Senior Legal Policy Manager, SOLICITORS REGULATION AUTHORITY

Guardian Jobs; London (OR); Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a legal policy expert to lead strategic policy projects that impact the legal sector. In this senior role, you will leverage your legal expertise to engage with senior stakeholders and drive innovative policy development. Your responsibilities will include managing complex projects, providing high-quality legal advice, and mentoring legal advisers. This position offers a hybrid working model, allowing you to balance your time between the office and home. If you're passionate about making a meaningful contribution to the legal landscape, this is the opportunity for you.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer with a current practising certificate in common law.
• Significant experience in legal policy within regulatory environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop major policy projects ensuring compliance with legislation.
• Engage with stakeholders and represent the organization at meetings.

Skills

Legal Policy Expertise

Stakeholder Engagement

Analytical Skills

Problem-Solving

Interpersonal Skills

Education

Qualified Solicitor/Barrister/CILEX Lawyer

Job description

We are seeking a legal policy expert to deliver on strategic policy projects deriving from our Corporate Strategy.

What's in it for you

• Leverage your policy expertise to lead and deliver significant policy projects that contribute meaningfully to the legal sector
• Independently engage with senior stakeholders, both internally and externally, to drive policy development
• Apply your innovation and problem-solving skills in an evolving sector

The role

Reporting to the Deputy General Counsel, this senior role requires an individual who can work independently, leveraging their legal expertise to lead, advise, and develop strategic policy projects.

As the most senior legal policy advisor in the SRA, you will be at the forefront of our policy initiatives, providing high-quality regulatory and public law advice. You will lead complex projects, ensuring that our policies are not only compliant with current legislation but also innovative and forward-thinking.

Key responsibilities include leading and developing major policy projects, working with policy colleagues on the strategic development and implementation of key policies, and ensuring regulatory policy projects are managed and delivered on time and to high standards. You will engage with internal and external stakeholders, confidently representing the SRA at various meetings and forums.

Additionally, you will provide innovative solutions to complex legal problems, manage external lawyers and counsel, and offer clear and precise legal drafting. Your role will also involve supporting the coaching and mentoring of legal advisers, promoting diversity and inclusion, and acting as a positive role model within the organisation.

What we are looking for

• A qualified solicitor, barrister, CILEX lawyer, registered European lawyer or an equivalent qualified lawyer in a common law or other jurisdiction, with a current practising certificate
• Proven and significant experience as a legal policy lawyer providing high quality advice in an equivalent regulatory and/or public law environment
• Track record of leading and delivering solutions, taking accountability for the successful resolution of very complex issues
• Highly analytical and intellectually agile, able to learn and manage complexity quickly.
• Proven ability to synthesise research and data to inform policy development
• Strong interpersonal skills combined with experience of establishing and maintaining effective relationships and working with a range of internal and external stakeholders - including those at the most senior levels.
• Proactive, open to challenge and able to make difficult decisions to progress projects to required timescales.

Useful and additional information

There is a Role Profile attached at the bottom of the advert on our website.

This role can be based from our Birmingham, Cardiff or London office. We operate on a hybrid working model which means working 1-2 days a week in the office, and rest of the week from home. The starting salary for this role is between £70,000 - £80,000 depending on relevant knowledge, skills and experience. For those eligible, an additional 10% London weighting will apply (salary range of £77,000 - £88,000).

We are happy to discuss scope for flexible working arrangements within the full-time hours (35 hours). If you have any questions that are not answered in the advert or on our website, or would like to have a confidential chat you can contact us via: [e-mail].

To apply

Please click 'apply' to complete the online application form and upload a CV and cover letter, addressing how you meet the requirements of the role. The Cover Letter should be no longer than 2 pages.

To find out more about the recruitment and selection process and how to make the most of your application, please visit our jobs pages.

Closing date for applications is 12 May at 09:00. Interviews are anticipated to take place week of 26 May, in person, in either our Birmingham or London office.