Deputy Directors, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Legal Advisers (3 roles available)

Job summary

From healthcare to artificial intelligence, energy to national security, we provide legal advice to government departments on nation-changing subjects.

At Government Legal Department we have a vital, single-minded purpose: to help the Government govern well within the rule of law. This is complemented by our exciting vision to be an outstanding legal organisation, committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism and a brilliant place to work where we can all thrive and fulfil our potential.

Our work touches almost every aspect of public life. We are the largest provider of legal services across government, working on high profile matters.

Our respected professionals are involved in everything from regulation and litigation to advice on drafting legislation. They provide expertise to the full range of government departments. We are at the heart of delivering the government’s priorities and our success depends on our people.

GLD is a non-ministerial government department headed by the Treasury Solicitor, our Permanent Secretary, and employs nearly 4000 people, including nearly 3000 legal professionals. We have offices nationwide, in Bristol, Leeds, inner and outer London and Manchester. Our lawyers can also be located within other departments and overseas.

GLD also depends on a range of cross-functional professionals to provide our corporate services. There are nearly 1000 colleagues playing an essential part in helping GLD to achieve its purpose and truly deliver much more than law.

This is an exciting time to join GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service.

To find out more about what we do you can view our introductory film. On our website you can hear from team members, find out how to apply and learn about the benefits of working for GLD. You can also read more about the future vision for GLD in our GLD Strategy 2024 – 2027.

Job description

The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) Legal Advisers is a friendly, inclusive, high performing and collaborative Directorate with a strong sense of shared purpose. We provide legal support to the Secretary of State, Ministers and officials in MHCLG to support delivery across all MHCLG’s policy areas.

Lawyers in MHCLG help implement policies to empower local leaders, spread opportunities, improve living standards across the UK and restore local pride. The Department has an ambitious agenda to drive up housing supply, increase home ownership, improve building safety, devolve powers and budgets to boost local growth and to support strong public services and create community cohesion and social integration.

We have a substantial programme of primary and secondary legislation and enjoy a wide and exciting portfolio of core government legal work supporting policy development and delivery in areas that make a real difference to the lives of UK citizens, which is hugely rewarding.

The Directorate is currently comprised of twelve legal teams in 4 legal groups, with each team headed by a Deputy Director. It is co-located with MHCLG in its London office and at the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol, with lawyers also working from our GLD Bristol, Croydon, Leeds, and Manchester offices. The Legal Directors are Amanda Garner-Patel and Susan Carter, working in a job share.

Number of posts

We are seeking 1 Deputy Director for each of the following teams:

• 1x Deputy Director - Private Rented Sector and Housing Strategy
• 1x Deputy Director - Planning and Planning Inspectorate
• 1x Deputy Director - Local Government, Devolution and Grants

Blow is more about each role:

Deputy Director, Private Rented Sector and Housing Strategy Division

The Housing and Land group is a large, friendly and collaborative group, currently led by three Deputy Directors with lawyers based across all GLD’s offices. The group has a busy and exciting portfolio, with a current focus on primary and secondary legislation reforming leasehold and commonhold, implementing the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, supporting a Social Housing Bill, alongside a range of legal support and advice on wider housing policy including homelessness, resettlement, migrant benefits and social housing. The work is often high-profile and makes a real difference to the lives of people living in this country.

The postholder will lead the Private Rented Sector and Housing Strategy division comprised of around 12 lawyers and advising on:

• The implementation the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 (the first tranche of measures having come into force on 1st May 2026) which includes the delivery of a new private rented sector (PRS) ombudsman redress scheme and a new PRS database for landlords.
• The division also advises on other PRS policy and operational work, Bill work to deliver a rent appeal process and advice and legislation on housing markets and strategy which includes initiatives in support of the Government’s housebuilding agenda.

Deputy Director, Planning and Planning Inspectorate Division

The four MHCLG planning teams work together as a large, friendly and collaborative group led by four Deputy Directors. The group delivers an ambitious programme of planning reform essential to MHCLG’s purpose of building good homes and strong communities where people can live, work and thrive. The group has recently been restructured into four planning divisions, with one also advising the Planning Inspectorate (PINS), and one focusing on delivery of new towns and place-based projects.

