Paralegal/Legal Executive - Highways & Environment in Chelmsford

This is a hybrid‑working, contract‑based role located in Chelmsford. You will work from the Chelmsford office or undertake site visits 2–3 days per week, depending on business need. The role involves assisting with the delivery of all aspects of routine legal work for the Council’s highways and environment functions, including public rights of way, definitive map orders, town and village green applications, and commons register enquiries.

Responsibilities include:

• Managing a caseload of applications to change public rights of way.
• Investigating claims for public rights of way (Definitive Map Modification Orders).
• Undertaking site visits and researching historic documents and statements provided by the public and landowners.
• Drafting reports considering Council policies, consultation responses and relevant legislation.
• Consulting and negotiating with the public, organisations and developers on proposed changes to public rights of way.
• Working with and interpreting plans, including electronically on GIS.
• Managing applications for Town and Village Greens.
• Responding to Commons Register enquiries.
• Submitting mandatory orders to the Planning Inspectorate when objections arise and arranging local public inquiries.

Qualifications:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in the relevant professional area.
• Experience working within a legal setting in a public service or private sector environment; routine legal advice is desirable but not essential.
• Proven track record of delivering excellent customer service.
• Collaborative working style with the ability to understand customer needs and deliver positive outcomes.
• Ability to develop and maintain working relationships across a large, complex organisation and with internal and external partners, stakeholders and clients.

Benefits:

• Hybrid working arrangement – flexible remote work with 2–3 days in the Chelmsford office.
• Generous holiday entitlement: 27 days (increasing with service) plus bank holidays and up to 4 paid volunteer days each year.
• Enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Coverage of professional fees for approved professions to support career development.
• Support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion: Essex County Council is a Disability Confident Leader. We commit to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements through our Job Interview Scheme and will provide reasonable adjustments during the process. We also interview veterans and care leavers who meet the minimum requirements for the role. All employees are expected to uphold our code of conduct, maintaining integrity and ethical behaviour in a respectful workplace.

Employment Conditions: Applicants may be required to register with the DBS update service as a condition of employment. This annual subscription is the responsibility of the employee and ensures all DBS certificates are kept up to date.