Lawyer (Employment)

Overview

Are you committed to making a difference?  Do you want the work you do to have a real impact for the local community? Are you looking for an opportunity to develop your career to undertake varied and complex case work?

We have a fantastic opportunity for an Employment Lawyer to join our in-house Legal Services team at Buckinghamshire Council for a fixed term period of 12 months. The work of the team includes advising all directorates on Human Resources related issues such as dismissals, grievances, discrimination claims, TUPE transfers, pensions, terms and conditions and HR policies. 

Legal Services is at the heart of the Organisation and provides a fast paced and rewarding career in a supportive environment. This is an exciting time to join us, as we continue to grow and develop our service. 

About us

Legal Services is at the heart of the Organisation and provides a fast-paced and rewarding career in a supportive environment. The in-house legal service supports the Council’s ambitions to establish one of the best councils in the Country, creating positive change for local people, communities, and business.

By working with us, you are part of something bigger. From supporting residents who are at the heart of what we do, to shaping our county for now and future generations – as a Buckinghamshire Council employee, you contribute to the local community, whatever your role. As one of the biggest local authorities in the UK, we are part of a network of partners spanning both public and private sectors. Our services are wide-ranging, and the opportunities to grow and progress are endless.

Please click here to find out further information on our Legal Services: https://buckinghamshire.pagetiger.com/legal-services/1 

About the role

We are seeking an Employment Lawyer for a fixed term contract of 12 months who is able to offer proactive, innovative and customer-focussed advice.  You will work collaboratively with colleagues and our client departments to deliver the Council’s statutory functions. 

Key Accountabilities

Providing advice and representation in relation to the often complex employment law matters that face a large public sector employer.  The work of the team includes advising all directorates on Human Resources related issues such as dismissals, grievances, discrimination claims, TUPE transfers, pensions, terms and conditions and HR policies.  You will also carry a caseload of employment law matters and represent the Council in the Employment Tribunal.

You will attend meetings to advise officers and members in a proactive and politically sensitive manner and uphold the highest standards of client care as well as providing guidance and mentoring to less experienced team members, contributing to the development of the team of specialist lawyers.

Any-Desk:

We work in a hybrid style. As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources from both home and an office location when required. You will be required to work from the Walton Street office once or twice a week, depending on your role and team requirements and attend the Employment Tribunal as required.

About you

We welcome applications from Solicitors, Barristers and CILEx Practitioners with relevant experience in either the public or private sector. You’ll be highly self-motivated and proactive, with an ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment. It is important to work collaboratively to offer proactive, innovative and customer-focussed advice and to support the delivery of high-profile cases and projects. 

Other information

For further information on this role please see the attached job summary.

If you would like to have an informal conversation with the recruiting manager, please contact: Angela Mills on 01494 421376

Advert closing date: 28/12/2025

Interview date: w/c 05/01/2026

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

This post is politically restricted under the terms of the Local Government Act 1989.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

a fair and inclusive culture

• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

 

About the Business Unit

The Assistant Chief Executive directorate is central to Buckinghamshire Council’s journey to establish itself as one of the best councils in the country. With a clear focus on service improvement through transformation and a drive to build better relationships with the local community, the directorate is fast-paced; but extremely rewarding. Our teams are not only proactively delivering on projects and plans but also reacting to developing situations. If you are ambitious, innovative, and would relish the opportunity to influence change - a role within our service area could be your next career move.

The team includes exciting areas of work, including our Policy and Communications, Legal and Democratic Services teams – innovating the way we communicate with our colleagues, Members and the local community, and role-modelling best practice through policy, planning and legal services. If you think you can help us achieve our goals, and want to be a part of this exciting journey, we would love to hear from you!

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/