Legal Services Manager - Basildon Borough Council

The Role

We believe in Basildon as a place of opportunity where hard work and community contribution are the signposts for success. A Basildon where our children and young people can flourish, enjoying fulfilling and active lives of aspiration and achievement. A Basildon we can all be proud of with a safe, clean public realm, regenerated town centres, high quality public services and outstanding infrastructure. This is our blueprint for Basildon.

The Opportunity

We're looking for an experienced Legal Services Manager to lead the Council's Legal Services - including managing our Legal, data protection and information governance functions and acting as the Council's Deputy Monitoring Officer. Reporting to the Assistant Director Legal & Democracy you'll provide high-level legal expertise to the Council's leadership team, senior officers, and elected councillors while also leading the service to ensure that high quality advice is provided that is delivered effectively, efficiently and timely to keep the Council safe from litigation.

A fully qualified solicitor or barrister with a current practising certificate, you will be an effective and experienced manager, with demonstrable extensive relevant experience, at a senior level.

Key accountabilities

1. To assist the Assistant Director of Legal and Democracy in the development and delivery of service and action plans, objectives and priorities for legal services within the agreed budget.
2. To be responsible for the provision of high quality advice to the Leader, members and officers on complex and confidential legal and governance matters.
3. To directly support the Monitoring Officer as the Deputy Monitoring Officer (subject to appointment by the Monitoring Officer) by providing advice and assistance on (i) constitutional and ethical practice (ii) local government law, practice and procedure (iii) developing, improving, implementing and the application of procedures under codes of conduct, protocols and other practice/procedure/policy documents (iv) reviewing the constitution from time to time and making sure any revisions agreed are implemented without delay.

Leadership and Management

1. To lead by example and set exemplary standards in all aspects of personal work management and general organisation and ethical conduct. Lead and manage a multi-disciplinary professional workload to be delivered by appropriately skilled and qualified staff or providers, encouraging continuing professional development. Ensuring the management of resources between multiple requirements and other emerging demands.
2. Conduct regular one-to-one, team meetings and individual performance reviews with direct reports. Identify and respond to staff training needs and comply with relevant policies and procedures such as equal opportunities, diversity, and undertaking formal reviews in absence management, investigation, discipline and grievance procedures.
3. Be responsible, as Cost Centre Manager, for the day-to-day financial performance of the service and monitor income and expenditure effectively assessing progress against the business plan and future forecasting. The role requires budget resource management of a service budget of approximately £1.1m and contract management.
4. To ensure compliance with SRA requirements, practice procedure rules for the legal service.
5. To lead, manage and motivate officers within the team and determine the work priorities for the legal service ensuring the delivery of high quality, risk-based, timely, pragmatic advice.
6. To develop a culture of accountability, responsibility, transparency and empowerment in service provision whilst at the same time being supportive of an individual's pastoral and development needs.
7. Ensuring that legal tasks are documented and workflows created and reviewed regularly ensuring correct governance is followed.
8. To lead change and innovative practice within the service, agreeing and embedding changes in working practices to the benefit of the service and the council.
9. To ensure that service delivery complies with current regulations, accepted professional standards, the council's policies and procedures and appropriate legislation (including legislation on data protection, equalities, health and safety and safeguarding children and vulnerable adults). To lead the team in line with the council's Performance Management Framework and people management policies. To be responsible for improvements to and subsequent performance of an effective case management system for Legal Services and embed procedures that minimise practice risk.
10. Ensure a full understanding of corporate initiatives and priorities through effective internal and external stakeholder management.
11. Provide high-level and technical advice and guidance to senior officers and elected members in respect of all team functions, ensuring high standards of professional and appropriate communication on such matters and ensuring Officers and Members comply with relevant legislation.

Legal and Monitoring Officer

1. To act as the deputy for the Assistant Director of Legal and Democracy and Monitoring officer.
2. To develop and maintain effective working relationships with the Leader, Elected Members and senior officers so that they are well informed and involved.
3. To represent the Council at meetings such as Council, Committee and Cabinet meetings as may be required for the purpose of providing legal and constitutional advice.
4. To provide the legal implications on Council reports for all Committees, Cabinet and Council meetings in a timely and professional manner.
5. To be responsible for the provision of accurate and effective advice on information governance issues and to support the Assistant Director Legal and Democracy in leading the council's RIPA, FOI and data protection responsibilities.
6. To provide legal advice in complex matters and to act as a mentor to others, ensuring the provision of timely, quality legal advice and support to a range of major corporate projects.
7. To manage the provision of the Council's legal services and ensure it delivers value for money.
8. Deputise for the Assistant Director Legal and Democracy as required.
9. To be responsible for liaising with external solicitors, barristers etc to represent the Council and ensure the Council is made aware of all key risks to decisions and to work with CLT to minimise these risks.
10. To undertake any other duties commensurate with the level and expectation of this post (including emergency planning).

The Experience You Will Bring

1. Demonstrable experience of providing high quality legal advice and guidance in a complex environment.
2. Experience of local authority decision-making and providing advice and guidance to elected members.
3. Ability to assimilate information quickly and accurately, and distil the key issues from long and complex documents.
4. Demonstrable experience of negotiating at a high level with a range of stakeholders including within complex political environments.
5. Ability to work under pressure and achieve pre-determined and conflicting deadlines.
6. Experience of interpreting information, with a flexible and creative problem-solving approach, making rational, realistic and sound decisions.
7. Experience of document and legal case management systems.
8. Demonstrable experience of leading and managing professional, technical and support staff at a senior level.
9. Experience of contract management with strong commercial acumen.
10. Fully qualified solicitor or barrister with a current practising certificate with more than 5 years PQE.

If you would like to see a copy of the full role profile please email thea.towers@essex.gov.uk

Why choose Basildon Council?

Basildon Borough Council is one of the largest local authorities in the East of England region and serves a population of approximately 172,000 people. The town of Basildon is regarded as a key economic hub with the main areas of employment being engineering, research and development, distribution and financial services. Basildon is also the second biggest economy in the Thames Gateway, outside of Canary Wharf.

Working for Basildon Borough Council means making a practical and positive difference to the lives of people living and working in the Borough and provides a fulfilling career.

Each of our employees - whatever job role they are undertaking - can feel motivated by having a unique opportunity to use their skills to make Basildon a better place to live. Whether it is conserving our countryside, by regenerating our Borough, by housing our residents or by collecting the refuse on time.

Note: ECC are advertising this role on behalf of Basildon Council.

Basildon Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults, and expects all employees, contractors and volunteers to share its commitment to prevent abuse, harm or exploitation.

The Council applies a robust recruitment vetting process. If you are successful you will need to undergo a Pre-employment Vetting Procedure.