The postholder will lead the Planning and PINS division comprised of around 12 lawyers. The division currently provides advice to PINS, an independent executive agency responsible for processing planning appeals, examining local plans, and deciding on major infrastructure projects. It ensures impartial, fair, and timely decisions on land-use issues, balancing development needs with environmental protection and community views. The division also provides advice on planning policy on national significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs), as well as chairing the Cross Whitehall Infrastructure Lawyers Group. The reform of infrastructure planning is a key part of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025, introducing major changes to the Development Consent Order and National Policy Statement planning process for NSIPs.

The post holder will provide legal leadership across a wide range of complex planning issues and be part of the collective leadership of the planning group, together with the three other DDs. Over time there may be more rebalancing of planning reform between the divisions, in support of MHCLG’s priorities and resilience in the group.

Deputy Director - Local Government, Devolution and Grants Division

Our local government group is comprised of three collaborative and friendly legal divisions each led by a Deputy Director. Its work is at the heart of delivering essential services to communities, ensuring that councils have the resources they need and meet expected standards of performance and behaviour, that funding systems are fair and robust, delivering local government devolution and re-organisation, and electoral reform through the Representation of the People Bill. The group also advises on community integration, faith and social cohesion.

The post holder will lead the Local Government Devolution and Grants division– a new division, formed in May 2026, which brings together the implementation of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 (EDCEA) and our grants team.

The EDCEA introduces new measures to de-centralise power, ignite regional growth and empower mayors and local people. It received royal assent in April and the division is pivoting to deliver the implementation programme as swiftly as possible to start harnessing the benefits. The division also leads on MHCLG’s devolution priority programme, further supporting the government’s mission to shift power out of Whitehall and into communities.

The work of the grants team is integral to the successful delivery of MHCLG’s strategies to support the delivery of safe and affordable homes, pride in place, community cohesion and growth. This includes providing strategic, commercial, and operational advice across the full grant lifecycle from programme design and business case development to delivery assurance and risk management.

Core Responsibilities across all roles

Each role is an exciting opportunity to provide legal leadership on policies which impact UK citizens ,with a mix of strategic and operational work.

All three postholders will be required to:

• Provide legal leadership on policy development in their division. This will require the ability to horizon scan effectively and anticipate emerging legal risks and pressures and provide legal leadership on drafting of primary or secondary legislation by their division.
• Build close and sustained working relationships with senior policy officials, Parliamentary Counsel and stakeholders and brief Ministers as required.
• Take a strategic approach to litigation to manage risk and ensure consistency of approach, working closely with GLD’s litigation teams and external counsel.
• Managing relationships with other GLD teams including commercial, property law and employment, as well as external lawyers supporting MHCLG.

You will have the opportunity to help shape and deliver legal and policy change in each subject area, working at the heart of Government and deliver real change for people.

Person specification

It is important through your CV and Personal Statement that you provide evidence and examples of proven experience of these selection criteria. Below are details of the essential criteria from the Civil Service Success Profiles that make up these roles. Further guidance can be found at Success Profiles.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

Behaviours (all points assessed at application and interview)

• Leadership (Lead criteria)
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical Legal Professional Skills (all points assessed at application and interview)

• Ability to think strategically and bring wider legal experience and knowledge to bear
• Effectively manage legal risk
• Provide sound legal direction to the division and take responsibility for the professional work of the division
• Excellent knowledge, understanding and experience of public law, Bill and SI work
• Ability to think creatively and give authoritative legal advice facilitating practical solutions

Key Skills and Experience (all points assessed at application and interview)

Essential – must be demonstrated at application and interview

Experience in one of the following four areas of law:

• Experience of Property law
• Experience of Planning Law
• Experience of grant funding, procurement and/or public subsidy
• Previous experience of working as a lawyer in the civil service or local government/public sector

Please note, the key skills and experience criteria will be used at the point of allocation to decide which role candidates are most suited to.

Candidate Information Session

We will be holding a candidate information session for these roles on Microsoft Teams from 16:30pm – 17:15pm on Wednesday, 3rd June 2026.

