At the heart of our work are:

• The safety and needs of children
• The legal representation of Children’s Services

As a Legal Officer, you’ll play a vital role in supporting Children’s Services across three local authorities. You’ll work closely with experienced lawyers and senior colleagues, while also managing your own caseload. This includes drafting legal documents, liaising with clients and external parties, and undertaking advocacy in family courts.

This is a fantastic opportunity to grow your legal career within one of the largest childcare legal teams in the country. You’ll be part of a Lexcel-accredited legal service, operating in England’s first and largest devolved region—where major decisions are made locally, not in Whitehall.

We offer:

• Flexible start and finish times
• A hybrid working model
• A supportive, collaborative environment
• Opportunities for professional development

Few experiences in life are more devastating than a parent or carer losing a child from their care. Supporting families through these emotionally demanding situations requires resilience, compassion, and above all, teamwork. We share knowledge, solve problems together, and support each other through challenges. This spirit of collaboration fosters deep learning, a strong sense of belonging, and a shared commitment to making a difference.

If you’re ready to join a team that supports each other, grows together, and makes a real impact—we’d love to hear from you. Help us shape brighter futures.

For an informal discussion, contact Gurvinder Kaur at Gurvinder.Kaur@manchester.gov.uk

• Are your legal skills being fully recognised and rewarded?
• Do you thrive in a supportive team environment?
• Is your work varied and meaningful?
• Are you achieving your professional goals?
• Are you proud and passionate about Manchester?

We would love to hear from you if you meet the following essential requirements:

• CILEX Professional Diploma in Law (Level 3) or equivalent legal qualification
• Experience in children and family law
• Excellent communication skills, adaptable to different audiences
• Strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise urgent tasks
• Creative problem-solving abilities
• Team-oriented mindset
• Willingness to undertake advocacy in family courts
• Commitment to fairness and valuing diversity

• Previous experience in family law
• Experience in a local authority legal team or law firm
• Advocacy experience
• A desire to progress in your legal career

We’re the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities. 

Working for Manchester isn’t just a job – it’s an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it’s strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you’ll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone. 

Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city – a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
• We’re proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits we offer 

• Generous holiday allowance - Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks. 
• A buzzing pension - You’ll be enrolled in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum. 
• Enhanced parental and carers leave - Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your new born or support your family during critical life events. 
• Brilliant perks - Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more. 
• Learn and grow - We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process. 
• A Good Employment Charter member - We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognize three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life. 
• Up to 3 days volunteering leave - Give back to the community with three days pro-rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.