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A unique opportunity to build a team and influence one of the largest and newest unitary Councils

North Northamptonshire Council is an ambitious, exciting, innovative and supportive place to work. The Council is committed to focused service delivery to improve the lives of our residents. Following local government reform, we are well on our way into our transformation journey to deliver excellent services in an inclusive and creative environment where ideas are encouraged alongside a commitment to staff development.

The Council has an ambitious growth agenda, securing significant levelling up funding to support regeneration projects and an overall revenue and capital budget of £292 million. The Council is proud to have delivered a balanced budget and despite the challenging financial position nationally is as a result, able to remain focused on delivery of its objectives.

We have invested in our legal team to support delivery of the Council’s priorities and created a structure that supports the team to deliver a holistic legal service across the Council’s functions. This is an exciting time to join us and be integral in building, establishing, and developing the new team providing high quality trusted advice.

We are committed to your personal development; the variety of work delivers an exciting mixed caseload for the team. Our approach provides you with an opportunity to influence and play a broad role in the Council and the way it delivers services to residents.

As a member of the team, you will be supported at a senior level and by your peers in a growing and developing team of professionals. The team’s focus is on enabling service delivery, to achieve this we adopt a partnering model with our clients, supporting them to deliver an ambitious agenda for North Northampton.

The newly created team provides an exciting opportunity for applicants whatever stage they are at in their career. We are committed to developing, nurturing, and growing talent from legal assistants, to the managers of the future. As a unitary authority, the opportunities are varied and broad providing a unique opportunity to shape processes and grow with the Council as it develops.

Job details

Job title: Legal Assistant

Grade: BCW/ENC3 (£22,777,24,948)

Reports to: Legal Managers

Directorate and Service area: Governance & HR, Legal Services

Purpose of the job

To deliver and assist the provision of effective support to the Legal Services team and its clients in accordance with Council policy and procedures with the potential to progress towards qualification as a solicitor.

General responsibilities applicable to all jobs

• Demonstrate awareness/understanding of equal opportunities and other people’s behavioural, physical, social and welfare needs.

• Comply with the Council’s policies and procedures including (but not limited to) safeguarding, financial regulations, promotion of equalities, customer care, agreed audit actions and health and safety (ensuring that reasonable care is taken at all times for the health, safety and welfare of yourself and other persons).

• Carry out any other duties which fall within the broad spirit, scope and purpose of this job description and which are commensurate with the grade of the post.

This job description reflects the major tasks to be carried out by the post holder and identifies a level of responsibility at which they will be required to work. In the interests of effective working, the major tasks may be reviewed from time to time to reflect changing needs and circumstances. Such reviews and any consequential changes will be carried out in consultation with the post holder.

Principal responsibilities of this job

• Develop a comprehensive awareness of the function and purpose of an in house local government legal team.

• Support the provision of legal advice to the Council across a variety of areas of legal practice including:

• Civil and criminal litigation

• Planning – development control and enforcement

• Procurement and projects

• Property

• Governance

• Supporting these areas by:

• drafting routine pleadings;
• obtain and review reports, witness statements, working documents and other papers required for tribunal appeals and court hearings;
• prepare/draft and file legal documents e.g. case summaries, position statements;
• ensure that Tribunal/Court Bundles are complete, paginated and ready for proceedings and the courts and other relevant parties receive the relevant documentation;
• attend meetings, courts, tribunals or other forums to take notes or transcripts of proceedings.

• Liaise with client departments and ensure a good level of customer care;

• Work collaboratively with other teams and support the training and development of colleagues and clients;

• Proactively support development of the teams working practices to increase efficiency.

We are a new unitary council, established in April 2021; we are one of the largest unitary councils in the country. Our vision for North Northants is to be 'A place where everyone has the best opportunities and quality of life'.

Our priorities are:

• helping people live active fulfilled lives
• caring for our young people, providing them with high quality education and opportunities
• enabling a thriving and successful economy
• leading on a green and sustainable environment
• ensuring our communities are connected so they can shape their lives and where they live
• providing modern public services

Our values, as chosen by our staff, are - Customer-focused, Respectful, Efficient, Supportive and Trustworthy.

Your differences make us different - Achieve Together.

We are undertaking consultation with the Trade Unions on terms and conditions and the future NNC pay structure and during this time are appointing new employees on interim spot salaries. You will be advised of the outcome and any impact on your role once this work is complete.

We offer:

• a competitive salary
• a pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.
• opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council
• generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days
• agile and flexible working arrangements to help you with a healthy work-life balance.