Working hours: 35 hours per week
Contract type: Permanent
Working style: Hybrid
Closing date: 6 November 2026
 
You must already have a valid right to work in the UK documentation, as we cannot offer visa sponsorship for this role.
 
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced housing lawyer seeking a role that combines complex litigation, advocacy, strategic legal advice and the opportunity to make a tangible impact on local communities across Manchester and Salford. You'll work within one of the largest shared legal services in the country, advising on a broad range of social housing matters and supporting local authorities in delivering vital housing services.
 
About the Team
Manchester City Council's Legal Services team is recognised nationally for delivering innovative, high-quality public sector legal services. The People, Place & Regulation Legal Group provides legal advice across a diverse range of practice areas, including adult social care, education, employment, housing, litigation, licensing, prosecution and regulatory law.
The Housing & Neighbourhood Nuisance Team plays a key role in supporting Manchester and Salford City Councils, advising on complex housing matters that directly impact local communities and residents.

The team advises on:
  • Housing management matters.
  • Anti-social behaviour remedies, including injunctions, possession proceedings and closure orders.
  • Legal challenges to homelessness decisions, including Judicial Reviews and statutory appeals.
  • Advocacy and representation before the County Court and Magistrates' Court.
Pre-employment checks
If you are successful, your appointment will be subject to completing the relevant pre-employment checks. These checks will be carried out as part of our recruitment process and includes:
  • Qualification and Registration - Admitted Solicitor with practising certificate or Cilex Lawyer with litigation and advocacy rights. 
  • Satisfactory references and other pre-employment checks where applicable. 
For more information on these checks, please visit checks page. 

Your New Role
As a Senior Housing Lawyer, you will manage a complex caseload of housing litigation and advisory matters, providing specialist legal advice to client departments and supporting wider service objectives.
You will act as a trusted advisor to housing teams, helping them navigate challenging and often sensitive issues whilst ensuring lawful and effective decision-making.

Key responsibilities will include:
  • Managing a varied and complex caseload of social housing law matters.
  • Advising on housing management, tenancy enforcement and anti-social behaviour cases.
  • Handling homelessness challenges, Judicial Reviews and statutory appeals.
  • Representing the Council in the County Court and Magistrates' Court.
  • Providing strategic legal advice to officers and stakeholders.
  • Building and maintaining strong relationships with housing services and partner organisations.
  • Managing and supervising junior members of the team.
  • Delivering training and guidance to clients and colleagues.
  • Supporting service development and continuous improvement initiatives.
What You'll Need to Succeed
  • Qualified Solicitor with a current practising certificate, or CILEX Lawyer with litigation and advocacy rights
  • Strong experience in social housing law and housing litigation
  • Experience advising on anti-social behaviour matters, possession proceedings and housing management issues
  • Knowledge of homelessness law, appeals and Judicial Review proceedings
  • Strong advocacy and court representation skills
  • Ability to identify key legal and evidential issues and provide practical, solution-focused advice
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
  • A proactive and collaborative approach to working within a team
  • Local government or in-house legal experience would be advantageous but is not essential
What You'll Get in Return
  • Salary of £54,143 to £56,293 (bar at £55,224)
  • Opportunity to join one of the UK's largest and most respected local authority legal teams
  • Exposure to complex, high-profile and rewarding housing law matters
  • Flexible hybrid working arrangements
  • Supportive and collaborative team culture
  • Excellent training, development and career progression opportunities
  • Varied, meaningful work that directly contributes to improving local communities
About Manchester City Council Legal Services
 
Manchester City Council's Legal Services team is the largest shared legal service in the country and has held the Lexcel quality standard since 2007. The team supports a wide range of high-profile, complex and innovative projects across the city, delivering legal services that directly contribute to the Council's mission and the wellbeing of its communities.
If you're an experienced housing lawyer looking for greater responsibility, high-quality work and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within a progressive local authority legal team, we'd love to hear from you.
 
Use of AI 
You may use AI to support your application, but all examples must be your own and based on real experience. Applications may be withdrawn if content is misleading or presents someone else's experience as your own. Internal candidates may also face disciplinary action. 

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme 
Applicants who meet the essential shortlisting criteria and are eligible under the Guaranteed Assessment Schemewill be progressed to the assessment stage.  

Support and Adjustments  
If you're successful in securing a role, we'll make every effort to provide the support, equipment and reasonable adjustments you need to carry out your duties. Where needed, we'll consider adapting aspects of the role. Find out more about our inclusion and wellbeing. 

