Assistant Lawyer

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

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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.

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.