Department Specialist Roles /*generated inline style */ Location(s) London /*generated inline style */ Salary £94,144 /*generated inline style */ Job description
Flexible working: Flexible working such as compressed hours is encouraged and supported. We also welcome applicants who wish to job-share and/or work part-time. Working from home is not possible due to the sensitive nature of the work
About Us
We're MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS). Our mission is to protect the security and economic wellbeing of the UK from overseas threats such as regional instability, terrorism, and cyber-attacks. Working across the globe and in close partnership with MI5 and GCHQ, we help the Government to counter these threats through the provision of secret intelligence. A role in MI6 will see you providing vital support to this work, within a supportive and encouraging environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.
The Role
Our dedicated team of Lawyers are central to the work of MI6, playing a vital role in enabling our operations, whilst ensuring we stay within the law. We work closely with MI6 mission teams to ensure that they operate safely and securely in the field, providing advice on complex issues of domestic and international law. This role gives you the opportunity to apply your legal experience and continue to develop your skills in an environment where you will have a direct impact on our mission.
You’ll join a small, professional team providing commercial and corporate law advice to support MI6 operational activity. Using your knowledge and expertise, you’ll give guidance to teams and work closely with other MI6 legal teams. The work is as varied as the operations we run, and you will gain unique insights into the heart of what we do. All our legal teams work closely with operational and policy colleagues, building effective relationships and liaising with colleagues in other government departments, such as the FCDO, Home Office, MI5 and GCHQ.
A creative and innovative lawyer, you’ll bring novel legal solutions to complex and sensitive matters and providing sensible, practical and risk-based advice in support of MI6’s work. You’ll have responsibility for a varied, interesting and challenging portfolio of work, and you’ll advise on a range of commercial legal issues. You’ll also draft and advise on contracts for: goods, works and services; consultancy and contractor arrangements; NDAs; construction and property agreements; and software licenses. You’ll also play a key role in training – all of our lawyers contribute and support the training of our operational teams.
We welcome candidates with a diverse range of experiences and backgrounds who bring with them experience in these areas or other transferable skills. You will be able to work independently, responsible for managing your own workload. However, you’ll be part of a supportive, friendly legal department who regularly work together on projects. There are often opportunities to work with other external partners and departments across wider Government. There may also be the requirement for some occasional overseas travel.
About You
The successful candidate will value integrity, respect, teamwork, professionalism and have a creative and enthusiastic approach. A confident communicator, you’re comfortable articulating complex legal terminology in a clear and consistent way to people without a legal background, and you demonstrate sound legal judgement. Your client care skills and the ability to build effective working relationships will enable you to gain a deep understanding of your work, whilst taking into account the broader context and objectives of MI6’s work.
Within this role you will represent MI6 legal advisers both inside and outside MI6 with senior stakeholders. You will have a growth-mindset and a desire to learn, ensuring that you stay up to date with legal developments and can actively contribute to building legal awareness and skills amongst the team.
You will need to be a lawyer (solicitor, barrister or legal executive) fully qualified to practice in England and Wales (a current Practicing Certificate is required). You will also have experience of effective delivery in areas of law relevant to the role. We will consider all applications, but would normally expect applicants to be able to show experience of effective delivery in the relevant areas of law with a PQE of approximately 5 years or more.
Ideally, you will also have a general working knowledge of Data Protection, IPR, Technology Law, Company Law and corporate transactions and you will represent MI6 legal advisers within and outside the organisation alongside senior stakeholders.
Training and Development
MI6 is a learning organisation; we value your skills and we invest in our people. As part of the legal team you will receive bespoke training to help you orientate yourself within the organisation, and you will be encouraged to pursue continuous learning through a range of informal and formal development activities. There is a great deal of variety in the different legal roles in MI6, and in the future you could have the opportunity to move between teams as your career in MI6 progresses. In addition, joining our legal team can be an excellent springboard for a career within Government more generally as a national security lawyer.
Rewards and benefits
You’ll receive a starting salary of £94,144 plus other benefits including:
- 25 Days Annual Leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays
- Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
- Interest-free season ticket loan
- Excellent pension scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on-site coffee bars (at some locations)
- Paid parental and adoption leave.
Equal Opportunities
At MI6 diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under-represented in our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.