City Solicitor
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced and ambitious lawyer to work at the heart of a council with a compelling vision. As statutory Monitoring Officer, you will be part of the Corporate Leadership team, attending both full Council meetings and Cabinet. Other accountabilities include Member and Democratic Services, the Registration Service, Elections Service and Data Compliance.
Salford Council has recently invested in developing the team around this post, enabling our new City Solicitor to play an appropriately strategic and corporate leadership role. Our Deputy City Solicitor provides support with day to day management of the Legal service, and we are currently advertising for a permanent Head of Governance.
As well as advising the City Mayor, Council and Cabinet on major decisions, you’ll be the lead client on the major legal services contract we hold with Manchester City Council, ensuring we optimise our spend and carefully manage both the volumes and categories of demand. We want to use all available sources of insight to create a more nuanced forecasting method that’s better informed by demand-led services across the council.
Governance currently works well, but can always be better; so you’ll bring extensive knowledge of best practice and a collaborative approach to improvement. For example, we know we need to focus on member learning and development programmes. Moreover, Salford has a major growth agenda, including a number of large acquisitions, so expertise in housing or regeneration would be an advantage.
Candidates will already have extensive experience across the legal spectrum, and will have the personal and professional skillset to work at pace and manage competing demands. This a senior, visible corporate leadership role, so you must be able to make a confident and assured contribution at every level. A truly solutions-focused mindset is essential, as are the management skills to oversee and develop an expert team of around 70.
The political environment at Salford is stable and secure, with our re-elected City Mayor having just started his new term of office. Member and officer relationships are positive, respectful and professional. There is a real culture of pride in Salford, its place and its communities. If you’re ambitious to progress your career, this could be the perfect springboard.
For a confidential discussion about the role please contact:
Martin Tucker
Email: mtucker@faerfield.co.uk
Tel: 0121 312 3755
Indicative timetable:
Closing date for applications: Monday 16 September 2024
Preliminary/Technical Interviews: w/c Monday 7 October 2024
Final interview by Appointments Committee: Monday 21 October 2024To apply:
To apply for this job please click on the Apply button below and fill out the requested information. When prompted, please submit your CV and a Supporting Statement (no more than four sides of A4 each).
With your CV, please also provide the names and contact details of two referees, one of whom should be your current or most recent employer. Referees will only be contacted if you reach the final stages, and we will not contact referees without your permission.
Your supporting statement should express why you are interested in this role and what experience you can bring to the organisation. The statement should tackle the specific requirements of the role; outlining examples and outcomes showing how you meet those requirements.