Working for Manchester City Council is a chance to make a real difference in a diverse city. You’ll help improve lives and support our local communities. Working together, we can create better public services for everyone. 

Benefits we offer

  • Up to 26 days’ annual leave, rising to 31 days after five years’ service
  •  Buy up to two extra weeks’ leave
  •  Up to 3 days’ volunteering leave 
  •  A 35-hour work week for full-time roles
  •  We review pay each year and recognise three trade unions
  •  A defined benefit pension scheme
  •  Enhanced parental and carers leave 
  •  Employee discounts and perks  

Learn more at Careers - Manchester City Council 

Our commitment to inclusion 

At Manchester City Council, we're dedicated to creating a workplace that fully reflects the diversity of our local communities. We actively encourage applications from people of all ages and backgrounds and are particularly keen to hear from applicants from ethnic minority communities and disabled people, who remain underrepresented in parts of our workforce. 

GM Elevate Programme 

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the 'Personal Statement' section or 'Supporting Statement' section of your application. 

 

Accessible Formats: 
Use ReciteMe  through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page. It has tools such as text-to-speech, language translations, and adjustable text size and colour. 

Calculate your take home pay. 

Privacy Notice 

Ready to apply?

Location

, , Manchester, , United Kingdom

Job ID

7751

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This section brings together everything you need to succeed - from guidance on writing an authentic application to understanding how to use AI responsibly.

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Applying Authentically With AI: Our Greater Manchester Approach

Across Greater Manchester’s local authorities, we want to hear your genuine experiences, skills and motivations, expressed in your own words.

To keep our recruitment process fair and inclusive, please complete your application personally and follow the instructions carefully. AI can be used to support you - for example, to help structure your answers or as a reasonable adjustment - but your application should still reflect your authentic voice.

Applications that depend too heavily on AI‑generated content may not progress to shortlisting.

This guidance outlines acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI, along with suggestions for using it in a way that supports you while keeping your application true to you.

  1. What Is AI and How Do We Use It Across Greater Manchester?

    AI refers to technology that can create or refine content, such as text, ideas, summaries, or planning. It can help improve productivity, problem-solving, and creativity.

    We’re open to using innovative digital tools where they can help us work smarter and deliver better services for our residents. However, every use of AI is carefully considered to make sure it is ethical, responsible, and aligned with public-sector values.

    When it comes to recruitment, we take a human-centred approach.

    This means:

    • A trained hiring manager reads every application

    • Shortlisting is based on objective criteria required for the job

    • Interviews are conducted in person or via teams by the hiring manager for the role

    • All hiring decisions are made by hiring managers, not algorithms

    AI does not make decisions in our recruitment process and our managers are being upskilled to spot AI in applications, particularly when this might have been used in a way that doesn’t feel genuine. If something in an application raises a question or concern, we will test this out with assessments or at the interview stage to confirm authenticity.

    Our aim isn’t to catch anyone out but to make sure we’re getting to know the real you, giving every candidate a fair chance and finding the right person for the role.

  2. Using AI in Your Application

    When it comes to job applications, what matters most to us is you. We want to see your personality, your experience, and what excites you about joining our team. 

    We recognise that AI can be a helpful tool to support accessibility during the application process. If you choose to use AI for support, please read the instructions carefully and make sure your application is written in your own words, reflecting your genuine skills, knowledge, experience and enthusiasm.

    We’re looking forward to hearing your story.

  3. How to use AI Effectively and Responsibly

    Your application is your chance to show us:

    • Who you are

    • What you can bring

    • The values you hold

    • Why you want to make a difference

    AI can help you organise your thoughts or improve clarity but it cannot express your unique voice, experiences, or motivations.

    AI is most helpful when used to:

    • Help you structure the information you are providing to evidence the criteria

    • Give examples of how to use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result)

    • Proof-read to highlight grammar or spelling errors

    • Provide inspiration if you're finding it difficult to find the right words to explain something

    But remember: your honesty, lived experience, and motivations are irreplaceable.

  4. Do’s and Don’ts for Using AI in the Recruitment Process

    Do:

    • Use AI as a supportive tool, not a replacement

    • Ask AI to help tidy up your writing or clarify structure

    • Use it to brainstorm examples, then rewrite them in your own voice

    • Reflect on AI suggestions and adapt them to match your experience

    • Use AI to help with research, but express your understanding yourself

    Don’t:

    • Copy and paste AI-generated content directly into your application

    • Let AI exaggerate or invent experience you do not have

    • Rely on generic statements that don’t reflect the specific role requirements

    • Remove your individuality, we want to hear your voice

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