Knowledge Systems Manager

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 fulfill 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

About the Knowledge and Innovation Division

The work of the K&I Division is core to all our legal work in GLD. We equip government lawyers with the relevant knowledge, skills and systems to provide excellent and efficient legal services to ministers and officials.

The K&I Division is a multi-disciplinary team, that provides a portfolio of services spanning Knowledge (incorporating Legal Information, Knowledge Systems and Knowledge Communities & Projects), Legal Learning and Innovation. Sitting at the heart of the Government Legal Department, we connect lawyers, support legal communities and facilitate sharing of knowledge and collaboration across government.

We drive innovation to improve legal processes and create new services, including introducing new legal technologies such as artificial intelligence and developing lawyers' capability to maximise the benefits of these technologies.

We support our lawyers’ professional development at every stage of their careers through an extensive programme of learning opportunities.

Through our commitment to excellence and innovation across all our activities, we help GLD achieve its vision of being "an outstanding legal organisation, committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism" and with its strategic aim to ensure the organisation is fit for the future.

The Role

Reporting to the Head of Knowledge, the role takes operational responsibility and ownership of GLD’s current Knowledge Systems used across GLD, the Government Legal Profession (GLP) and wider civil service. The postholder will additionally have a key project role in the development of any future knowledge systems and application of AI technologies to our legal knowledge.

The postholder leads the work of the Knowledge Systems Team, currently a team of four (two HEOS and two EOs), to drive improvements in the quality and cohesiveness of these systems, enhancing productivity of lawyers both within GLD and the wider GLP. The team also contributes to strategic knowledge, learning projects and AI initiatives across GLD as well as delivering training to improve skills and share best practice with those using GLD’s knowledge systems.

In addition, the post holder works closely with the Head of Knowledge to support wider engagement with GLD and GLP on the systems and wider knowledge initiatives.

Key responsibilities:

Leading the team who own and maintain GLD’s existing knowledge systems including line management responsibilities, establishing clear priorities and setting performance and project objectives for the team.

• Manage and support the use of a document automation tool and work with Legal Learning to devise knowledge systems training.
• Working with system users and content creators, to ensure the systems are effective and content meets needs, including accessibility requirements.
• Finding innovative ways to make use of the systems currently available to meet the changing needs of the organisation.
• Project managing improvements to our current systems and working with a variety of stakeholders to achieve effective outcomes and value for money.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with internal and external technology experts and acting as the link between these experts and system users.
• Working across K&I and wider Knowledge and Learning Communities to support and engage users across GLD and the GLP, including delivering training.
• Contributing to K&I projects which benefit from a systems perspective and ensuring that conversations across the group which involves knowledge systems are joined up so that the Division work in a collaborative way. Supporting senior stakeholders (including Board level) in their strategic work to design the future direction of GLD’s knowledge and learning systems to ensure they support a national GLD and are fit for the future.
• Ensuring that all activities are aligned with GLD’s priorities, the GLD and GLP strategies and cross-government policies relating to information and data management
• Expert insight on technological changes and knowledge management to ensure that GLD remains up to date with current best practice.
• Acting as the conduit between Digital and K&I colleagues to facilitate the embedding of legal technology and advancements (for example in the field of AI) into our knowledge systems.
• Identifying gaps in the current systems offer and working with legal teams, Digital and K&I to understand and plan to meet gaps.
• Current awareness and horizon scanning – monitoring, curating and promoting relevant developments in legal technology across a variety of knowledge platforms to ensure that learning content is kept up to date.

Person specification

Behaviours

Below are details of the Success Profiles that make up this role. Demonstrating all the behaviours listed below is essential at either application or interview. You can read more about Success Profiles and how they are used as an assessment method before completing your application.

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

• Managing a quality service
• Changing & improving
• Working together
• Leadership
  

Experience

Essential – must be demonstrated at application and interview

• Experience of knowledge IT systems and knowledge management, including structuring knowledge in those systems, creating and maintaining governance structures, managing systems and BAU processes.
• Effective engagement of senior stakeholders and the ability to build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, successfully influence their thinking and secure consensus, leadership and influencing skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, both in writing and orally, effectively targeted to different audiences.
• Effective project management skills. The ability to conduct sound analysis to produce timely and fit for purpose solutions to systems issues.
• Ability to think strategically and spot synergies and potential alignments across the organisation, driving improvements to the knowledge and learning systems and support services offered and ability to deliver successfully in a pressurised environment.
• A high level of IT literacy, particularly in relation to knowledge systems, SharePoint and O365, database functionality, intranet, extranet and website technology

Desirable

• Experience of working in a knowledge or information management role in government, legal practice or other professional services.

Technical

Essential – must be demonstrated at application & interview

• Experience of knowledge IT systems and knowledge management, including structuring knowledge in those systems

Security Clearance Level

All GLD employees must hold BPSS security clearance. You cannot start your position while until you hold this clearance level. 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.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together
• Leadership

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

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

• Experience of knowledge IT systems and knowledge management, including structuring knowledge in those systems

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,263, Government Legal Department contributes £16,589 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%

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, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Application

To apply for this post you will need to complete the online application on Civil Service Jobs, searching the reference below. The deadline for this application is Monday 26th January 2026at12:00 Midday

In your application you will be assessed on the following:

• Name blind CV detailing your job history, experience, skills and qualifications.
• Personal statement of 750-words demonstrating the Experience and Technical as per the Person Specification.
• A 250-word statement on the lead behaviour Managing a quality service.

AI Usage

Civil Service Jobs states that 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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

In addition to this please note the use of AI is strictly prohibited during tests, written exercises and interviews.

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 – 443490 & vacancy closing date Monday 26th January 2026’

Selection Process

After the closing date, the appointing panel shall assess candidates’ suitability for the role based on evidence provided in their application against the behaviours and experience outlined in the person specification.

STAGED-SIFT :If there are a large number of applications the panel will conduct a staged sift. The initial sift will be on CV alone. If you meet the minimum criteria for the CV you will then go to the full sift on statement and the behaviour Managing a quality service.

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.

Interview

If you are invited to interview, you will be assessed on your performance in the criteria listed in the Person Specification and strength-based questions. These criteria are:

• Behaviour: Managing a Quality Service
• Behaviour: Changing & Improving
• Behaviour: Working Together
• Behaviour: Leadership
• Experience
• Technical

Offer

The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which decisions are expected to be made, and all shortlisted candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter.

All communications regarding your application will be made through Civil Service Jobs.

All candidates will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible after the interview. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

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. We 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 : Kirsten Sanders
• Email : kirsten.sanders@governmentlegal.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : activecampaigns@governmentlegal.gov.uk

Further information

What do I do if I have a complaint?
You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application hasn’t been treated in accordance with these Principles and wish to make a complaint, please contact recruitment_feedback@governmentlegal.gov.uk in the first instance. Please title your email as follows: Job Reference Number – Knowledge Systems Manager – Recruitment Complaint. Complaints must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the incident or the decision which has caused the complaint. To fully engage with the issues raised GLD require that you submit evidence of your complaint.

Attachments

G7 Knowledge Systems Manager Opens in new window (pdf, 645kB)