexible work-time options

Qualifications

• Excellent leadership and people‑management skills required.
• Knowledge in a specialist legal practice area is essential.
• Ability to present complex information clearly.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage Legal Advisers and legal staff.
• Create and maintain relationships with stakeholders.
• Ensure high-quality delivery of legal operations.
• Champion a culture valuing quality legal advice.
• Provide strategic direction and lead change.
• Build effective relationships with magistrates and partners.
• Support the development of staff in legal functions.
• Represent SLMs in regional and national projects.

Skills

Leadership skills

Communication skills

People management

Legal knowledge

Education

Authorized Court Staff Qualification

Job description

Overview

As a Tier 3 Legal Team Manager you will be at the forefront of delivering an improved service and experience to our customers both in and outside the courtroom. HMCTS Legal Operations are implementing a new organisational design, and the Legal Team Manager role is a core focus of this change. This role emphasises people leadership, strategic influence and wellbeing, empowering Tier 3 managers to lead with clarity, purpose and impact. It allows legal managers to focus on legal specialisms while contributing to talent development and cross‑agency collaboration across a wider range of legal initiatives.

Magistrates' Courts handle approximately 95% of criminal cases, 70% of civil cases and 60% of family cases. Dealing with cases justly and speedily, and in ways that meet the needs of court users, is at the heart of what we do.

Responsibilities

In this role you will:

• Lead and manage Legal Advisers and other legal staff within your business area, supporting Senior Legal Managers (SLMs) and the Head of Legal Operations (HoLO) in the delivery of legal operations services.
• Create, develop and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, managing their varying and complex needs.
• Ensure high‑quality delivery of day‑to‑day legal operations and oversee the management of legal queries and complaints, turning them into opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Champion a culture that values the legal profession, delivers quality legal advice, and drives performance to support the delivery of justice.
• Provide clear strategic direction, lead by example and champion change that delivers results and improved performance across the region.
• Build effective working relationships with magistrates, other judicial office holders, local operational leaders and partner organisations to ensure hearings operate effectively and efficiently.
• Support the development of staff, ensuring they have the skills and knowledge to exercise legal functions, support sound judicial decisions and advance their careers as lawyers.
• Represent SLMs and HoLO as required, taking responsibility for legal and jurisdictional leadership on regional and national projects.

Hybrid Working

You will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your working time in an office, subject to local estate capacity. Hybrid working arrangements are offered where business need allows, blending work from your base location, different MoJ sites and or from home. This role must be based in the UK.

Key Qualifications

• Satisfy the Authorized Court Staff (Legal Advice Functions) (Qualification Regulations) 2020.
• Excellent leadership and people‑management skills to drive a professional, performance‑driven culture and coach/mentor others.
• Knowledge and skills in a specialist legal practice area, or the ability and willingness to acquire them quickly.
• Excellent communication skills – able to present complex information clearly to stakeholders.

Salary and Benefits

National salary range: £58,511 – £65,329. London salary range: £63,343 – £70,725. Salary depends on base location.

We offer a range of benefits including generous annual leave, a competitive pension scheme, childcare benefits, season ticket and bicycle loans, and flexible work‑time options.