Senior Legal Officer

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.

Legal and Procurement Service sits within the Law, Governance and Safer Communities Directorate at Coventry City Council. Legal and Procurement Services is an outcome-focused service recognised for its dedication to improving the communities in which we live and work and delivering professional excellence.

The Place Team (Legal and Procurement Services), is responsible for all planning, highways, and commercial property advice to the Council. The successful candidate will manage a varied caseload including but not limited to s.106 agreements and providing planning legal advice to planning officers , stakeholders and senior officers.

Coventry is also a lively, multicultural city, which embraces both old and new and is a great place to work. We occupy a modern building (Friargate 1) right next to Coventry Station so we are easily accessible by public transport.

In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remains at the heart of everything we do.

Our Values are:

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

An opportunity has arisen for an experienced Senior Legal Officer to join the Council’s Legal and Procurement Service. Fast-paced and part of a high performing team, this is an excellent opportunity for you to join us and develop your career, knowledge and experience within this area of law. If successful, you will be stepping into a role central to advising on complex planning and highways matters while supporting wider corporate objectives.

The role will entail transactional and advisory work, including but not limited to, s.106 agreements, planning enforcement, development management and policy. Development in the team’s other areas of practice such as highways, traffic, rights of way and will be expected, supported and encouraged.

Working under the direction of the Place Team Leader, the role will suit a detailed, focused, enthusiastic Senior Legal Officer who has the dynamism to handle a busy and challenging caseload. You will need strong drafting, negotiating and advisory skills and competence with IT and case management systems and an enabling, positive approach to finding solutions to complex problems as well as the ability to anticipate and adapt to business and client needs and to appreciate risk management issues, working flexibly across a multi-skilled team.

When applying you will be asked to write a personal statement, which should include/ demonstrate the following:

• Successful completion of a law degree or Level 3 CILEX or relevant legal office based experience or equivalent
• Understanding of the law relating to Planning and experience of successfully managing a busy planning caseload.
• Experience of dealing with s106 planning and associated agreements.
• Experience of working with senior officers, including attendance at relevant meetings.
• Providing legal advice across Town and Country Planning, Highway Law (including footpaths) and Compulsory Purchase.
• Knowledge and understanding of local government and administrative law.

If you feel you have the necessary background, experience and skills to undertake this role we would like to hear from you. Please contact the Place Team Manager (Rob Parkes) on 07566 253043 or the Head of Legal and Procurement Services (Oluremi Aremu) on 02476 972070 if you wish to have an informal discussion about this exciting role.

We recognise that you might use AI tools to help with your application. While these tools can be useful, please make sure that all information you provide about your experience, skills, and qualifications is accurate. What matters most to us is hearing about your experience and the achievements that truly reflect you!

Need help completing your application form? The Job Shop can support you. You can register online here for an initial assessment, or visit the Job Shop in person, please see their webpage for more information. For all other queries, contact Recruitment@coventry.gov.uk

If you need help or support to complete your application, please visit our accessibility page to see how we can assist you.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'. If there is any evidence of a candidate using AI to complete their application, then the application will be rejected unless the candidate can provide a justification which the Council considers to be reasonable.

Interview date(s): To be confirmed

Coventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting-edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse.

At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities.

If you join us, we will provide a fantastic rewards and benefits package - to find out more please visit https://www.coventry.gov.uk/council-vacancies