Senior Lawyer

Grade 7-9 Progressive Framework

About the role

This is a career-graded legal role offering the opportunity to develop and progress from Grade 7 to Grade 9 as your experience, knowledge, professional judgement and autonomy grow. You will provide clear, practical and professionally robust legal advice across a broad range of GMCA’s work. The complexity and responsibility of your work will develop with you. At Grade 7, you will manage a developing caseload with appropriate supervision and support from experienced colleagues. As you progress through Grades 8 and 9, you will take increasing responsibility for more complex and sensitive matters, exercise greater professional judgement and play a growing role in projects, governance and organisational decision-making.

Who we are

Legal Services plays a key role in enabling GMCA to deliver its ambitions for Greater Manchester. Working alongside senior leaders, elected members and partners across the city-region, our team provides pragmatic, solution-focused legal services and support on some of the most high-profile and innovative projects in local government.


Our work reflects the breadth and ambition of Greater Manchester itself, with opportunities to work on complex, novel and high-profile matters across a wide range of areas.

You’ll join a small, collaborative, supportive and friendly team, where colleagues work closely together, share knowledge and support each other to provide high-quality legal services and contribute to GMCA’s strategic objectives.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to build a broad public-sector legal career, gaining experience across the varied work of a Mayoral Combined Authority while progressing through a structured Grade 79 framework.

You will have the opportunity to:

  • gain experience across a broad range of public-sector legal work;
  • undertake varied and engaging work with a real impact across Greater Manchester;
  • develop increasing autonomy and responsibility as your experience grows;
  • work with a wide range of colleagues, partners and, as you progress, senior stakeholders; and
  • develop your legal knowledge, professional judgement and confidence.


About you

You will be a qualified solicitor with a current practising certificate, a barrister permitted to practise in England, or a CILEX Lawyer with the necessary practice rights. The role will be particularly well-suited to newly qualified and early-career lawyers looking to develop a broad public-sector legal practice.

We are looking for someone who is adaptable, curious and keen to build experience across a wide range of legal work, as this is a varied role rather than one focused on a single legal specialism. You will have the opportunity to gain experience across the breadth of GMCA's work, developing your knowledge and applying your legal skills as new and unfamiliar matters arise.

You do not need to have experience across all of the areas covered by the role. You will, however, need strong legal foundations, excellent research and analytical skills and an enthusiasm for getting to grips with new areas of law. You should enjoy variety, be willing to take on new challenges and be interested in understanding how different areas of law come together in the work of a major public authority.

Experience of relevant legal work in a public-sector context, or knowledge of the public-sector and political environment, would be desirable. However, most important is that you are enthusiastic about building your career within the public sector.

You will be supported by experienced colleagues as you develop, while taking increasing responsibility for your own work. You will bring a positive, collaborative and solution-focused approach, with the ability to communicate clearly, recognise when guidance is needed and develop your professional judgement and confidence.


How to apply

To apply, please read the attached role profile and submit your application through Greater Jobs, setting out how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the Assistant Lawyer role and the grade at which your current experience best fits.


About us:

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) brings together the cityregion’s ten councils and key partners including Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) - to deliver the Greater Manchester Strategy. Our shared vision is to create a thriving city region where everyone can live a good life. We work to grow an inclusive economy and ensure people have what they need to live happy, healthy lives, tackling inequalities. Our policy department include Digital, Economy, Education, Work & Skills, Environment, Place Making, Public Service Reform, and Safer & Stronger Communities - who are supported by our essential corporate functions like Finance, Legal & Governance, People Services, Procurement and Communications.

We value the diversity of our employees, and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects our diverse communities across Greater Manchester. We encourage applications from all suitably qualified individuals, irrespective of people's age, disability, Trans status and Non-binary identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We have guidance in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability.

To find out more about working for us please click here: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/

Politically Restricted

This post is classified as politically restricted, as in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, as the post holder will be required to regularly advise the GMCA, it’s Committees, or communicate with the media on behalf of the GMCA.

Our offer:

In return for your hard work, we offer our employees a competitive package as part of our offer that you can find out more about here:

Greater Manchester Combined Authority - Home | greater.jobs

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Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) - working together to improve the lives of people in Greater Manchester

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. However, we value human talent and are looking for passionate individuals to join our organisation. Please ensure you personally complete your application and read all the instructions carefully to maximise your chances of success.

Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting, however we understand that AI may be used as a reasonable adjustment, if using AI to support your application, please give a brief explanation why to help ensure fair selection process.

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Employees on the redeployment register will be given priority for any vacancies in the first instance. If employees are identified as a match from the register then the vacancy may be withdrawn or put on hold pending an outcome.

For this opportunity, you must be able to prove you have the right to work in the UK - if in doubt please visit the following link Employers' right to work checklist - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Please note we are not a licenced sponsor.

Hybrid working

This role is part of GMCA’s hybrid working scheme. As part of our commitment to ‘Build Back Fairer’ in Greater Manchester following the Covid-19 pandemic, we have evolved our management methods by trusting and empowering staff to deliver their work in the best way that suits the business and their individual needs, and supports health and wellbeing. Our hybrid working policy sets out a flexible approach, combining attendance at our Manchester city centre office, allocated GM Local Authority office(s), or on site in the community, with remote working, typically from home (within a reasonable commutable distance from Greater Manchester); the location of work is primarily dictated by the needs of the business: ‘Do what is right for you and the business on that day’. If appointed to the role you will work with your manager to agree and regularly review the best working pattern for you, your team and your work.



Supporting Documents

↗ Role Profile - Assistant Lawyer

Ready to apply?

Location

Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EU, United Kingdom

Job ID

1454

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