Candidates will have the opportunity to hear from lawyers working within MHCLG, about what they do and their experiences working for government. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions about the role.

If you are interested in further information on this role please join the link below:

Wednesday, 3rd June 2026 at 16:30pm

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/324660878719671?p=osMYKzqOS6ul2MSNFX

Meeting ID: 324 660 878 719 671

Passcode: TG65574u

Security Clearance Level

All GLD employees must hold BPSS. In addition to this, those based in our London offices must hold or be willing to obtain CTC level clearance for this role. If London based, you can start your position pending this clearance level, however your appointment will be conditional upon obtaining CTC clearance. More information can be found about the vetting and clearance levelsbefore completing your application.

Sponsorship and Visas

There is the possibility that GLD can provide sponsorship for skilled workers, as long as they meet the eligibility criteria set down under current immigration legislation. GLD does not guarantee sponsorshipwill be provided or that an applicant will be successful in gaining a skilled worker visa.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that they meet the criteria for sponsorship. They also have the responsibility to notify the Resourcing Team that they require Sponsorship at the start of the onboarding process into GLD. This applies to existing civil servants as well as external candidates.

Qualifications

Applicants should have a minimum of a 2:1 honours degree in their first degree (in any subject). Where an applicant holds an overseas degree qualification this should be equivalent to a 2.1 degree. GLD will consider applicants who do not have a 2.1 degree but only where satisfactory evidence of equivalent high level academic and/or professional achievement can be provided (e.g. via relevant experience and results achieved for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/CPE, Legal Practice Course (LPC), Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC)).

Applicants must be qualified to practise as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales however, we also accept applications from overseas qualified candidates. You must have completed a training contract/pupillage/qualifying employment or have been exempted from this by the Law Society, the Bar Council or CILEx. Please note that candidates cannot apply more than 3 months before their qualification date.

Professional entry criteria for Chartered Legal Executives (i.e. Fellows): Chartered Legal Executives are eligible to apply where (i) a Qualifying Law Degree (QLD) is held; or (ii) the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)/CPE has been completed; or (iii) where exams have been passed (i.e. a score of 50% or above achieved), at CILEx Level 6*, in all of the following seven foundation subjects in law:
1. Contract Law
2. Criminal Law
3. Equity and Trusts Law
4. European Union Law
5. Land Law
5. Public Law
6. Law of Tort

*Note: There are specific requirements relating to academic achievement in the CILEx Level 6 exams where these are being used to demonstrate 2.1 degree equivalence as set out below.
Chartered Legal Executives should note that GLD will be willing to accept an, overall, average score of 65% or above across exams passed in the seven foundation subjects in law (where studied at CILEx Level 6) as demonstrating 2.1 degree equivalence (where a 2.1 degree is not held).

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Technical Legal Professional Skills

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £81,000, Government Legal Department contributes £23,465 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Learning and Development at GLD

GLD has a comprehensive learning and development offer for all employees.

We offer a programme of in-person/hybrid and virtual sessions providing learning on profession-specific, soft skills, technical skills, and different topics. For our SCS colleagues these include:

SCS Induction

• SCS Induction toolkit
• Quarterly SCS drop-in sessions. Focus on development and talent management signposting with Q&A

SCS Development Toolkit

• Signposts the learning and development opportunities provided by the Cabinet Office for SCS across government and within GLD.

Action Learning Sets

• SCS1 GLP action learning sets
• Departmental Leadership Group (all SCS 2 and above) are part of a bespoke high-performance leadership and development programme including Action Learning Sets

Other bespoke options available

• Psychometric testing Lumina Sparks for new SCS2, providing a personalised reading of an individual’s strengths and development areas
• Executive Coaching
• In-house shadowing and mentoring/coaching
• Networking Deputy Director Forum, established by the DDs in GLD. Its aim is to support and help each other manage the challenges of your roles and develop leaders.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application

To apply for this post you need to complete the application on Civil Service Jobs. The deadline for this application is 15th June 2026at 12:00 Midday. You can search for the job using the reference number below.

