The Pensions Ombudsman has an exciting opportunity for a Lead Lawyer to join our team based in Canary Wharf, where we currently operate an agile working policy.  You will be working full or part-time on a permanent contract and will receive a competitive salary of £74,855 per annum pro rata. We offer several pension options as part of the Civil Service Pension Scheme which has defined benefits. In addition, we are an accredited Disability Confident Employer, and we welcome applicants from under-represented groups.

Salary and benefits

As well as a starting salary of £74,855 per annum pro rata, we offer:

• 27.5 days annual leave 
• Flexible working between 7 am - 7 pm 
• Discretionary staff reward scheme 
• Comprehensive learning and development programme 
• Mentoring opportunities 
• Free employee assistance programme 
• Staff benefit discount platform 
• Range of Staff Networks and social activities   

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging.

Who are we?

As a totally independent body, not part of the pensions industry or government, we investigate and make decisions when someone has been unable to resolve a complaint about how their pension has been managed. Our service is free, but we have legal powers to make decisions that are final, binding, and enforceable in court. 

Our work can be challenging and high-profile, delivering a fair outcome for the individual and highlighting where the pensions industry can improve. Focusing on the facts, we must be balanced, fair and totally independent.

Purpose of the role

You will be part of The Pensions Ombudsman’s in-house Legal Team with the key purpose of supporting staff including The Pensions Ombudsman, the Executive and the Corporate Boards to exercise their functions in accordance with the relevant legislation, policies and practices. 

As a Lead Lawyer, your role will be to deal with and take responsibility for issues arising from the more challenging and complex cases. You will lead on and ‘sign off’ where appropriate the work of the Senior Lawyers and Lawyers. You will be expected to directly support Senior Counsel within the Legal Team in all aspects of their work which includes policy, litigation and know-how. 

You will have some management responsibilities for approximately 3-4 Senior Lawyers and Lawyers, working with the Legal Team Manager to ensure appropriate work allocation and quality of work.

Key responsibilities

Casework and jurisdiction 

• Support and ‘sign off’ where appropriate legal advice on cases dealt with by the Lawyers and Senior Lawyers. Ensuring that the processes are followed, decisions reached are based on sound legal analysis and are consistent with previous cases where possible and accord with The Pensions Ombudsman’s statutory powers and objectives. 
• Provide support and advice on legal, jurisdictional, procedural and regulatory issues which may arise on matters under investigation, such as the sufficiency of evidence, merits of opposing arguments, information requests and strategy. 
• Where appropriate draft, in whole or in part, Determinations for The Pensions Ombudsman’s or Deputy Pensions Ombudsman’s review.  
• Lead the Legal Team’s work with an assigned Casework team, working with the area Head and others to ensure appropriate, consistent, quality legal support to that team. This includes allocating and overseeing work to Senior Lawyers and Lawyers, identifying casework issues, providing guidance and training as identified and feeding back to the wider Legal Team. 
• Act as a sounding board for colleagues and assist colleagues to identify, monitor and mitigate risks (such as reputational, regulatory and litigation risks).  
• Drafting external and internal guidance.    

Policy and Litigation 

• Progress, advise and make recommendations to Senior Counsel on matters of policy including, for example:  
• proposed or potential legislative changes for The Pensions Ombudsman;  
• summarising and responding to consultation papers;  
• liaising with stakeholders and government bodies on a range of issues from overlapping jurisdictions to signposting;  
• responding to parliamentary questions;  
• assisting on GDPR issues; and  
• all matters affecting The Pensions Ombudsman, its processes and procedures.  
• Assist with the drafting of policy papers for the Executive and take forward its decisions.    

Line Management

• Manage workloads and performance of approximately 3-4 Lawyers and Senior Lawyers, including allocation of work. Support the Legal Team Manager by carrying out additional management responsibilities as required. 
• Act on own initiative and autonomously. Additionally, reviewing cases from the Lawyers and Senior Lawyers.  
• Exercising sound judgment on deciding which cases you can ‘sign off’ and which ones will need to be referred for further guidance to Senior Counsel.    

Please refer to the Job Description for further information

Knowledge of pensions, legal or otherwise, is very desirable. Experience in financial services regulation is desirable. Experience within one of the following areas would also be an advantage: litigation, disputes resolution, regulatory law, criminal law or public law.

We will shortlist and interview on a rolling basis, without waiting for a set closing date. Therefore, this vacancy may be withdrawn at short notice.

Closing date: 8 August 2024 at 12 am

All applicants must have a right to work in the UK and be prepared to be security cleared to Baseline Personnel Security Standard, which requires a basic disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service.

If you feel that you have the skills and experience required to become our Lead Lawyer please click ‘apply’ today. We would love to hear from you!