Welcome from Clerk/Chief Executive David McGill

Our vision is to make a positive difference to the lives of the people of Scotland. A key priority for the Scottish Parliament is to ensure we’re continuing to meet the needs of MSPs, the Parliament and the public. We strive to deliver our services and facilities effectively and efficiently, always putting people at the centre of what we do.

The Solicitor to the Parliament is a key member of the senior staff of the Parliamentary Service and provides legal advice to me as Clerk/Chief Executive and directly to the Presiding Officer and the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. This critical role touches on every aspect of the work of the Parliament, including our interface with Government and external bodies.

We are currently in a very exciting time in the parliamentary cycle, with an election and then the induction of what we expect to be a record number of new MSPs. The Solicitor to the Parliament, and the Legal Services Office, will play a crucial role in setting up the Parliament for success in the new Session. The successful candidate will lead a dedicated team of parliamentary lawyers and shape our future legal services.

The Parliament is a vibrant, fast-paced, and dynamic organisation supported by excellent staff dedicated to delivering our services. We have high levels of staff motivation and commitment, as well as an iconic working environment, making the Parliament an excellent place to work and I look forward to adding a dynamic leader to our team.

Welcome from Callum Thomson, Director of Parliamentary Business

The Parliament is at the heart of democracy and politics in Scotland. This is an exciting year for everyone in the Parliament with the upcoming election. Colleagues across the Scottish Parliamentary Service look forward to supporting all 129 Members in the 7th Session, as well as the new Presiding Officer team.

The Solicitor to the Parliament is a key post in the Scottish Parliamentary Service. You will be a trusted, impartial counsel who is comfortable in ranging across highly diverse subject matters. You will relish the opportunity to lead the team that provides high quality, practicable legal advice on the most contentious or sensitive issues, often operating under considerable time constraints.

Within the public sector it is essential we deliver high quality sustainable results, and we achieve this using our skills and resources efficiently and effectively. Session 7 will see us quicken the pace in relation to our investments in digital technologies to support high quality legal advice to support the Parliament’s parliamentary business and corporate functions. You will work with me and other members of the Parliamentary Business Leadership Team to deliver our ambitious agenda, with a particular focus on continuous improvements in the services we provide to support the work of Parliament.

We are looking for a person who can excel both as a legal advisor – someone who is able to see the big picture as well as having technical expertise - and as an organisational leader who can deliver change and inspire colleagues.

If you relish the prospect of working at the centre of Scotland’s Parliament and you think you have the leadership skills and experience to fill the role, I very much look forward to hearing from you.

About the role

Help the Scottish Parliament make a difference to the lives of the people of Scotland.

Working in the heart of Scottish democracy, you’ll strategically lead the Legal Office in the Scottish Parliament.

You’ll be an experienced qualified solicitor with an active practicing certificate in Scotland (or an ability to gain one quickly) with significant experience of leading effective and efficient legal services. Integrity to uphold personal and professional standards will be vital to ensure the impartiality required in this role and forge trusted relationships.

You’ll work collaboratively with colleagues at all levels and externally. You’ll convey sensitive or complex legal and other issues clearly and succinctly. A strategic thinker, with outstanding influencing skills, and someone who can instil confidence at senior levels, you’ll be politically astute and appreciate the need for diplomacy, tact and firmness in dealing with live issues.

You’ll provide strategic leadership on legal issues across the full range of parliamentary activity. A strong understanding of Parliamentary law and operation, or an ability to develop this quickly, is a requirement. Resilient in an environment of challenge, you’ll be situation-focused and lead by example.

You’ll have outstanding people management skills and proven experience of motivating and inspiring multi-functional teams, capable of leading colleagues confidently through major organisational change.

As a leader and manager, you’ll be resilient and inspire colleagues to deliver high performance results in line with our values. You’ll have a proven track record of working inclusively with a diverse range of people and groups. You’ll have outstanding mentoring and coaching skills and be passionate about contributing to an inclusive and collaborative working culture which values diversity and encourages openness.

You’ll have a well-honed ability to identify, assess and mitigate risk, both in regard to horizon scanning and live crisis management. Being a self-starter in this regard is vital. You’ll have an awareness of the importance of impartiality and will understand that your role is to support all politicians on an equal basis.

Key responsibilities:

• Providing high quality professional legal and operational advice as the principal legal adviser to the Parliament, including to the Presiding Officer, the SPCB, the Clerk/Chief Executive, Senior Executive Team and parliamentary committees.
• Leading and directing, or personally undertaking, a range of activities, some of which may be considered complex and politically sensitive as well as being novel and contentious in nature.
• Ensuring a robust management structure and business continuity arrangements are in place within your operational areas with effective performance, financial governance, scrutiny and assurance, including measuring effectiveness and efficiency of services, holding staff to account and maintaining tested and effective plans for recovery in the event of disruption
• Leading on complex agendas, whilst gaining the co-operation and agreement of stakeholders, to deliver on the functions of different business areas and their strategic goals.
• Leading on or influencing the delivery of priorities set in the strategic plan, including ensuring that plans and resources are in place to enable the Parliament to scrutinise and respond to constitutional and legislative change. Leading through effective change management, including stakeholder engagement, to improve service delivery and strengthen the Parliament.
• Leading, managing and developing all staff within your office, promoting excellent relationships within and between services to ensure that Members receive proactive, flexible, expert support to enable them to do their jobs to the highest possible standards.
• Creating positive and supportive teams who consider the diverse needs and feelings of other colleagues, where colleagues feel able to speak up within a psychologically safe environment.
• Championing a clear commitment to diversity and tackling exclusion, and ensuring that health, safety and wellbeing of all colleagues is valued.
• Developing and maintaining relevant external relationships to the Parliament including government bodies, agencies and maintaining links with other parliaments in the UK to ensure our approach and plans are informed by best practice and to collaborate, where necessary, on delivery.

Benefits

Our benefits include:

• Hybrid working: from Holyrood, Edinburgh and from home
• Working pattern: This role is full time however we’re happy to talk about flexible working. We’re committed to supporting staff to achieve a healthy work-life balance
• Flexitime: To meet business and personal needs, we have a progressive flexible working hours arrangement in place
• Leave: 41.5 days (including public holidays)
• Pay progression: You’ll progress yearly until the top of the grade is reached
• Pension: Civil Service pension arrangements, with a generous employer contribution of 28.97% of annual salary

You can make a difference

From day one your experience, views and input will be sought and valued. You’ll have the opportunity to shape our organisational strategy, programmes, and services.

We’re committed to providing an inclusive environment that welcomes diverse backgrounds and diverse thinking. Our culture is inclusive, welcoming, and vibrant. We want our colleagues to feel valued, respected, and engaged.

We particularly welcome applications from candidates from a Minority Ethnic background and Disabled candidates. All appointments will be made on merit. We have a values-based culture of respect and inclusion embedded in our organisation, and everyone can make a difference.

Apply for this job

We’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer that values and respects the people who work for us. All job applications are treated fairly, with respect and without bias.

This role is being managed by JMC Legal Recruitment. If you have a disability, please let the JMC Legal team know if you require any reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process.

Come and join us, apply now!

Contact Daniel Tudor, Head of In-House for JMC Legal Recruitment, to find out more [email protected] or call him on 0203 865 2113 or 07441 937624