Your new organisation

As a medium sized district council employing over 500 staff and supporting around 129,000 residents, Eastleigh Borough Council is an ambitious Council, delivering a wide range of major projects and initiatives for their communities. They continue to be progressive and innovative whilst delivering high quality services to their customers and the community. They are not averse to taking risk and are willing to explore and consider new ways of delivering excellent services that improve the lives of residents and support their communities. Eastleigh Borough Council was recently described in its Corporate Peer Review as ‘a well-run and successful Borough Council with a clear vision and ambition to shape the place and improve the lives of local people’ and the in-house Legal Team are a key part of the delivery of this vision.

Your new role

As the Head of Legal Services, you will leverage your dynamic experience in providing robust due diligence, legal support and advice with an ability to apply lateral thinking and consider diverse perspectives. Reporting to the Service Director for Governance and Support (Monitoring Officer), you will be the Council’s most senior professional qualified solicitor, leading an in-house team of qualified lawyers and specialists on all aspects of law. You will be responsible for delivering a professional and ‘best in class’ legal service including inputting into corporate strategy and policy, leading the development and implementation of this. Additionally, you will oversee corporate procurement and insurance support, ensuring compliance with Data Protection legislation is throughout the Council.

What you will need to succeed

Educated to degree or extensive equivalent experience

Qualified Solicitor

Membership of Law Society

Extensive working knowledge of legal working practices and methodologies at a senior level

Experience in undertaking local government work and making legal representations

Dynamic, innovative, confident, able to challenge others, open, perceptive and a strong communicator

Passionate about the role and local government  

What you will get in return

Hybrid working with on average 2 days working in the office

Flexible working arrangements and ability to accrue up to 2 days additional leave per month

31 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays

Relocation package available

Defined Benefit Pension Scheme

Places Leisure, Eastleigh – 30% off Full Membership

Confidential Employee Advice and Support Programme

Car and Season Ticket loans

Excellent working environment

Support for continuous professional development