Head of Legal Services in London Area

Job description

Allen Lane are working exclusively with the Security Industry Authority to find their Head of Legal Services. As the most senior legal advisor to the SIA on all aspects of its role as a prosecutory, regulatory, corporate and public body, and as a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), to:

• Take ownership of legal areas including SIA criminal prosecutions, regulatory appeals and challenges, judicial review and inquests, commercial contracts, data protection and corporate governance matters, and regulatory policy matters, facilitating delivery of proficient and proactive expert advice to inform organisational decision making and risk management at all levels.
• Lead on the handling of significant or high risk legal matters personally.
• Inspire the Legal Services Team at the SIA in their contribution to organisational objectives, enabling effective and efficient delivery of legal services to all clients.
• Act as professional lead for the Legal profession at the SIA, as the most senior legal professional in the organisation, building the required legal capability for the future.

Responsibilities:

• To provide expert and timely legal and policy advice across all the SIA legal functions to internal clients (and, where applicable, shared services clients) on relevant matters, including those that are complex, have significant legal, financial, commercialor confidence implications, or that may shape the future direction of the organisation. This includes providing risk based legal advice to the board, Chair, and Chief Executive, as well as senior decision makers. Ensure an effective system of legal risk reporting and monitoring is in place.
• To oversee the conduct and management of the SIA’s litigation portfolio including criminal prosecutions, proceeds of crime recovery, regulatory appeals, inquests, and judicial reviews, providing legal leadership on high profile and sensitive cases and ensuring high risk matters are handled soundly. This includes the management of supplier relationships and the instruction of external legal firms and external legal counsel carrying out work for the SIA (excluding employment law), ensuring value for money and that quality representation is secured.
• To ensure, through effective leadership and management of the team, the provision of high quality legal advice to SIA colleagues (and, where appropriate, to other organisations through agreed shared services arrangements).
• To horizon scan and provide advice on relevant UK legislation, regulations and case law that may impact the organisation’s statutory obligations and the wider private security industry, assessing and disseminating strategic impact analysis to the board and executive as necessary.
• To lead on the response to whistleblowing matters for the SIA, and supporting the relevant executive director and non-executive director in discharging their roles.
• To make an active corporate contribution as part of the SIA’s Senior Leadership Team to organisational projects and initiatives as required.

Relevant qualifications, knowledge and experience

Essential

• Applicants must be qualified to practise as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive in England and Wales and must hold a valid Practising Certificate for England and Wales or have full exemption from the relevant professional regulatory body (either the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Bar Standards Board). Barristers and Solicitors qualified in a jurisdiction outside of England and Wales will be subject to the rules of the professional bodies and must have completed the Bar Transfer Test or Qualified Lawyer Transfer Scheme.
• If you have qualified through Cilex you must hold a “general qualification” within the meaning of s71(3)(c) Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. If CILEx applies to you and you are not sure of your eligibility can contact us in order to establish your eligibility for this role, which will be in line with other UK government legal roles of this nature.
• A strong track record of providing authoritative expert legal advice in a UK regulatory context, with significant practice experience in at least one of each of the following two areas: criminal investigation or enforcement, civil litigation, public law or regulatory law (such as judicial reviews and/or regulatory appeals); participation in and/or responding to inquests and/or public inquiries. Commercial contracts; information law matters (such as data protection freedom of information, record management); corporate governance matters; regulatory policy matters.

Extra information

Status

Open

Education Level

Secondary School

Location

London Area

Type of Contract

Casual / Part Time Jobs

Published at

09-10-2025

Full UK/EU driving license preferred

No

Car Preferred

No

Must be eligible to work in the EU

No

Cover Letter Required

No

Languages

English