West Sussex County Council is committed to improving the quality of life for everyone in West Sussex.
As a community leader, employer and provider of services we want to make sure that everyone in West Sussex has the opportunity to achieve their potential, no matter where they live or what their background, individual characteristics or personal circumstances might be.

We work with other local authorities, as well as regional, national and international authorities, to deliver services and represent the best interests of the people of the county.

Government

West Sussex County Council

What we do changes lives. We are there when people are born and in later life; supporting them every step of the way.

You should have excellent legal expertise, a commitment to flexible working, and a focus on health and wellbeing, along with a desire for training and development.

You will provide legal advice on commercial and construction contracts, procurement matters, and deliver quality legal services to client groups within the Commercial Team.

Legal

Chichester

<div>The Opportunity 
Salary: &pound;58,131 to &pound;61,445 per annum

Working Pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week

Location: Based at County Hall, Chichester and hybrid working from home

Interview date: w/c 10 March 2025

Legal Services aims to give the best possible legal and insurance service to the Council. As an organisation we have a simple goal &ndash; to deliver the best possible services to the people of West Sussex. We do this through the people who work for us so it&rsquo;s paramount to us to ensure that our employees are supported and valued. Does this sound like a place you&rsquo;d like to be a part of? We&rsquo;re on the lookout for a Senior Lawyer to join us in our ongoing mission to deliver excellence!

As a Senior Lawyer, you will work within the Commercial Team in Legal Services to provide a quality legal service to client groups across the County Council. Key areas include commercial contracts and procurement and other work areas as required by the Senior Lawyer Commercial Team Leader.

 Your primary focus will be to provide clear, robust, and balanced advice on commercial contracts, construction contracts and procurement matters within the Commercial Team in Legal Services. 
Working for us 
As well as adding real value to our service users and our communities, as an employer we recognise our employees are central in being able to achieve this. To recognise this we want to help support your development and provide an great place to work ensuring you can fulfil your full potential, have access to a range of benefits including: 

<ul>
<li>an excellent local government pension scheme</li>
<li>generous holiday entitlement of 30 days (plus opportunity to buy additional leave)</li>
<li>a range of flexible working options, depending on your job role</li>
<li>maternity, paternity, dependency and adoption leave</li>
<li>volunteering opportunities</li>
<li>training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring</li>
<li>a range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over &pound;1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform (see our Staff discounts page if you are a business looking to offer a discount)</li>
<li>health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Voluntary Health Cash Plans</li>
</ul>
For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page. 
Further information 
The reference number for this role is CRS00890.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Jonathan Brown (Principal Lawyer) at Jonathan.Brown@westsussex.gov.uk. For issues or queries regarding your application please contact hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk.

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter. In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to 3 years referencing and a health check.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page. 


CC 
Job Reference: CRS00890</div>

The Opportunity
Salary: £58,131 to £61,445 per annum

Working Pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week

Location: Based at County Hall, Chichester and hybrid working from home

Interview date: w/c 10 March 2025

Legal Services aims to give the best possible legal and insurance service to the Council. As an organisation we have a simple goal – to deliver the best possible services to the people of West Sussex. We do this through the people who work for us so it’s paramount to us to ensure that our employees are supported and valued. Does this sound like a place you’d like to be a part of? We’re on the lookout for a Senior Lawyer to join us in our ongoing mission to deliver excellence!

As a Senior Lawyer, you will work within the Commercial Team in Legal Services to provide a quality legal service to client groups across the County Council. Key areas include commercial contracts and procurement and other work areas as required by the Senior Lawyer Commercial Team Leader.

 Your primary focus will be to provide clear, robust, and balanced advice on commercial contracts, construction contracts and procurement matters within the Commercial Team in Legal Services.
Working for us
As well as adding real value to our service users and our communities, as an employer we recognise our employees are central in being able to achieve this. To recognise this we want to help support your development and provide an great place to work ensuring you can fulfil your full potential, have access to a range of benefits including:


an excellent local government pension scheme
generous holiday entitlement of 30 days (plus opportunity to buy additional leave)
a range of flexible working options, depending on your job role
maternity, paternity, dependency and adoption leave
volunteering opportunities
training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring
a range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over £1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform (see our Staff discounts page if you are a business looking to offer a discount)
health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Voluntary Health Cash Plans

For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page.
Further information
The reference number for this role is CRS00890.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Jonathan Brown (Principal Lawyer) at Jonathan.Brown@westsussex.gov.uk. For issues or queries regarding your application please contact hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk.

