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- Tasks: Join Ofsted as a Legal Adviser, providing legal advice on public law issues.
- Company: Ofsted is dedicated to improving education and care for children across the UK.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working hours, a generous pension scheme, and 32.5 days annual leave.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on children's lives while working in a supportive, collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: Must be a qualified Solicitor or Barrister with three years post-qualification experience.
- Other info: Hybrid working model available; join a diverse team committed to equality and inclusion.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 74000 ÂŁ per year.
Ofsted Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
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Ofsted Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
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23 Stephenson Street, Birmingham
10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London
Job Summary
Join Ofsted’s Legal Services Team as a Legal Adviser
We are seeking a qualified Legal Adviser to join our experienced Legal Services team. You will work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where your legal expertise will directly support Ofsted’s inspection and regulatory functions. This is an exciting opportunity to apply your legal skills to support public service delivery and make a real impact on the lives of children and learners.
As a Legal Adviser, You Will
- Deliver timely, accurate and high-quality legal advice on a wide range of public law issues, particularly those related to the inspection and regulation of children’s social care services.
- Support legal work across Ofsted’s remits, offering strategic insight and risk-based solutions.
- Provide input on proposed legislative changes and help implement them effectively within the organisation.
- Collaborate with policy and operational colleagues to ensure legal advice informs enforcement activity and vice versa.
- Liaise with Government departments and external stakeholders on matters affecting Ofsted’s legal responsibilities.
This is a fantastic opportunity to further your experience in Ofsted’s well-established team. The post holder will work with high-achieving professionals at all levels, surrounded by a friendly and supportive team. They will have access to amazing benefits, such as flexible working hours, the Civil Service Pension Scheme, and 32.5 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays. We offer a hybrid working model, so you may also choose to spend a proportion of time working from home.
Job Description
Please refer to the job specification for further information.
Please refer to the job specification for further information.
Person specification
Please refer to the job specification for further information.
Qualifications
Qualified Solicitor or Barrister with three years post qualification experience.
Behaviours
We\’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
- Managing a Quality Service
Technical skills
We\’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Experience and working knowledge of public law matters. (Essential)
- Experience of providing high calibre legal advice and guidance to senior management, junior colleagues and key stakeholders. (Essential)
- Ability to think strategically, to identify legal risks and underlying causes in their wider context and identify solutions including provision for value for money. (Essential)
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey the legal issue in a clear and simple method. (Essential)
- Experience and working knowledge of children’s social care law matters. (Desirable)
- Experience of advising on equalities and/or litigation experience. (Desirable)
Alongside your salary of ÂŁ66,475, Office for Standards in Education, Children\’s Services and Skills contributes ÂŁ19,257 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Full details of the benefits available can be found in our Ofsted Offer brochure.
Ofsted is devoted to equality , diversity and inclusion. Within our Ofsted Strategy 2023-2027 we have stated that we will improve the representation of under-represented groups across the organisation and publish our progress on this annually. We are always looking to expand on our diverse workforce by recruiting candidates from varied backgrounds and differing experiences. We are proud to be a Disability Confident – Leader , we continually engage with our 5 staff networks for protected characteristics, and highlight the work of our Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Group . We ensure all candidates are treated with fair and open competition, with all appointments being made on merit and we use our Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) to provide assurance to all candidates of this.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Application And Shortlisting
The selection panel will assess your application (personal statement) based on your evidence you have provided against the essential criteria as set out in the person specification and job advert.
You will also be asked to provide information within the “Employer/Activity History” section of the application form. This information is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV setting out your career history (this will be used in the sifting process).
Assessment and Interview
Candidates who pass the benchmark at the shortlisting stage will be invited to an assessment and interview where they will be assessed against a mixture of the Civil Service behaviours and the experience/technical skills set out in section 3 of the job specification.
The most suitable candidates will be invited to attend an assessment and interview on week commencing Monday 28 July 2025, at either 23 Stephenson Street, Birmingham, 10 South Colonnade, London or held via Microsoft Teams. This will be confirmed near the time.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
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.
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
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission\’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
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.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission\’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
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.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
- Name : People Services Delivery
- Email :
- Telephone : 03000 131 487
Recruitment team
- Email :
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should email Ofsted recruitment at in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at:
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Legal Adviser employer: Ofsted
Contact Detail:
Ofsted Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Legal Adviser
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Ofsted's mission and values. Understanding their focus on children's social care services will help you align your legal expertise with their goals during discussions or interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former Ofsted employees on platforms like LinkedIn. Engaging with them can provide insights into the organisational culture and expectations, which can be invaluable in your application process.
✨Tip Number 3
Stay updated on recent developments in public law and children's social care legislation. Being well-informed will not only enhance your discussions but also demonstrate your commitment to the role and sector.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for behavioural interview questions by reflecting on your past experiences. Think of specific examples where you've demonstrated the key behaviours Ofsted is looking for, such as 'Seeing the Big Picture' and 'Making Effective Decisions'.
We think you need these skills to ace Legal Adviser
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Legal Adviser position at Ofsted. Tailor your application to highlight how your skills and experiences align with their needs.
Craft a Strong Personal Statement: Your personal statement should clearly demonstrate your legal expertise, particularly in public law and children's social care. Use specific examples from your experience to illustrate your ability to provide high-quality legal advice.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In the 'Employer/Activity History' section, focus on your post-qualification experience as a solicitor or barrister. Emphasise any roles where you provided legal guidance to senior management or worked on public law matters.
Showcase Your Communication Skills: Given the importance of communication in this role, ensure your application reflects your ability to convey complex legal issues clearly. Use concise language and structure your writing logically to demonstrate your written communication skills.
How to prepare for a job interview at Ofsted
✨Understand Public Law
Make sure you have a solid grasp of public law matters, especially those related to children's social care services. Brush up on recent legislative changes and be prepared to discuss how they impact Ofsted's operations.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
As a Legal Adviser, you'll need to convey complex legal issues clearly. Practice articulating your thoughts succinctly and ensure you can explain legal concepts in simple terms during the interview.
✨Demonstrate Strategic Thinking
Be ready to discuss examples where you've identified legal risks and provided strategic solutions. Highlight your ability to think critically about legal issues in a broader context, which is essential for this role.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
Expect questions that assess your behaviours, such as 'Seeing the Big Picture' and 'Making Effective Decisions'. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses and provide clear examples from your experience.
