Legal Team Manager – People

Grade/Salary CEC JNC – Grade 14/ £60,348 to £64,020 per annum

Ref No E2171

Closing Date 16 June 2023

Legal Team Manager responsible for the ‘People’ Team of Professionals within Cheshire East’s Legal Services Team.

This is a full-time permanent role and covers the areas of adults and children’s social care, as well as education and special educational needs.

Cheshire East is an amazing place to live and work. As one of the largest employers in the borough, we are able to offer you a wide range of challenging and rewarding career opportunities.

At Cheshire East Council we are working for a brighter future – together and our commitment to you is that our workplace culture will provide a shared purpose, a well-led organisation with valued people succeeding together as one team and one council to deliver the best service for our customers and communities.

If you want to be part of our award-winning council and contribute to our ongoing success, have the flexibility and drive to enable us to innovate, are committed to working as part of a team and striving to deliver exceptional service wherever you can, we would especially like to hear from you.

As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and want our workforce to reflect the diversity of our local communities so that we can all work for a brighter future – together.

Brighter Future

Employee benefits (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

LEGAL TEAM MANAGER (PEOPLE)

An exciting opportunity has arisen within Cheshire East’s Legal Services Team for a Legal Team Manager responsible for our ‘People’ team of professionals.

This is a full-time permanent role and covers the areas of adults and children’s social care, as well education and special educational needs.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As well as having overall professional responsibility and accountability for the areas of law relating to adults and children’s social care, education and special educational needs, you will work with the Head of Service, Legal Team Manager (Place) and Legal Practice Manager to progress change and innovation and ensure a strategically focused and outcomes driven service.

You will assist in the management of the services budget, recruit and develop staff, as well as developing and maintaining relationships with Senior Leaders, client departments, Elected Members, Trade Unions, and key partners and stakeholders.

Working closely with clients, you will understand the issues they face and the wider political environment they work in, understanding this landscape and providing advice and assistance on its impact.

You will deputise for the Head of Service and Legal Team Manager (Place) as required as well as acting as Deputy Monitoring Officer.

You will provide advice and support at a strategic level including on complex legal matters, attending meetings with Council, committees, panels and officers, advising as required.

This role is diverse and no two days are the same. For more information please view the ‘In This Job You Will’ section of the attached JDPS document.

Documents

ABOUT YOU

You will;

  • Be an admitted solicitor, barrister or legal executive with a current practising certificate or equivalent.
  • Have extensive post qualification experience in a least two of the following;
    • Adults social care
    • Childrens Social care
    • Education
    • Have experience of providing high level strategic legal advice.
    • Have experience of operating at a senior level within a local authority or similar public or private sector organisation and of managing a team of staff within that organisation.
    • Be able to represent the Council.
    • Demonstrate a proven track record in a pressurised and deadline driven environment.
    • Have well-developed written and verbal influencing skills.
    • Be able to embody the Council’s values including transformation, service improvement, diversity and equality.

Find out more about our essential criteria for the role please view the ‘In This Job You Will Need’ section within the attached JDPS document.

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 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-rata 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

•PAID VOLUNTEER LEAVE – Up to two days paid leave per year to volunteer for local organisations in the borough of Cheshire East

•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

To find out more about our rewards and benefits package, please click on the following link; Employee benefits (cheshireeast.gov.uk)

ABOUT US

Cheshire East is an amazing place to live and work. As one of the largest employers in the borough, we can offer you a wide range of challenging and rewarding career opportunities. At Cheshire East Council we are working for a brighter future – together and our commitment to you is that our workplace culture will provide a shared purpose, a well-led organisation with valued people succeeding together as one team and one council to deliver the best service for our customers and communities.

HOW TO APPLY

If you want to be part of our award-winning council and contribute to our ongoing success, have the flexibility and drive to enable us to innovate, are committed to working as part of a team and striving to deliver exceptional service wherever you can, we would especially like to hear from you. To apply for the role please click apply for this job at the bottom of the page, or, for or an informal chat about the role please contact: Janet Witkowski – Head of Legal Services via email janet.witkowski@cheshireeast.gov.uk

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information please contact Janet Witkowski via the email address above.

Cheshire East Council is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults across the Borough. As such, any cautions, convictions, reprimands or final warnings that are ‘not protected’ as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) order 1975 (as amended in 2013) relating to the non-disclosure of spent convictions do not apply to this job. You must therefore, disclose whether you have any previous convictions where prompted to do so within the application process.

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Please ensure you check the email account (including junk/spam boxes) from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application.

If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date then it is likely that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion, however please do not be discouraged from applying again. For any technical enquiries please email: sourcingteam@ecwip.co.uk.

Please quote the job reference number in all correspondence.

Apply on line at https://jobs.cheshireeast.gov.uk/vacancy/legal-team-manager-people-526552.html