At The Open University, we believe that where you start in life shouldn’t limit where you can go. Established over 50 years ago, The Open University is committed to providing accessible education to anyone, anywhere in the world. Our unique approach to education has transformed millions of lives, and we are continually innovating to help more people succeed.
Through initiatives like our partnership with the BBC, OpenLearn, and digital pioneering distance learning methods, we reach more people than any other university, offering flexible, distance learning that fits into any lifestyle. We proudly serve all four nations of the UK, making higher education accessible for all.
This is an exciting opportunity for a senior legal professional to manage the in-house legal function at the UK’s largest distance learning University.
You will lead an experienced team of lawyers and support staff, continuing to expand the expertise within the team and delivering consistently excellent and actionable legal advice while balancing pragmatic business decisions with assessment of risk across a broad scope of activities.
You will provide legal advice and guidance to the wider business, including the Executive, Senior Leadership Team, Heads of Units, and Faculties in line with the University’s objectives. An understanding of the higher education sector and a university with international reach would be beneficial.
Reporting to the Director of Governance, Compliance and Legal Services in the University Secretary’s Office, the Director of Legal Services will lead the University’s legal function and provide strategic, actionable advice on legal matters across the University.
The successful candidate will be a qualified solicitor who holds a current Practising Certificate from the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority. They will have significant post-qualification experience gained through operating in complex and highly regulated environments, ideally within the higher education sector, and a demonstrated history of service delivery and team leadership.
Key Responsibilities
1. Lead and manage the in-house Legal Services Team, inspiring high performance to ensure the provision of effective and efficient legal support across a broad range of activities.
2. Lead and advise on all legal matters arising from the activities of the University and its group, including but not limited to employment, commercial, contracting, research, governance, and student matters.
3. Be responsible for the procurement and management of external legal services when required, ensuring quality and value is achieved.
4. Provide advice and support to the University Secretary and other senior leaders on significant legal issues that arise in the running of a University.
5. Be responsible for management of the Legal Services budget and resources.
6. As part of the senior leadership team in the University Secretary’s Office, support the Director in joint delivery of the Unit Business Plan, People Plan, objectives and KPIs, contributing to a culture of professional development, inclusive working practices, high engagement, and motivation.
Skills and Experience
* Educated to Degree or equivalent level of expertise and experience.
* Qualified Solicitor holding a current SRA Practicing Certificate.
* Demonstrable recent post-qualification experience with a minimum of 5 years at a senior level. This experience may have been gained outside of the Higher Education sector in the regulatory, commercial, or public sector or in private practice.
* Possessing outstanding technical legal skills and experience in one or more of the following: commercial, corporate, and intellectual property law, with a good understanding of data protection law and with a passion to learn more and train others.
* Strong drafting and negotiation skills and an ability to communicate complex legal matters to lay audiences in an understandable way.
* Ability to listen and understand the needs of University stakeholders and provide practical, risk-based legal advice.
* Ability to understand, evaluate, and advise on a range of complex options and to deliver innovative and pragmatic solutions.
* Demonstrable experience of leading, managing, and developing a team to deliver a high-quality service.
* Resource and budget management experience.
* Able to demonstrate resilience and effectiveness when working under the pressures of multiple and varied legal matters and the competing demands and priorities of internal stakeholders.
Essential Requirements
As part of the application process, you will be expected to submit your CV and a Supporting Statement (maximum of 1000 words) that demonstrates how you meet the criteria listed above.
Flexible working
We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s part-time, compressed hours, or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.
It is anticipated that a hybrid working pattern can be adopted for this role, where the successful candidate can work from home and the office. However, as this role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office, it is expected that some attendance in the office will be required when necessary and in response to business needs. We anticipate this being twice per week on average.
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