FC - Legal Services Adviser (Internal)

Service: Administration and Legal
Grade scale: Grade 5 Level 1
Reports to: Legal Services Manager

Purpose of the job

Assist in managing a function within the service to achieve effective delivery of legal services to the council and to ensure the provision of expert advice and guidance on legal issues. Supervising professional legal staff, setting and monitoring performance standards and targets and contributing to the development of policies and procedures within the service.

Key tasks and responsibilities

Carrying out highly complex and/or sensitive legal work for the council, ensuring that the council acts intra vires at all times.

Act as key contact across the council for specialist area of legal work, liaising with resources and outside agencies in relation to area of specialism, including membership of internal and external working groups.

Preparation of reports for and attending the council/and/or committee and other meetings, as required for the provision of legal advice and acting as Clerk to the Licensing Board.

The management and evaluation of workload of a team of professional legal employees.

Research and evaluation of legislative changes in a pro-active way to increase corporate awareness and ensure the council complies with existing and new legislation.

Development and implementation of policies, styles, standards and procedures across legal services.

Initiating, designing and delivering formal training across all resources including senior management and elected members.

To assist Legal Manager in undertaking their duties.

Person specification

Safer recruitment checks

As part of our approach to good practice and safer recruitment we carry out a number of pre-employment checks:

• Asylum and Immigration right to work in the UK.
• Reference check: external candidates require 2 references, one of which must be from present or most recent employer; Internal candidates require 1 reference from current line manager.
• Candidate Disclosure Scotland check, where applicable.

Behaviour framework

The council’s behaviour framework is a set of core behaviours that defines how employees approach work to enable the delivery of key tasks for the role. The expected behaviours for this role are:

Efficient

• Drives service improvement and innovation by communicating vision and a sense of purpose across area of responsibility.
• Achieves efficiency savings taking account of council objectives and workforce planning requirements whilst improving outcomes for the communities of South Lanarkshire Council.
• Develop services which have a positive impact on the physical environment of South Lanarkshire Council ensuring sustainability of resources.
• Adopt a non-bureaucratic approach to service delivery and encourage others to seek simple solutions to achieve objectives.
• Adopt a project management approach when reviewing services and delivering change.

Flexible

• Plans for the variability of service demand and resource availability ensuring the system has the resilience and capacity to cope with uncertainty.
• Leads creative approaches in designing services and developing new ways of working which achieve efficiency and improvement.
• Views and presents change as an opportunity to modernise and ‘future proof’ services.
• Drives change by persuading and influencing others.
• Understands the impact on change on others and becomes a focal point of support and guidance in times of uncertainty.
• Takes responsibility for change and coaches other to do the same.
• Communicates facts to dispel rumours.

Performing

• Focus on strategic long-term outcomes, anticipate changes in working practices and effectively manage transitions.
• Works to achieve and vision of customer focus, improvement and excellence within the council, as well as with partners and other stakeholders.
• Gives teams defined structures and clear direction, enabling a strong sense of ownership and personal responsibility for the delivery of outcomes and objectives.
• Health, safety and wellbeing are at the heart of approach and ensure that these principles are understood in the application of your strategic responsibilities.

Working with others

• Spends time building relationships with partners.
• Facilitates elected member involvement and consults with representative groups when formulating strategies.
• Inspires a ‘one team’ culture.
• Builds networks, locally regionally and nationally to help provide support and expertise by shaping and driving forward agendas and addressing concerns.
• Role models inclusive leadership; respecting colleagues, partners and customers and treating people according to their needs.
• Engages with communities, internal and external partners ensuring the full range of views are taken into account.
• Understands the importance of communication, evaluates its effectiveness and takes steps to improve; leading and encouraging open communication at all levels in the organisation.
• Understand respectful challenge and makes own case whilst recognising the concerns of others.

Leading

• Visible and accessible to employees within your service/area of responsibility.
• Role model for inspirational leadership.
• Builds commitment and engagement to improve team cohesion and outputs.
• Demonstrates sensitivity and good judgement in decision making and relationships.
• Is able to take difficult decisions in complex and challenging situations for the best interests of the service and the council.
• Evaluates resources, options and consequences in decision making.
• Communicates positive messages about the organisation, acting in its best interests and being an ambassador for South Lanarkshire Council.
• Understands the power and authority that comes with the senior manager role and adapts behaviour to ensure interactions with others are positive and empowering.
• Coaches and mentors’ others and has continuous learning and development as a key priority for the service