Lawyer - Head of Regulation, Scotland

Our new Senior Principal Lawyer – Head of Regulation, Scotland will play a pivotal role in the effective delivery of the Commission’s regulatory work. The role will be key to achieving the Commission’s strategic ambitions in and for Scotland while also making an important contribution as a leader in our wider regulatory network. Over the next few years this will involve overseeing a wide range of regulatory interventions in Scotland, including strategic litigation and enforcement, negotiating and monitoring section 23 agreements, and providing expert legal advice to a range of audiences including our Board, on complex areas of law. The successful candidate will lead a talented regulatory team in Scotland, delivering a varied portfolio of regulatory work.

This is an opportunity for an experienced legal professional to make a significant contribution in equality law in Scotland, as well as contributing to the continuing development of our regulatory approach. This role is strategically influential, ensuring our work in and for Scotland is informed by deep contextual and legal knowledge, and that this expertise and understanding also shapes our overall regulatory priorities across Britain.

You will:

> Lead a regulatory team of up to nine colleagues, deploying resource and developing and implementing operational plans for the Scotland team, as well as the team’s involvement in wider regulatory network. This will include coordinating and overseeing litigation work the Commission supports, overseeing and contributing to complex legal advisory work, other legal projects and compliance interventions, ensuring all work is timely, accurate and delivered to a high standard.

> Provide specialist technical expertise and advice on the use of the Commission’s powers to clarify or strengthen the legal framework; provide assistance to individuals to take action and seek redress on strategic issues and to challenge decision makers where they have not complied with the Equality Act 2010. This includes using our powers under the Equality Act 2006 to support or assist litigated cases, seek injunctions or judicial review, and to intervene in existing litigation.

> Provide expert advice on complex legal advisory work, including on statutory inquiries, our parliamentary work, treaty monitoring advice, quality assurance of guidance, reports and publications, legal correspondence and policy briefings.

> Ensure the successful delivery in Scotland of our section 28 Equality Act 2006 legal support funding projects.

> Build and maintain constructive and collaborative relationships with key internal stakeholders, including the wider regulatory network, the Scotland policy team, the Commission’s Communications team and the planning and strategy teams. Support and coach your team to work in a collaborative and cross-functional way.

> Play a strong leadership role in and for Scotland, the regulatory network within which your team sits, and the Commission as a whole. Contribute to the development of the Commission’s strategy and business plans. Ensure consistency of approach, and understanding and application of the law, identifying and flagging risks that may arise through, for example, policy or legislative difference between Scotland and England/Britain.

> Develop and maintain relationships with a range of external stakeholders, including other regulators, public bodies and legal stakeholders. Represent the Commission externally as required.

Team Responsibilities

The Scotland regulation team delivers a varied portfolio of legal and compliance work, including legal case work, enforcement activity, strategic litigation, monitoring legal agreements, developing guidance and training for external bodies (for example on the Public Sector Equality Duty), monitoring compliance with legal obligations and providing legal expert Scottish legal advice on relevant policy or legislative proposals. They keep abreast of significant equality developments, from relevant legal cases to emerging legislation, and take regulatory action where appropriate. They ensure we are using our regulatory powers and levers effectively and with impact in Scotland, and that the Commission’s wider programme of work is well informed by a strong knowledge and understanding of the context in Scotland.