Working hours: 35 hours per week
Contract type: Permanent
Working style: Hybrid
Closing date: 6 November 2026
You must already have a valid right to work in the UK documentation, as we cannot offer visa sponsorship for this role.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced children and families lawyer seeking a senior leadership position that combines complex casework, strategic influence, team leadership and specialist expertise. You'll play a key role in shaping legal services, supporting Children's Services and safeguarding vulnerable children whilst working on some of the most significant and politically sensitive matters facing local government.
About the Team
Manchester City Council's Legal Services team is recognised nationally for delivering innovative, high-quality public sector legal services. As the largest shared legal service in the country, the team provides legal support across Manchester City Council, Salford City Council, and a range of external public sector clients.
The Children & Families Legal Group provides legal advice and representation on all matters relating to the safeguarding and protection of children. The team combines its role advising on multi-agency safeguarding arrangements with strategic support to Children's Services, whilst also providing specialist advice on the disclosure of children's and adults' social care records and education records.
At the heart of everything the team does is:
- The safety and needs of children.
- The legal representation of Children's Services.
There is significant opportunity to contribute to the continued development of legal services supporting Children's and Education Services, helping to deliver key objectives around permanence for children and locality-based service delivery across Manchester.
Your New Role
As a Principal Lawyer Technical Specialist, you will act as the leading subject matter expert on public law children's matters within the service, providing specialist legal advice on complex, high-value and politically sensitive matters.
You will take responsibility for a significant personal caseload whilst also playing a key role within the wider management team, supporting service development, mentoring colleagues and helping to shape the strategic direction of the Children & Families Legal Group.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Managing a personal caseload of complex, high-value and politically sensitive public law children's matters
- Acting as a technical specialist and trusted advisor to senior officers, elected members and stakeholders
- Providing strategic legal advice to support decision-making across Manchester City Council, Salford City Council and partner organisations
- Leading on complex legal issues, policy development and service improvement initiatives
- Supporting and deputising for senior management within the Group where required
- Supervising, mentoring and developing legally qualified staff and supporting the professional growth of colleagues
- Allocating and overseeing complex legal work across the team
- Delivering training, legal updates and professional development activities
- Building and maintaining strong client relationships across multiple public sector organisations
- Representing the service on strategic boards, groups and partnership forums
- Undertaking advocacy where required
Pre-employment checks
If you are successful, your appointment will be subject to completing the relevant pre-employment checks. These checks will be carried out as part of our recruitment process and includes:
- Qualification and Registration - Qualified Solicitor, Barrister, Chartered Lawyer or CILEX Fellow holding a current practising certificate.
- DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance- The post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (amended in 2013). Appointable candidates will be required to apply for a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Information provided by you or the DBS will be dealt with in a confidential manner and in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice . We have a policy on the secure handling, storage and use of DBS information, as well as a policy on the recruitment and employment of ex-offenders. Both policies are available on request.
- If you have lived or worked abroad for 3 months or more in the last 5 years or 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years whilst aged 18 or over, please refer to GOV UK for details for how to obtain your Police check or Certificates of Good Character.