£52,413 - £54,495 (Bar at £53,460) per annum

Manchester City Council’s Legal Services provides day‑to‑day legal and democratic support to the Council, its Members, officers, partners and stakeholders, enabling them to deliver priorities safely, lawfully and effectively in line with the Our Manchester Strategy. We are a Lexcel‑accredited legal practice, with ambition to achieve ISO 9001 accreditation in the coming years. 

Reporting to the Head of Business Support and Development, the Deputy Legal Practice Manager will play a pivotal role in modernising and strengthening the operational backbone of Legal Services. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Operational leadership for digital systems including the Our Legal Case Management System (OLCMS). 
• Lead systems improvement ensuring compliance with Lexcel and ISO 9001 principles. 
• Oversee procurement and management of legal research and ancillary systems. 
• Oversee production of performance data, reporting and analytics to internal and external clients. 
• Ensure compliance with service level agreements. 
• Coordinate business continuity planning and risk reporting for Legal Services. 
• Ensure departmental policies and procedures are Lexcel‑compliant, reviewed and embedded. 
• Align business support resources with the Legal Services Service Plan. 
• Champion Apprenticeships and workforce development. 
• Support embedding of AI tools such as Co‑Counsel and Copilot. 
• Identify opportunities for service improvement and cost efficiencies.

For an informal discussion, please contact the hiring manager, Andrew Lee, at andrew.lee@manchester.gov.uk to arrange a convenient time to discuss the role.  

About the Candidate
You will be an experienced operational or practice manager, ideally within a legal, regulatory or professional services environment, with strong experience of digital systems, quality standards, governance frameworks and service improvement. You will be collaborative, analytical and committed to public service values. 
 
You will hold a Diploma in Management and Leadership (Level 5) or equivalent, and a Prince2 Practitioner or equivalent.
 
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. 

Closing date: 6 May 2026

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