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter. In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to 3 years referencing and a health check.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.


CC
Job Reference: CRS00890

Senior Lawyer - West Sussex County Council

Senior Lawyer

You need strong contract management skills, attention to detail, great organizational abilities, a customer-focused mindset, and the capacity to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines efficiently.

You will manage L&D contracts, ensure compliance, advise commissioners, build provider relationships, oversee training events, maintain service quality, and protect against financial penalties.

Government & Politics

People, HR & Administration

<div>The Opportunity 
Salary: &pound;35,235 to &pound;37,938 per annum

Working Pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week

Location: County Hall, Chichester and hybrid working
Contract type: Fixed term or Secondment opportunity until September 2025

Interview date: 05 March 2025

As the Contracts Officer, your primary responsibility will be to manage and oversee the contracts related to learning and development, encompassing apprenticeships within our organisation. With the invaluable support of our Central Procurement and Legal teams, you will ensure compliance with Standing Orders and corporate policies, while providing advice, guidance, and assistance on procurement and contract matters to our dedicated internal Learning &amp; Development (L&amp;D) commissioners. You will forge and nurture strong relationships with training providers, committing to sustain high-quality service delivery and ensuring they meet the agreed-upon standards and deliverables.

In this pivotal role, you will be the main point of contact within the L&amp;D team for all external training suppliers. It will be your responsibility to ensure that events and solutions are financially viable, protecting the Authority from contractual financial penalties, and to oversee that externally delivered training events run smoothly and effectively. 
What are we looking for? 
To be successful in this role, you will need:
<ul>
<li>Strong contract management skills, the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders, great attention to detail, and strong organisational skills.</li>
<li>To be customer focused and keen to deliver the best service possible to our internal and external customers, being reliable and efficient at all times.</li>
</ul>
This is a busy role with demands from a wide range of stakeholders, requiring the ability to deal with multiple tasks at any one moment ensuring that nothing is left to slip or slide &ndash; and important deadlines are met.

For more information on the Key Skills as well as the Qualifications and/or experience required, please refer to the Job Description attached. 
Working for us 
As well as adding real value to our service users and our communities, as an employer we recognise our employees are central in being able to achieve this. To recognise this we want to help support your development and provide an great place to work ensuring you can fulfil your full potential, have access to a range of benefits including:
<ul>
<li>an excellent local government pension scheme</li>
<li>generous holiday entitlement of 27 days (plus opportunity to buy additional leave)</li>
<li>a range of flexible working options, depending on your job role</li>
<li>maternity, paternity, dependency and adoption leave</li>
<li>volunteering opportunities</li>
<li>training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring</li>
<li>a range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over &pound;1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform (see our Staff discounts page if you are a business looking to offer a discount)</li>
<li>health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Voluntary Health Cash Plans</li>
</ul>
For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page. 
Further information 
The reference number for this role is CRS00902.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Lindsey Hannant at lindsey.hannant@westsussex.gov.uk. For issues or queries regarding your application please contact hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk.

Internal candidates wishing to apply for this role will be considered for a secondment position. Please can you therefore discuss and agree this with your manager before applying for this position.

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter. In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to 3 years referencing and a health check.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page. 


CC 
Job Reference: CRS00902</div>

The Opportunity
Salary: £35,235 to £37,938 per annum

Working Pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week

Location: County Hall, Chichester and hybrid working
Contract type: Fixed term or Secondment opportunity until September 2025

Interview date: 05 March 2025

As the Contracts Officer, your primary responsibility will be to manage and oversee the contracts related to learning and development, encompassing apprenticeships within our organisation. With the invaluable support of our Central Procurement and Legal teams, you will ensure compliance with Standing Orders and corporate policies, while providing advice, guidance, and assistance on procurement and contract matters to our dedicated internal Learning & Development (L&D) commissioners. You will forge and nurture strong relationships with training providers, committing to sustain high-quality service delivery and ensuring they meet the agreed-upon standards and deliverables.

