99 - Senior Legal Adviser
| Company: | Ministry of Justice |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £71,410 to £82,186 a year |
| Hours: | Full-time |
| Location: | Swansea, SA1 3SN |
| Working pattern: | Hybrid - 2 days remote |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Posting date: | 5 Nov 2026 |
| Closing date: | 24 Nov 2026 |
Summary
Purpose of the post:
As Senior Legal Adviser, the post-holder will contribute to the provision of effective legal support at the IMA in the complex, challenging and wide-ranging area of EU citizens’ rights.
They will play a pivotal role in the effective delivery of the IMA’s work, joining a team of 10 legal staff within the Legal Directorate, and reporting to the General Counsel.
Working closely with the General Counsel, the post-holder will support leadership of the Directorate and the provision of legal services at the IMA. This is an influential role and one where you will help shape senior decision-making, including strategic planning, governance and organisational risk.
Key responsibilities include:
Leading on the provision of legal advice on complex, novel and contentious legal issues across all aspects of the IMA’s work.
Providing leadership and direction to Legal Directorate colleagues, supporting skills development and building future capability.
Overseeing and advising operational colleagues to inform the IMA’s monitoring and promoting work.
Ensuring effective legal risk management and escalating high-risk matters appropriately.
Contributing to the design and delivery of the internal training and guidance.
Building strong relationships with senior colleagues, public authorities and external stakeholders.
Working with external legal service providers and counsel when required, under the direction and oversight of the General Counsel.
Leading directorate-wide initiatives aligned with the IMA’s statutory obligations and strategic objectives.
Contributing to strategy, organisational governance, operational planning, risk management and continuous improvement.
Representing the Legal Directorate and the IMA at senior stakeholder meetings.
The work will involve advising on the Withdrawal Agreement, but may also engage the following areas of law:
Public administrative law
Judicial review
International law
EU law
Immigration
Health
Education
Social security
Housing
The advice will be provided in the context of:
A range of litigation: the IMA was successful in a landmark judicial review of elements of the EU Settlement Scheme, and has undertaken important interventions on novel and contentious questions of interpretation of the Withdrawal Agreement before all courts of the UK, from the county court and tribunals, to the Supreme Court.
IMA inquiries: the IMA has concluded its first inquiry on delays in the issuing of Certificates of Application under the EU Settlement Scheme and has commenced its second on delays in the determination of applications under the EU Settlement Scheme.
Compliance and intelligence work: the IMA carries out a range of compliance and intelligence work looking at the actions of public authorities, identifying where there are problems but also highlighting good practice. This includes looking at the experience of individuals entering the UK, accessing student finance, healthcare and housing assistance, the experience of looked after children and the rules which govern the immigration status of those citizens within our responsibility.
legislation from each of the different governments across the UK and Gibraltar which cover a range of subjects including student finance, social security, immigration and the recognition of qualifications.
You can read more about this work and more on our website.
The post-holder will have the support of experienced and dedicated colleagues across the IMA, with access to tailored learning and development to help them thrive in this role and progress their legal career.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post and are not intended to be exhaustive. The post-holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.
This role is offered on a permanent basis, however, applications for a loan or secondment will also be considered. Applicants seeking a loan or secondment must have secured agreement in principle from their current employer to be released before applying.
Person specification:
To be successful in this role it is likely that you will be:
A self-starter with proven experience of working under pressure, with an excellent record for delivering to deadlines and taking decisions, as well as the resilience to providing challenging advice and recommendations to peers and colleagues.
A strong communicator with strong influencing skills, including the ability to manage complex and senior relationships, to represent the organisation, and to distil complex technical messages.
An inspiring people leader and manager with the ability to attract, lead, motivate and develop colleagues at all levels to the highest standards.
An effective and strong team player
Essential skills:
Qualified barrister or solicitor entitled to practise in England and Wales
Experience on advising on Separation Agreement law and / or free movement law under EU law or demonstrable experience of advising on complex areas of law with the ability to quickly grasp and advise on new/evolving areas of law
A strong track record of advising on the main features of public and administrative law
Sound legal judgement, with the ability to identify, manage and escalate legal risk appropriately
Strong analytical skills and the ability to distil complex legal and technical issues into clear, pragmatic advice
Ability to communicate complex legal issues clearly and influence stakeholders at senior levels, both internally and externally
Ability to lead, motivate and develop legal professionals, contributing to a high performing and inclusive legal team
Ability to contribute to the effective management, delivery and continuous improvement of legal services.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Leadership (lead behaviour)
Making Effective Decisions
Managing a Quality Service
Seeing the bigger picture
Communicating and Influencing
Please refer to the Senior Legal Adviser pack for further information about the role and the IMA
Essential requirements
Please refer to the Summary
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