Company: IMC
Website: www.imc-dubai.com
Job Location: Dubai
Job Title: Head of Legal Services
Job Details: Responsible to: Director of Legal Services
Job Purpose
To provide an efficient legal service to the Council and
accountable to the Director of Legal Services.
Main accountabilities
To provide the Council and its officers with sound and
timely advice on all appropriate issues, in particular on
the response to relevant new
legislation and any consequent implementation, and to
focus on client satisfaction and client needs in the
continued development of the
service.
To manage the provision of high quality, cost effective
legal services to ensure that customers/clients receive
the best possible service
which meets statutory requirements and key local/national
performance targets.
As a Senior Manager, to contribute to the strategic
direction and management of the Council.
To be accountable for the Legal Service team s
performance to the Director of Legal Services.
Main job tasks:
To provide legal services to the Council as required. To
support, manage and monitor the work of the Legal Services
Team to ensure actions and outcomes are achieved which
meet the accountabilities of the service. To undertake the
role of deputy monitoring officer. To influence the way
services are delivered across the Council and the Borough,
so as to improve co-ordination and increase opportunities,
identifying areas of difficulties and problems and, where
necessary through legal interventions, find solutions to
enable change to take place within the organisation. In
conjunction with the Business Manager (Legal Services), to
manage the financial pressures of the service, being
accountable for the Legal Services budget, actively
ensuring that income level reach the budget targets,
negotiating Service Level Agreements and negotiating
increases in provision of service, where appropriate, with
Clients. To ensure externally purchased legal services are
of high quality and deliver value for money. To promote
good corporate governance across the Council and to be
responsible, together with the Business manager (Legal
Services), for producing, completing and returning
monitoring reports/information as required, in a timely
manner. To carry a caseload of high-level and/or complex
individual legal matters. To prepare and present the
Council s case in the Courts, at Tribunals, at Public
Inquiries, as necessary. To prepare legal reports and
provide legal comments within reports, in order to ensure
that officers and decision makers are fully informed of
the legal implications of proposed courses of action and
to ensure that, where appropriate, the committee reports
include reference to the legal position. To promote
compliance with the Council s Constitution and Procedure
Rules and to draw to the attention of the Monitoring
Officer any Matters which may require attention. To manage
the performance of employees of the Legal Services team,
including carrying out appraisals and setting objectives
which reflect the Council and Corporate Management Team
objectives, and which identify and meet related employee
developmental needs. To act in accordance with, and
promote the Council’s core values. Assist the Director of
Legal Services to develop and implement corporate
strategies and policies and represent and/or deputies for
the Director of Legal Services at Corporate Management
Team, Council Executive and such other meetings, as may be
required. Carry out other tasks as may reasonably be
required. To abide by the objectives and targets of both
the Department and the Council, and follow the procedures
and practices utilized in all Aspects of the work,
including computerized and manual systems and the
maintenance of relevant records. To fulfill personal
requirements where appropriate with regard to Council
policies and procedures, particularly health and safety,
equal opportunities, customer care, emergency evacuation,
security work standards and promotion of the Council s
core values.
Qualifications:
Qualified Solicitor or Barrister with a practicing
certificate for approximately 5 years.
Educated to degree level or equivalent.
Evidence of personal management development activity.
Knowledge:
1. An understanding of and ability to undertake effective
strategic planning and achieve the implementation of
policy,
including the ability to produce business plans.
2. Knowledge and understanding of the political nature of
local government, the democratic process and the legal
framework in which local authorities operate.
3. Relevant knowledge and experience in Local Government
Law.
Experience:
1. Ability to demonstrate significant managerial
experience at senior level for approximately 5 years of a
legal practice.
2. Demonstrable record of success in providing high
quality and highly responsive advice with a clear client
focused approach, achieving innovative solutions.
3. Experience of successfully leading, motivating and
developing others.
4. An ability to demonstrate the effective management of
change within an organisation.
5. Experience of managing diverse teams of staff and
having budget accountability within a performance
management culture including management of budgets and
income generation.
6. Experience of building successful relationships with
elected Members, senior managers, external partners,
private organisation, community groups and other statutory
organisation, and promoting corporate multi disciplinary
working.
7. The ability to understand and advise on the importance
of good corporate governance.
8. The ability to lead the service forward through vision,
personal action and the inspiration of others to
demonstrable success and consistent service improvement.
9. The ability to motivate others, whether team members or
colleagues, generating commitment and a shared sense of
purpose.
10. Demonstrable experience of using project management
skills.
Personal Qualities and Attributes:
1. A skilled communicator, able to make presentations and
deliver key messages to specialists and non-specialists
alike.
2. Strategic vision to develop and change services to make
them fit for purpose in a changing/demanding environment.
3. The ability to adapt and respond positively to a
variety of situations and people in order to meet changing
priorities in the role, the Council and the community as a
whole.
4. The willingness and ability to work co-operatively and
supportively with Members, gaining their trust and
confidence, developing positive, open working
relationships which inspire new ideas to solve problems
and to achieve the Council’s goals.
5. The belief in own ability and judgment and the drive to
see things through to achieve goals.
6. The ability to demonstrate open, honest and fair
behavior in all dealings with citizens, service users,
Members, colleagues, suppliers and partners.
7. Ability to contribute to the senior management team
within the department.
8. The ability to effectively manage staff resources.
9. Ability to work to tight deadlines, to priorities work
and to work under pressure.
10. Honesty and integrity.
11. Commercial awareness.
12. To demonstrate a personal commitment to equal
opportunities and knowledge of needs of people of with
different cultural or religious backgrounds
Email your CV to management@imc-dubai.com with “Jobs123.com” in the subject line