Lawyer (Place)

The post holder will be part of the Place Team within Legal Services, working closely with the client team to deliver an exceptional service.

With a focus on either Housing and Homelessness Law along with general civil litigation the postholder will have the opportunity to operate across the field if they wish, carrying a caseload but also working with the wider team to ensure that Legal Services embodies best practice.

The post holder will be responsible for:

• Providing high quality legal advice, assistance and representation to the Council on legal matters relating to one or more areas of law undertaken by the service

• Advising on the interpretation and application of council policies, procedures and governance requirements to assist clients achieve their desired outcomes

• Complying with quality assurance procedures, service level agreements and performance management requirements in order to meet the expectations of the clients

• Contributing towards and encourage a culture of learning, knowledge sharing and excellence within Legal Services

If you would like to have an informal discussion with the recruiting manager please call Laura Caiels, Assistant Head of Legal Services (Place) on [phone removed] or by emailing [email removed]

Career Progression Frameworks (CPF) have been introduced for all roles at Medway Council. These frameworks provide a mechanism for employees to take ownership of their development within their post and be rewarded accordingly. This means that the salary you will be offered will be at level A unless, based on an assessment against the CPF criteria, you demonstrate that you are meeting the criteria of level B or C. There will be further opportunity once in post to progress from level A to B, and B to C.

When writing your application, it is important to ensure you identify your suitability against the requirements of the job profile, as this information will be used for shortlisting and may contribute to the CPF assessment. Your application may be rejected if the minimum required criteria is not met. Further information relating to the requirements for this role can be found in the CPF Guidance document attached.

The person specification of a job profile is split into three levels:

Level A details the essential criteria that all applicants must be able to demonstrate through their application and interview.

Level B details the developed competencies that an individual who is practised in this role would be able to demonstrate and will be a progression of knowledge, experience and skills from level A.

Level C requires the highest level of competence and applicants would need to fully meet and demonstrate all aspects of the job profile, including qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience.

Legal Services are seeking a Lawyer to join the team at level A. This is the entry point of the role, so you will need to be able to demonstrate the relevant knowledge, experience and skills to get you started, but you will be supported to develop in your role through induction, probation and a supportive Performance Appraisal and Career Conversation. All elements of level A listed within the person specification are essential. Through your induction you will be introduced to the Career Progression Framework (CPF), which will help you to identify your areas of strength and any development needs.

Important Information-

• Applicants must be able to demonstrate all criteria at level A which are essential for appointment to the role.
• Medway Council is not able to provide a Certificate of Sponsorship, so candidates must already possess the right to work in the UK.
• For further information, and for details of the benefits of working for Medway Council, please refer to the Medway information pack available as a download or to view online.
• Please be advised that if you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted. All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email.
• Please note, we prioritise applications from current Medway Council redeployees. We will let you know if this post is to be filled by a redeployee as, in this instance, your application will unfortunately not be taken forward.
• We reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time prior to the closing date.

Please visit http://www.mindfulemployer.net/ for information on how Medway Council put good practices in place to ensure employees and job applicants who declare mental health issues receive the right level of support.