Head of Legal

Job Title: Head of Legal (Fitness to Practise)

Contract: 18 month FTC/Secondment

Working Arrangement: Remote

Salary: £70,000 - £75,000

About the role

• You will lead the legal support provided to the regulator’s fitness to practise function, helping teams investigate concerns effectively and prepare cases to a high standard.
• Working with senior leaders, operational colleagues and external legal advisers, you will provide advice on complex cases, oversee the internal advocacy service and contribute to organisational policy and strategy. You will also help identify legal risks, improve regulatory processes and assess where changes to legislation or rules may be needed.
• The role combines leadership of a multidisciplinary team with specialist legal advice and oversight of sensitive regulatory proceedings.

Main responsibilities

Legal leadership and team management

• Set priorities for the fitness to practise legal team, allocating work and resources to meet operational needs.
• Manage the legal budget and support effective planning of internal and external legal resources.
• Lead, supervise and develop colleagues, ensuring appropriate training, professional development and quality assurance.
• Provide clear legal and strategic advice to senior leaders, supporting informed decisions on regulatory and organisational matters.

Investigations and case preparation

• Advise on the assessment of concerns, investigation planning, evidence, disclosure and the drafting of allegations.
• Support colleagues handling complex, sensitive or high risk investigations, identifying issues that require escalation or specialist advice.
• Review significant case documents and recommendations, making final decisions where responsibility has been delegated.
• Help ensure regulatory decisions are supported by clear reasoning, appropriate evidence and fair procedures.

Advocacy and external legal services

• Oversee the internal advocacy service responsible for interim order applications and reviews of interim and substantive orders.
• Support the preparation and presentation of disciplinary cases handled by external legal providers.
• Provide instructions and legal oversight on particularly complex or high profile matters.
• Work with colleagues responsible for external legal contracts to monitor service quality, timeliness and effective use of resources.

Policy, risk and service improvement

• Advise on the interpretation and application of the regulator’s statutory framework, rules, policies and procedures.
• Contribute legal expertise to projects and proposed changes, assessing their feasibility and supporting implementation.
• Work with legal, policy and operational colleagues to improve the consistency, effectiveness and proportionality of regulatory processes.
• Identify emerging legal risks and advise senior leadership and the governing body on appropriate responses.
• Apply learning from case outcomes, legal developments and quality reviews to improve practice.

Training and collaboration

• Identify training needs and develop practical guidance for legal and operational colleagues.
• Deliver training on regulatory legislation, procedure, case law and other relevant legal issues to staff and those involved in hearings.
• Build effective relationships across the organisation and with external advisers, supporting a coordinated approach to casework.

Essential qualifications and experience

• A qualified solicitor or barrister authorised to practise in England and Wales, with at least five years’ post qualification experience.
• Substantial experience of fitness to practise proceedings, including preparing and presenting cases before regulatory panels.