Supervising Associate

Up to £68,850 per annum

Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of 2 million residents, and has a very successful track record of delivering transformational change. ECC anticipated change was needed in the public sector and has worked to deliver better quality at lower cost. We have an ambitious transformation agenda – one with the scope to reach every part of the council. We are changing the way we think, the way we work, and the ways in which we deliver our services. We are committed to becoming a place where individuals, partners and communities feel proud to play their role and genuinely want to belong. We’re immensely proud of our flexible working options.

Essex Legal Services (ELS) is part of Essex County Council (ECC) providing high quality, professional, legal advice across the Council and to external clients. This role works as part of a specialist legal team providing advice and guidance to clients which underpins effective decision making, performance management and meets statutory requirements. The successful applicant will, work closely with senior leaders, make a real difference to the delivery of Essex Legal Services’ business and the business of our clients, which may include managing or supervising staff. You will be a qualified solicitor / lawyer, or chartered legal executive, with significant post qualification experience and be a member of the appropriate professional body. You will have significant experience working as a lawyer, managing other legal staff, commercial awareness to contribute to the development and maintenance of streams of business and the ability to build excellent working relationships that encourage collaboration and exert influence, to drive a continuous improvement culture. Accountabilities:

• Accountable for leading the provision of timely and accurate legal advice across the Council and to external customers to produce the best possible outcomes.
• Responsible for delivering the strategic business plan for legal services which supports and drives the councils wider Organisation Strategy and vision.
• Works collaboratively with function leadership teams to make recommendations which drive better informed decision-making across the Council.
• Responsible for interpreting client needs and providing them with a service they value; driving the delivery of productivity and efficiency improvement.
• Responsible for assisting with development of staff in Essex Legal Services, through supervision and line management and delivery of training and informal learning.
• Works closely with the Head of Service and senior leaders of ELS to develop current and future business opportunities, to promote the Essex Legal Services vision to the external market.
• Responsible for the delivery strategy for services, ensuring that performance is clearly defined in terms of benchmarked outcomes and short, medium and long term business targets.
• Build strong working relationships across the Council and with schools and external clients to ensure a quality legal service is provided to the customer.
• Delegated functions as detailed in the Council’s constitution (and as amended from time to time).
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Qualified solicitor or chartered legal executive enrolled with the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives, as appropriate.

• Evidence of continuing professional development, significant post qualification experience and expert knowledge in relevant professional area.
• Significant experience working as a lawyer.
• Line management and supervisory responsibility or the desire to take on these responsibilities and grow into a management role while remaining very hands on with your own workload.
• Understanding of working within a legal setting in a politically sensitive environment, providing high-quality advice to a wide range of clients.
• Commercial awareness and financial acumen, with sufficient professional credibility to maintain the existing client base and develop new streams of business.
• Proven track record of building strong working relationships across a large, complex organisation, with internal and external partners/stakeholders and clients.
• Proven track record of providing advice and guidance on complex legal matters to both clients and colleagues.

Qualification certificates should be brought to interview.

Closing date: 1 February 2024 
For further information or to apply for the position please select the 'Enquire/Apply' button below.