£72,031 - £77,783

Manchester aims to be in the top-flight of world-class cities, with a dynamic economy and highly skilled people; to be well-connected, limiting climate change, and helping all of us feel safe and live well in our attractive and welcoming city.

We are looking to appoint a new Head of People, Place and Regulation (Legal). The successful candidate will report to the Assistant Director for People Place and Regulation (Legal) and will be expected to deputise as needed.

Our Legal Services Teams play an integral part in helping to deliver these priorities, and to support this we are committed to attracting, developing and retaining a world-class workforce. We are a service that advises on complex, ground-breaking initiatives, making meaningful and lasting differences to the lives of our residents and visitors.

We continue to be one of the largest in-house Local Authority legal teams in the UK, running a shared service with Salford City Council, and with Rochdale Borough Council for Children’s legal work. In addition, we also provide legal support to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and these roles put you among the few practitioners in England’s first, and biggest, devolved region.

We work with passion and pride in Manchester with a team of over 240 engaged, professional officers across the service. This role offers opportunity to grow and lead your teams within the People, Place and Regulatory Group.

About the Candidate
We are a high performing, innovative and commercially focused Council and are seeking collaborative and corporate leaders who will lead, manage and inspire teams to deliver positive change in Manchester. This is a particularly exciting time to join our organisation. Manchester and Greater Manchester is a key engine of growth in the UK and in this role, you will be immersed in the inner workings of our city and city region, from fast-moving globally recognised regeneration programmes to cutting edge legal work, leading our teams requires enthusiasm, motivation and a will to impress (and be impressed).

We are looking for exceptional person who can evidence strong strategic thinking, a high level of political awareness, effective communication skills and the ability to influence, innovative thinkers with the ability to find solutions and whilst considering policy and procedure, inspirational leaders who can positively influence the performance of others, inspiring trust and fostering confidence in others’ ability to achieve high standards, thereby enhancing a performance orientated culture which supports the delivery of high-quality services. You will have the ability to control numerous projects simultaneously to budget and deadline, whilst maintaining excellent quality control and working with a wide range of partners, and to represent the organisation at a senior level.

You will:

• Be a qualified Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive with significant experience in the subject matter and litigation rights.
• Have significant experience of dealing with and effectively managing client relationships, often dealing with extremely sensitive issues.
• Have experience of preparing, managing and monitoring significant complex legal work in a large and complex organisation.
• Have experience of managing at least one or more areas covered by the People, Place and Regulation Group.
• Have an understanding of the national policy context for local government.

We offer our staff flexible working with an effective hybrid working-practice model. There’s opportunity for development and variety thanks to the way our teams practise in our Lexcel-accredited and supported legal service.

We offer excellent employee benefits including a competitive salary with annual pay rises, 24 hour Employee Assistance Programme, Local Government Pension, 26 days plus an extra 5 days after 5 years’ service, and many more staff benefits.

If you would like to have a more informal conversation about this role, please contact me on saiqa.hussain@manchester.gov.uk

I look forward to your interest and learning more about you.

This role is subject to -

Qualified as a Solicitor, Barrister, or Chartered Legal Executive with Litigation Rights

Application: - Curriculum Vitae and detailed Expression of Interest setting out how your skills and experience meet the role profile

About Us
We’re the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities.

Working for Manchester isn’t just a job – it’s an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it’s strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you’ll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone.

Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city – a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
• We’re proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits we offer

• Generous holiday allowance - Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks. 
• A buzzing pension - You’ll be enrolled in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum. 
• Enhanced parental and carers leave - Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events. 
• Brilliant perks - Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more. 
• Learn and grow - We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process. 
• A Good Employment Charter member - We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life. 
• Up to 3 days volunteering leave - Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits. 

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council 
At Manchester City Council, we’re dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.

Support During the Process

• Interview Adjustments: Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
• Accessible Formats: Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text-to-speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone. 

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme 
We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the recruiting panels minimum shortlisting requirements for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:

• Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
• Current or former care leavers
• Have a disability or long-term condition
• Applicants who have successfully completed the GM Elevate Programme
• Applicants who have successfully completed the Leadership or the LeadHership Pathway programmes. 

When You Join Us 
We’re a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability-friendly.

What we will need from you if you're successful
In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.

Pre-Employment Checks 
If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre-employment checks required will depend on the role you’ve applied for. As a guide, these checks may include:

• Proof of Right to Work: You’ll need to provide documentary evidence of your right to work in the UK. Please note, visa sponsorship is not guaranteed for this role.
• References: We’ll require references from your current and previous employer(s).
• Proof of Qualifications: Evidence of qualifications relevant to the role will be required.
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check: A criminal record check may be necessary, depending on the role.
• Driving Licence: If the role requires driving, we’ll need evidence of your valid driving licence.

These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve. 

Other relevant information 
We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role. 

For more information about the role, please ensure that you read the role profile.

For further information or to apply, please click on the 'Enquire/Apply' button below.

Closing Date: 7 December 2025 (23:59)

Interview: week commencing: 20 January or 27 January 2026