In this pivotal role, you will be the main point of contact within the L&D team for all external training suppliers. It will be your responsibility to ensure that events and solutions are financially viable, protecting the Authority from contractual financial penalties, and to oversee that externally delivered training events run smoothly and effectively.
What are we looking for?
To be successful in this role, you will need:

Strong contract management skills, the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders, great attention to detail, and strong organisational skills.
To be customer focused and keen to deliver the best service possible to our internal and external customers, being reliable and efficient at all times.

This is a busy role with demands from a wide range of stakeholders, requiring the ability to deal with multiple tasks at any one moment ensuring that nothing is left to slip or slide – and important deadlines are met.

For more information on the Key Skills as well as the Qualifications and/or experience required, please refer to the Job Description attached.
Working for us
As well as adding real value to our service users and our communities, as an employer we recognise our employees are central in being able to achieve this. To recognise this we want to help support your development and provide an great place to work ensuring you can fulfil your full potential, have access to a range of benefits including:

an excellent local government pension scheme
generous holiday entitlement of 27 days (plus opportunity to buy additional leave)
a range of flexible working options, depending on your job role
maternity, paternity, dependency and adoption leave
volunteering opportunities
training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring
a range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over £1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform (see our Staff discounts page if you are a business looking to offer a discount)
health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Voluntary Health Cash Plans

For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page.
Further information
The reference number for this role is CRS00902.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Lindsey Hannant at lindsey.hannant@westsussex.gov.uk. For issues or queries regarding your application please contact hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk.

Internal candidates wishing to apply for this role will be considered for a secondment position. Please can you therefore discuss and agree this with your manager before applying for this position.

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter. In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to 3 years referencing and a health check.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.


CC
Job Reference: CRS00902

Learning & Development Contracts Officer - West Sussex County Council

<div>
 The Opportunity
 Salary: £35,235 to £37,938 per annum
 Working Pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week
 Location: County Hall, Chichester and hybrid working 
 Contract type: Fixed term or Secondment opportunity until September 2025
 Interview date: 05 March 2025
 As the Contracts Officer, your primary responsibility will be to manage and oversee the contracts related to learning and development, encompassing apprenticeships within our organisation. With the invaluable support of our Central Procurement and Legal teams, you will ensure compliance with Standing Orders and corporate policies, while providing advice, guidance, and assistance on procurement and contract matters to our dedicated internal Learning &amp; Development (L&amp;D) commissioners. You will forge and nurture strong relationships with training providers, committing to sustain high-quality service delivery and ensuring they meet the agreed-upon standards and deliverables.
 In this pivotal role, you will be the main point of contact within the L&amp;D team for all external training suppliers. It will be your responsibility to ensure that events and solutions are financially viable, protecting the Authority from contractual financial penalties, and to oversee that externally delivered training events run smoothly and effectively. What are we looking for?
 To be successful in this role, you will need:
 <ul>
 <li>Strong contract management skills, the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders, great attention to detail, and strong organisational skills.</li>
 <li>To be customer focused and keen to deliver the best service possible to our internal and external customers, being reliable and efficient at all times.</li>
 </ul>
 This is a busy role with demands from a wide range of stakeholders, requiring the ability to deal with multiple tasks at any one moment ensuring that nothing is left to slip or slide – and important deadlines are met.
 For more information on the Key Skills as well as the Qualifications and/or experience required, please refer to the Job Description attached. Working for us
 As well as adding real value to our service users and our communities, as an employer we recognise our employees are central in being able to achieve this. To recognise this we want to help support your development and provide an great place to work ensuring you can fulfil your full potential, have access to a range of benefits including:
 <ul>
 <li>an excellent local government pension scheme</li>
 <li>generous holiday entitlement of 27 days (plus opportunity to buy additional leave)</li>
 <li>a range of flexible working options, depending on your job role</li>
 <li>maternity, paternity, dependency and adoption leave</li>
 <li>volunteering opportunities</li>
 <li>training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring</li>
 <li>a range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over £1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform (see our Staff discounts page if you are a business looking to offer a discount)</li>
 <li>health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Voluntary Health Cash Plans</li>
 </ul>
 
 For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page. Further information
 The reference number for this role is CRS00902.
 For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Lindsey Hannant at lindsey.hannant@westsussex.gov.uk. For issues or queries regarding your application please contact hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk.
 Internal candidates wishing to apply for this role will be considered for a secondment position. Please can you therefore discuss and agree this with your manager before applying for this position.
 To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter. In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.
 We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to 3 years referencing and a health check.
 Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.
 We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page. 
 
