Head of Legal - Scottish Parliament

Head of Legal for the Legal Services Office - Scottish Parliamentary Service

This is a rare and nationally significant leadership role, offering the chance to lead the fully embedded in-house legal function of the Scottish Parliament at the heart of Scottish democracy and civic life.

Working Pattern: 35hours per week, hybrid working

Salary: £93,094 - £117,042

Pension: 28.97% employer contribution

Holiday: 41.5 days (including public holidays)

Location: Holyrood, Edinburgh (Hybrid)

The Opportunity

As Head of Legal Services, you will take ultimate responsibility for all legal work required to ensure the smooth and lawful operation of the Scottish Parliament. Reporting to the Director of Parliamentary Business, you will hold a direct line to the Chief Executive and will be trusted to engage with them on critical workstreams. You will have line management responsibility for the Team Leaders within the Legal Services Office and the Office Manager.

The Legal Services Office is a team of around 25 staff whose work spans two core areas. The Corporate and Commercial team handles matters including commercial contracts, employment, procurement, compliance, data protection and freedom of information. The Parliamentary team manages public law matters arising from the Parliament's operation, including supporting committees in their scrutiny of the Scottish Government, advising on constitutional law, ensuring procedural adherence and supporting on all matters relating to the Parliament's execution of devolved responsibilities.

Your role will encompass the full spectrum of these responsibilities, including horizon scanning, risk mitigation and crisis management.

Why This Role

It is rare to find a position which offers this quality of career satisfaction through work of such civic importance. The decisions you make will have wide-reaching impact on the operation of the Scottish Parliament, the legality and quality of its output, and the upholding of the rule of law in Scotland.

The work of the Legal Services Office is exceptionally high quality, varied and impactful. This is a role that is challenging, engaging and rewarding in equal measure, and one which offers both professional and personal fulfilment. In addition to the national significance of the position, you will play a meaningful part in the professional development of a close-knit, talented and like-minded team.

What You Will Bring

• You will be an experienced qualified solicitor holding an active practising certificate in Scotland, or with the ability to obtain one quickly. You will have significant experience of leading effective and efficient legal services, and the integrity to uphold the high personal and professional standards that this role demands.
• A strategic thinker with outstanding influencing skills, you will be able to convey sensitive and complex legal matters clearly and succinctly, and to inspire confidence at the most senior levels. You will bring the diplomacy, tact and firmness required to navigate a fast-paced and politically sensitive environment.
• You will have a strong understanding of parliamentary law and operation, or a demonstrable ability to develop this quickly, and will be capable of providing strategic leadership across the full range of parliamentary activity. You will be resilient, situation-focused and lead by example.
• Outstanding people management skills are essential. You will have a proven track record of motivating and inspiring multi-functional teams, leading colleagues confidently through major organisational change, and providing strong mentoring and coaching. You will be passionate about contributing to an inclusive and collaborative working culture which values diversity and encourages openness.
• You will have a well-developed ability to identify, assess and mitigate risk, both through horizon scanning and live crisis management, and will be a confident self-starter in this regard. A thorough appreciation of the importance of impartiality, and a commitment to supporting all politicians on an equal basis, will be fundamental to your approach.

Team and Culture

The Legal Services Office has a strongly ethos-driven culture, built upon the Parliament's core values of stewardship, excellence, respect and inclusiveness. The team is tight-knit, with a notable longevity of tenure, and there is a genuine collegiate and respectful feel to the working environment. Team members support one another both professionally and personally, operating in a cohesive and empathetic manner.

The team are high-performing and were recognised as such at the Scottish Legal Awards, where they won Public Sector In-House Team of the Year in 2021.

Flexible Working

The team are committed to helping one another achieve a healthy work-life balance. This is a hybrid role, based at Holyrood and from home, with onsite working as required. Three or four days in the office may be necessary during parliamentary term-time.

As a member of the Working Families "Happy to Talk Flexible Working" scheme, the team actively welcome conversations about the working pattern that suits you best. Almost every team member works flexibly, with arrangements including compressed hours, part-time and hybrid working. This understanding and flexibility is lived out genuinely in practice.

What’s on Offer

• A strong public sector salary, starting at £93,094 and going up each year until the top end of the bracket. The bandings may well increase in the near future and throughout your tenure.
• A market leading Civil Service Pension with a generous employer contribution of 28.97%
• Culturally embedded flexible working practices
• An opportunity to lead a supportive and motivated team operating at the heart of civil society in Scotland
• Ongoing professional development opportunities
• A highly engaging, challenging and meaningful role

Inclusive Employer

The Scottish Parliament is committed to being an inclusive employer and welcomes applications from all backgrounds. The Scottish Parliament are a Disability Confident Leader employer and are committed to the employment and career development of disabled people. If you have a disability defined by the Equality Act 2010, you are eligible to apply through the guaranteed interview scheme.

Under the scheme the Parliament guarantee to interview anyone with a disability, being recruited for a role employed by the Scottish Parliament. Your application will need to meet the minimum criteria for the job.

How to Apply:

Reach out to Daniel Tudor at daniel@jmc-legal.com or 0203 865 2113 /07441 937624 for a confidential initial conversation.