About the job

Job summary

This post can be based in Swindon or Harwell. Periodic travel to other UKRI locations where the legal team and key clients are based may also be required according to business needs. UKRI operates flexible working policies which include the opportunity to work part of the week from home, with regular attendance at Polaris House for team meetings. 

Job description

About the Role

You will work within the UKRI Legal Team and report to one of the team’s Senior In-house Lawyers. You will be required to provide timely, high-quality, and pragmatic legal advice on a wide range of legal issues affecting the functions and operation of UKRI. 

You will be expected to offer experience in areas covered by the UKRI Legal Employment/Litigation/Regulatory Team to supplement existing expertise. We are primarily seeking experience on the regulatory side and in relation to data protection law and compliance. Experience in legal aspects of complaints and fraud, public law (including inquiries) and ED&I matters are also of interest. There may also be an opportunity for you to be involved in employment law and litigation matters to support the team.

You will be required to get up to speed quickly with new and unfamiliar areas of law according to business need (with appropriate support), as the remit of the Legal Team expands to meet UKRI‘s legal support requirements.

Person specification

About you

• Minimum of a 2:1 honours degree in your first degree (in any subject) or equivalent high level academic and/or professional achievement. Where an overseas degree qualification is held, this should be equivalent to a 2.1 degree
• Qualified to practise as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales
• Professional and skilled lawyer with sound commercial experience
• The ability to understand public sector policy drivers and work effectively within the statutory framework applicable to a non-departmental public body
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as the ability to influence and work collaboratively
• 'Can-do' individual who is self-motivated and able to plan and manage a varied workload effectively
• Attention to detail with a proven track record of meeting deadlines and effectively prioritising and managing competing demands

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,116, UK Research and Innovation contributes £11,641 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

1st interview including presentation

2nd interview TBC

Interviews will either be conducted in person or via our video conferencing facility

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission. The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.