 CC Job Reference: CRS00902
</div>

WSCC

Learning & Development Contracts Officer

You need childcare law experience, strong drafting and research skills, legal advice competency, IT proficiency, and a proactive, professional attitude. Solicitor or equivalent chartered status required.

You will provide legal advice to Children’s Services, supporting their statutory responsibilities for child safety and welfare in sensitive cases, while fostering a collaborative team environment.

<div>The Opportunity 
West Sussex County Council are looking for Childcare Lawyers to join our experienced and motivated team.

Salary: &pound;38,626 to &pound;57,005 per annum, dependent on qualifications and experience.

Working Pattern: Full-time, 37 hours per week. Flexible working and condensed hours options considered e.g. 9 day fortnight.

Location: Your office base will be County Hall, Chichester. This is a hybrid/remote working role with any working from home arrangements being at the discretion and agreement with your manager.

As a childcare lawyer you will be working with Children&rsquo;s Services, supporting them with sensitive cases. Your legal advice and support will impact on the future wellbeing and circumstances of individual children and families in West Sussex. Your role will involve supporting Children&rsquo;s Services with discharging their statutory responsibilities of ensuring the safety and welfare needs of children and young persons across West Sussex are paramount.

You will be part of our 40 strong Childcare legal team. You will work in an accommodating and dynamic environment supported by a senior management team including 1 Principal Lawyer and 4 Senior Lawyers. We aim to support our team members to achieve their full potential as we strive for a healthy work-life balance and ensure you are rewarded for the work you do. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious and or experienced childcare solicitor to come on board and benefit from the team&rsquo;s wide-ranging expertise. 
What are we looking for? 
The ideal candidates will have experience in childcare law with the ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment. Consideration will be given to applicants from private practice with relevant experience.

As a service, we are looking for committed individuals with high levels of professionalism, integrity, and a genuine desire to contribute to the growth of the team. You will be a tenacious, compassionate and self-driven individual who is prepared to embrace our values and be part of the West Sussex culture #BeTheDifference. 
Experience and skills 
Key Skills:
<ul>
<li>Effective drafting and report writing skills.</li>
<li>Ability to give competent legal advice in a timely manner to clients.</li>
<li>Fully competent research skills.</li>
<li>Ability to build strong working relations with clients, colleagues and external Stakeholders.</li>
<li>Sound organisational skills.</li>
<li>Competent presentational skills or advocacy experience in childcare law.</li>
<li>Ability to analyse and advise on legislative and regulatory text and other legal materials and to present arguments in written or oral form.</li>
<li>Being a pro-active member of the team and having a &ldquo;can do&rdquo; attitude within the range of work for the post.</li>
<li>Having the flexibility to work within a fast-paced legal environment.</li>
<li>Ability to use initiative and be innovative in a complex area of law as well as working under the supervision of a Senior lawyer as appropriate.</li>
<li>Sound IT skills in order to use the case management system and digital court process.</li>
</ul>
Qualifications and/or experience:
<ul>
<li>Qualified solicitor, barrister or chartered legal executive with appropriate demonstrable experience within child protection legal work.</li>
<li>Relevant chartered status of a professional body or equivalent high-level experience of involved practices e.g. CILEX.</li>
</ul> 
What's in it for you? 
As well as adding real value to our service users and our communities, as an employer we recognise our employees are central in being able to achieve this. To recognise this we want to help support your development and provide an great place to work ensuring you can fulfil your full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work you do. Upon joining us you will have access to a range of benefits including:
<ul>
<li>an excellent local government pension scheme</li>
<li>generous holiday entitlement of 27 to 30 days (plus opportunity to buy additional leave)</li>
<li>a range of flexible working options, depending on your job role</li>
<li>maternity, paternity, dependency and adoption leave</li>
<li>volunteering opportunities</li>
<li>training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring</li>
<li>a range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over &pound;1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform (see our Staff discounts page if you are a business looking to offer a discount)</li>
<li>health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Voluntary Health Cash Plans</li>
</ul>
For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page.
<ul><li>This alters every 01.04.</li></ul> 
Further information 
The reference number for this role is CRS00896.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Sara Boothroyd, Senior Lawyer at sara.boothroyd@westsussex.gov.uk or Ashley Hughes, Senior Lawyer at ashley.hughes@westsussex.gov.uk. For issues or queries regarding your application please contact hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk.