In your application you will be assessed on the following:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities, experience and achievements and qualifications. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. The CV will be used to assess key skills and experience and technical legal professional skills, as set out in the Person Specification. Your CV must not exceed 500 words in the section titled ‘Employment History’ and must not exceed 1200 words in the section titled ‘Previous Skills and Experience’. The system will not stop you from typing when you have reached the above detailed word count, it is for you, the candidate, to ensure that the word count is not exceeded.
• PersonalStatement of 1250 words, addressing the Technical Legal Professional Skills ANDthe following behaviours:​
• Leadership (Lead Behaviour)
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions

Please note, if a high number of applications are received, we will conduct the second part of the stage sift of the Personal Statement on the lead behaviour of Leadership alone. Each behaviour will be given an individual score, therefore please use headers to address each behaviour separately.

The application form on Civil Service Jobs will ask you to indicate a preference for the roles available. However, we cannot guarantee which role you will be offered.

CV Guidance for candidates

Please note that CV forms part of the online application form.

Please find the following guidance on how to populate the three sections of the CV when completing the online application: You will be asked to provide your, employment history, previous skills and experience, and qualifications.

For Employment History – please add your employment history, you can set out the roles you have completed in the past with start to end dates.

For Previous Skills and Experience - please add your experience, skills, achievements, key responsibilities, and any transferable skills you can bring to these roles.

For Qualifications – please list the details of your education and qualifications achieved.

Failure to complete all documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification. Should you encounter any issues with your online application or are unable to apply online please contact SCSRecruitment@governmentlegal.gov.uk.

Application Errors

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, please contact us via: activecampaigns@governmentlegal.gov.uk . Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – 462338 & vacancy closing date 15th June 2026’.

Selection Panels

The selection panel for this campaign will be:

• Amanda Garner-Patel
• Susan Carter
• TBC

Shortlist

You will receive an acknowledgment of your application through Civil Service Jobs once your application has been submitted.

The panel will then assess your application to select those demonstrating the best fit with the role by considering the evidence you have provided against the criteria set out in the ‘Person Specification’ section. Failure to address any or all of these may affect your application.

If there are a large number of applications the panel will conduct a two (2)-part staged sift. The initial sift will be on the CValone. If you meet the minimum criteria for the CV, your application will then be sifted on the Personal Statement.

Candidates assessed as not demonstrating the required experience in their CV will not progress to have their PersonalStatement assessed; they will be deemed as unsuccessful in the first stage of the two-stage sift. Candidates assessed as demonstrating the required experience in their CV will progress to the second stage of the two-stage sift where their Personal Statement will be assessed.

Candidates assessed as not demonstrating the required experience in their Personal Statement will be deemed as unsuccessful in the second stage of the two-stage sift. If there are a large number of applications at the second stage of the sift, the applications will be assessed on the lead behaviour of Leadership alone.

In the eventuality that there are a high number of applicants successful at sift, GLD may operate a longlist, whereby applicants who have been shortlisted and met the minimum pass mark but are not selected for interview will have their application placed on hold. After the initial interview round candidates on the longlist may be offered an interview, should there still be posts available.

Informal Conversations

All candidates will also have the opportunity to speak to one of the vacancy holders, prior to the final interview to learn more about the role and the organisation. Please note this is an optional part of the process, not part of the formal assessment process.

Interview

You will be asked to attend a panel interview in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.

Interviews will take in-person in our office in 2 Marsham Street, London. Full details of the interview format will be provided to shortlisted candidates prior to interview.

Presentation at Interview

As part of this interview candidates will be required to deliver a short 5 –minute presentation and the title of that presentation will be confirmed in advance. The presentation will assess Leadership.

Offer, Feedback and Reserve List

The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which decisions are expected to be made, and all candidates will be advised of selection decisions as soon as possible thereafter. All advertised dates are subject to change at short notice.

We are unable to offer feedback to candidates who have not attended an interview. Candidates who attend an interview will also be offered verbal feedback from a member of the interview panel.

We appoint in strict order of merit. If you meet the minimum criteria for this position but are not successful for a post, you will be placed on the reserve list for up to 12 months. We then may contact you to see if you are interested in a post at the same, or a lower grade, in GLD should one arise.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Amanda Garner-Patel & Susan Carter
• Email : Jobshare.LegalDirector@communities.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email :