Cherwell District Council is located in the beautiful village of Bodicote, on the outskirts of the historic market town of Banbury, in Oxfordshire. We're excited to announce that we'll soon be moving to Castle Quay, located in the heart of Banbury. Our council is entering an exciting new phase, and we are seeking to strengthen our legal team. You will be an essential part of Team Cherwell, and we guarantee that you will be offered exciting and varied work with fantastic career progression opportunities for our lawyers and support staff.

At Cherwell District Council, our work is guided by values that reflect the heart of Cherwell, its people, and the environment we cherish. These values guide our decisions, help us serve our community better, and act as our compass in what truly matters. 

On 30 October 2023, we gathered to launch our values, which are:

• Empowerment - we aim to provide our teams with the essentials for success and support our communities to flourish.
• Community - we embrace unity, shared responsibility, and our crucial role in the community, fostering a culture of respect, inclusivity, and active engagement.
• Evolution - we believe in progression, continuous learning, and the power of innovation to bring impactful change, acknowledging that not all changes are easy or have immediate perceived benefits.
• Collaboration - we work in partnership, internally and externally, to achieve shared outcomes and foster a sense of belonging.
• Authenticity - we are transparent, realistic, and accountable. Our actions consistently mirror our words.
• Environment - we commit to protecting, caring for, and promoting sustainable interactions with our environment.

Our clients and partners highly regard our friendly and dedicated team. Our purpose is to provide the Council and its partners with the highest-quality legal advice and representation to achieve the Council's aims and priorities. We invest in our staff through training and development and support them and their needs.

The Role:

We seek an enthusiastic and dedicated leader to fill the Head of Legal Services and Deputy Monitoring Officer role at Cherwell District Council's Law and Governance department. This crucial role provides strategic oversight and ensures statutory compliance. Joining our team is an exciting opportunity to be an active part of a growing team that offers the highest-quality legal advice and serves our community.

You will work closely with the Assistant Director of Law and Governance and the Legal Operations Manager to lead, shape, and develop the service, providing proactive, transparent, and practical support to our client departments.

This position also presents an exciting opportunity to be involved in Monitoring Officer functions. It could be an excellent stepping stone towards a future Monitoring Officer role, and as a career development opportunity, this is second to none.

The Person:

We are searching for a practising solicitor or barrister with significant experience interested in a leadership position in a local government legal service. You will oversee and manage the Legal, Democratic and Elections Teams. Additionally, you will work closely with the Information Governance and Procurement Teams, which are all part of this directorate. Candidates with public and private sector experience are both welcome to apply. However, you must demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the unique governance structures in a local authority setting. As a dedicated team player, you should be able to show initiative, be adaptable to change, and suggest ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency, as well as shape the legal team.

The Benefits:

The Council is committed to providing equal opportunities for all job applicants. As an employer, we are flexible with working patterns and offer a hybrid work environment that combines office work in Bodicote House with remote work. We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer excellent family-friendly policies and generous annual leave entitlement. Additionally, we provide incremental pay awards, membership in the Local Government Pension Scheme, and access to the cycle-to-work scheme. We provide our employees £25 annual eye test vouchers and a free annual flu vaccination. We are invested in the growth and development of our staff, and therefore, will soon be offering apprenticeships and training contracts.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people, as diversity and inclusion are the key to our success. 

For more information or a confidential discussion please contact our recruitment partners at Penna – Brian Gallagher at Brian.Gallagher@penna.com or call 07716 098175.