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter. In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to 3 years referencing and a health check.

Equality, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page. 


CC 
Job Reference: CRS00896</div>

The Opportunity
West Sussex County Council are looking for Childcare Lawyers to join our experienced and motivated team.

Salary: £38,626 to £57,005 per annum, dependent on qualifications and experience.

Working Pattern: Full-time, 37 hours per week. Flexible working and condensed hours options considered e.g. 9 day fortnight.

Location: Your office base will be County Hall, Chichester. This is a hybrid/remote working role with any working from home arrangements being at the discretion and agreement with your manager.

As a childcare lawyer you will be working with Children’s Services, supporting them with sensitive cases. Your legal advice and support will impact on the future wellbeing and circumstances of individual children and families in West Sussex. Your role will involve supporting Children’s Services with discharging their statutory responsibilities of ensuring the safety and welfare needs of children and young persons across West Sussex are paramount.

You will be part of our 40 strong Childcare legal team. You will work in an accommodating and dynamic environment supported by a senior management team including 1 Principal Lawyer and 4 Senior Lawyers. We aim to support our team members to achieve their full potential as we strive for a healthy work-life balance and ensure you are rewarded for the work you do. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious and or experienced childcare solicitor to come on board and benefit from the team’s wide-ranging expertise.
What are we looking for?
The ideal candidates will have experience in childcare law with the ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment. Consideration will be given to applicants from private practice with relevant experience.

As a service, we are looking for committed individuals with high levels of professionalism, integrity, and a genuine desire to contribute to the growth of the team. You will be a tenacious, compassionate and self-driven individual who is prepared to embrace our values and be part of the West Sussex culture #BeTheDifference.
Experience and skills
Key Skills:

Effective drafting and report writing skills.
Ability to give competent legal advice in a timely manner to clients.
Fully competent research skills.
Ability to build strong working relations with clients, colleagues and external Stakeholders.
Sound organisational skills.
Competent presentational skills or advocacy experience in childcare law.
Ability to analyse and advise on legislative and regulatory text and other legal materials and to present arguments in written or oral form.
Being a pro-active member of the team and having a “can do” attitude within the range of work for the post.
Having the flexibility to work within a fast-paced legal environment.
Ability to use initiative and be innovative in a complex area of law as well as working under the supervision of a Senior lawyer as appropriate.
Sound IT skills in order to use the case management system and digital court process.

Qualifications and/or experience:

Qualified solicitor, barrister or chartered legal executive with appropriate demonstrable experience within child protection legal work.
Relevant chartered status of a professional body or equivalent high-level experience of involved practices e.g. CILEX.

What's in it for you?
As well as adding real value to our service users and our communities, as an employer we recognise our employees are central in being able to achieve this. To recognise this we want to help support your development and provide an great place to work ensuring you can fulfil your full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work you do. Upon joining us you will have access to a range of benefits including:

an excellent local government pension scheme
generous holiday entitlement of 27 to 30 days (plus opportunity to buy additional leave)
a range of flexible working options, depending on your job role
maternity, paternity, dependency and adoption leave
volunteering opportunities
training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring
a range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over £1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform (see our Staff discounts page if you are a business looking to offer a discount)
health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Voluntary Health Cash Plans

For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page.
This alters every 01.04.
Further information
The reference number for this role is CRS00896.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Sara Boothroyd, Senior Lawyer at sara.boothroyd@westsussex.gov.uk or Ashley Hughes, Senior Lawyer at ashley.hughes@westsussex.gov.uk. For issues or queries regarding your application please contact hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk.

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter. In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to 3 years referencing and a health check.

Equality, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.


