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Head of Legal Services & Deputy Monitoring Officer

Location: Barnsley, S70 2DR

Ref: 000B 5BC0/1

Rate: £330.60 per day PAYE (with flexible holiday pay)

Contract: 2–3 months (interim cover for sick leave)

Working Pattern: 3 – 5 days per week (open to FT for the right candidate)

Hybrid Working: PT 1-2 days in the office, FT 3 days in the office

We are working in partnership with a high?profile local government police organisation to recruit an experienced Head of Legal Services & Deputy Monitoring Officer on an interim basis. This short?term assignment provides essential senior leadership cover during a period of sick leave and requires a confident legal professional who can quickly step in, provide stability, and lead a busy legal service with minimal induction.

This is an excellent opportunity to support a complex public sector organisation at a critical time—ensuring continuity of governance, legal compliance, and high?quality professional advice across a wide range of council and policing matters.

The Role

You will lead the Legal Services function, providing specialist legal oversight and acting as Deputy Monitoring Officer. Operating within a politically sensitive and fast?moving environment, you will offer authoritative legal advice, support senior decision?making, and ensure the service continues to operate effectively during the interim period.

You will manage a broad portfolio of legal teams, oversee key governance functions, and provide leadership resilience across the organisation. The role requires someone who can start quickly, work autonomously, and bring strong local government legal expertise.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Legal Services function, ensuring continuity of high?quality legal advice and governance support.
• Act as Deputy Monitoring Officer, supporting ethical decision?making, compliance and political governance.
• Provide authoritative legal advice to senior leaders, elected members and operational teams.
• Lead and support teams covering Property, Procurement & Contracts, Litigation, Adult Social Care and Children’s Social Care.
• Provide management oversight of Information Governance, Data Protection, SARs and Corporate complaints.
• Offer professional challenge and guidance to ensure legally sound decision?making across the organisation.
• Support service resilience during a period of sick leave, ensuring stability and continuity.
• Oversee the organisation’s Practice Manager and ensure effective operational delivery.
• Collaborate confidently with senior managers and elected members, influencing at all levels.
• Balance strategic leadership with hands?on delivery in a fast?paced, highly regulated environment.

You Will Need (Essential Requirements)

• Qualified Solicitor, Barrister, or Chartered Legal Executive (CILEx).
• Previous local government/council experience is essential.
• Significant experience working within legal services in a local authority setting.
• Senior management experience, including leading and developing legal teams.
• Broad legal background across local government services, with some knowledge of Adult Social Care and Children’s Social Care matters.
• Strong understanding of governance, compliance and political sensitivity.
• Ability to start quickly, work autonomously and manage competing priorities.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, able to influence at all levels.
• Experience within local government, or other highly regulated public sector environments.
• Experience supporting organisational transformation or service modernisation.
• Experience managing budgets and income generation within legal services.
• Experience working directly with elected members.
• Formal leadership or management qualification.

Job Ref: 000B 5BC0 / 1

Anticipated Length of Assignment:Unless otherwise stated (we do carry the occasional permanent vacancy) all of our roles are technically temporary, though opening assignments can be and often are, extended by clients on a longer term basis and can sometimes become permanent.