Grade 7 Head of Legal Team (Senior Legal Advisor)
Full time position
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. We receive over 40,000 applications a year for compensation, from people who have lost loved ones or have been injured as a result of violent crime. We know financial compensation can never fully redress what they have suffered. Nevertheless, what we do is an important part of providing justice for victims and we take pride that the compensation we pay helps people move forward with their lives.
Some of the material you will access may include upsetting personal accounts of harm inflicted by others. This could include sexual assault and violence against children which is distressing. We recognise the personal impact this may have and we provide resilience training, to promote wellbeing.
We employ around 300 people and are based in Glasgow city centre, with excellent transport links. We are a small, engaged, productive workforce with a real sense of corporate community. We want to keep improving our services and the way we work to best serve the public, meet new challenges, deliver value for money and ensure CICA is a great place to work.
This position is based at Buchanan Wharf, 10 Clyde Place, Glasgow, G5 8AQ. We currently operate a hybrid working business model, where a typical employee spends 50% of their working time in the Glasgow office and the remainder at home.
Role Description
As Head of Legal, you will play a key role in CICA’s Legal and Policy Directorate, reporting directly to the Director of Legal & Policy Services and being a key member of CICA’s Senior Leadership Team. You will manage a small team of SEO Legal Advisors and a Trainee Solicitor.
Key Responsibilities:
Support the Director of Legal & Policy Services in ensuring that CICA operates in accordance with legislative and policy frameworks and in ensuring the effective provision of a range of legal services.
Lead, supervise and manage solicitors and legal trainee(s) within the legal team in contributing to the achievement of CICA’s corporate objectives by providing sound legal advice to ensure CICA delivers a compassionate, efficient, trauma-informed service to victims of violent crime, managing the day to day running of the legal service and directing the work flow through the legal team.
Set clear expectations of individuals within the team, discuss performance regularly to motivate and enhance services which meet customer expectations and comply with Law Society training requirements.
Assist the Director of Legal & Policy Services in the selection and employment of legal staff.
Manage a caseload of litigation, including complex judicial review claims, ensuring that CICA’s best interests are protected; draft submissions and instruct counsel as appropriate in Tribunal and court proceedings.
Where compensation is to be paid into trust, provide legal input to the trust provisions and ensure the trust is fit for purpose.
Provide sound legal advice on a range of issues as they arise relating to interpretation and application of the Scheme, data protection and freedom of information matters and other related legal issues.
Support the team of decision makers who represent CICA at appeal hearings before the First-tier Tribunal, review Tribunal decisions, represent the CICA before the Tribunal where required and, where necessary, raise judicial review or appeal proceedings on behalf of CICA.
Be a model leader for the organisation through participation in senior management meetings and contributing to the formation and delivery of CICA’s corporate objectives, deputising for the Director of Legal & Policy Services as necessary.
Undertake other duties as required including providing training and managing staff disciplinary proceedings.
Essential criteria:
Solicitor qualified to practice in Scotland and/or England & Wales, who has been in continuous practice as a solicitor for a period of at least three years.
The ability to draft written argument, guidance and correspondence to the highest quality standards.
An excellent and demonstrable understanding of public law.
A familiarity with criminal law, trust law and data protection legislation.
Experience of conducting judicial review litigation, including instructing counsel and attendance at court hearings.
Excellent legal research skills.
Strong organisation and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively when under time pressure.
Strong analytical and reasoning skills, with the ability to assimilate information quickly and interpret statutes, case law and other sources of law.
Experience of leading or managing a team.
Effective managerial and supervisory skills in the oversight of a team of solicitors.
Desirable criteria
Experience of conducting judicial review litigation in both the Court of Session and the Administrative Court/Upper Tribunal.
Experience of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 and older Schemes including the pre-statutory schemes.
Other duties
The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.
How to apply
The selection process for this vacancy will utilise Civil Service Success Profiles and will assess your Experience, Behaviours and Strengths.
Stage 1
Applicants should provide a CV and a statement of suitability which evidences the essential criteria. The statement should be no more than 750 words in length.
Stage 2
If you are invited to interview, you will be tested on the following behaviours:
Seeing the Bigger Picture
Making Effective Decisions
Communicating and Influencing
Managing a Quality Service
During the panel interview, you will be asked behaviours and strengths-based questions.
Interviews are expected to take place in February 2026.
We will be conducting all interviews in person at Buchanan Wharf, 10 Clyde Place, Glasgow, G5 8AQ.
Apply and Further Information
Once the application closing date has closed, the advert will no longer be available to view. You may want to save a copy for your records.
A reserve list may be created and will be valid for 12 months. If further vacancies arise for this or similar roles within the organisation, candidates may be appointed from the reserve list in order of merit.
We offer flexible working 7am - 7pm, Monday to Friday. This role is offered on a full-time (37 hours per week) basis.
For queries about the role, please email Laura.Johnston@cica.gov.uk
Reasonable Adjustments
Tell us if you have a disability when you apply, and we can offer reasonable adjustments to help with the selection process.
If you require any assistance at any time, please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am-6pm) or e-mail MoJ-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com.