CC
Job Reference: CRS00896

Lawyer - West Sussex County Council

<div>
 The Opportunity
 West Sussex County Council are looking for Childcare Lawyers to join our experienced and motivated team.
 Salary: £38,626 to £57,005 per annum, dependent on qualifications and experience.
 Working Pattern: Full-time, 37 hours per week. Flexible working and condensed hours options considered e.g. 9 day fortnight.
 Location: Your office base will be County Hall, Chichester. This is a hybrid/remote working role with any working from home arrangements being at the discretion and agreement with your manager.
 As a childcare lawyer you will be working with Children’s Services, supporting them with sensitive cases. Your legal advice and support will impact on the future wellbeing and circumstances of individual children and families in West Sussex. Your role will involve supporting Children’s Services with discharging their statutory responsibilities of ensuring the safety and welfare needs of children and young persons across West Sussex are paramount.
 You will be part of our 40 strong Childcare legal team. You will work in an accommodating and dynamic environment supported by a senior management team including 1 Principal Lawyer and 4 Senior Lawyers. We aim to support our team members to achieve their full potential as we strive for a healthy work-life balance and ensure you are rewarded for the work you do. This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious and or experienced childcare solicitor to come on board and benefit from the team’s wide-ranging expertise. What are we looking for?
 The ideal candidates will have experience in childcare law with the ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment. Consideration will be given to applicants from private practice with relevant experience.
 As a service, we are looking for committed individuals with high levels of professionalism, integrity, and a genuine desire to contribute to the growth of the team. You will be a tenacious, compassionate and self-driven individual who is prepared to embrace our values and be part of the West Sussex culture #BeTheDifference. Experience and skills
 Key Skills:
 <ul>
 <li>Effective drafting and report writing skills.</li>
 <li>Ability to give competent legal advice in a timely manner to clients.</li>
 <li>Fully competent research skills.</li>
 <li>Ability to build strong working relations with clients, colleagues and external Stakeholders.</li>
 <li>Sound organisational skills.</li>
 <li>Competent presentational skills or advocacy experience in childcare law.</li>
 <li>Ability to analyse and advise on legislative and regulatory text and other legal materials and to present arguments in written or oral form.</li>
 <li>Being a pro-active member of the team and having a “can do” attitude within the range of work for the post.</li>
 <li>Having the flexibility to work within a fast-paced legal environment.</li>
 <li>Ability to use initiative and be innovative in a complex area of law as well as working under the supervision of a Senior lawyer as appropriate.</li>
 <li>Sound IT skills in order to use the case management system and digital court process.</li>
 </ul>
 Qualifications and/or experience:
 <ul>
 <li>Qualified solicitor, barrister or chartered legal executive with appropriate demonstrable experience within child protection legal work.</li>
 <li>Relevant chartered status of a professional body or equivalent high-level experience of involved practices e.g. CILEX.</li>
 </ul> What's in it for you?
 As well as adding real value to our service users and our communities, as an employer we recognise our employees are central in being able to achieve this. To recognise this we want to help support your development and provide an great place to work ensuring you can fulfil your full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work you do. Upon joining us you will have access to a range of benefits including:
 <ul>
 <li>an excellent local government pension scheme</li>
 <li>generous holiday entitlement of 27 to 30 days (plus opportunity to buy additional leave)</li>
 <li>a range of flexible working options, depending on your job role</li>
 <li>maternity, paternity, dependency and adoption leave</li>
 <li>volunteering opportunities</li>
 <li>training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring</li>
 <li>a range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over £1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform (see our Staff discounts page if you are a business looking to offer a discount)</li>
 <li>health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Voluntary Health Cash Plans</li>
 </ul>
 For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page.
 <ul>
 <li>This alters every 01.04.</li>
 </ul> Further information
 The reference number for this role is CRS00896.
 For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Sara Boothroyd, Senior Lawyer at sara.boothroyd@westsussex.gov.uk or Ashley Hughes, Senior Lawyer at ashley.hughes@westsussex.gov.uk. For issues or queries regarding your application please contact hrrecruitment@westsussex.gov.uk.
 To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter. In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.
 We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to 3 years referencing and a health check.
 Equality, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.
 We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page. 
 
 CC Job Reference: CRS00896
</div>

West Sussex County Council

Mission