Interim Director of Legal & Governance Southampton £1,100 per day 3 days per week (flexible) 3-6 months Interim Director of Legal & Governance to cover a 3-6 month period while we recruit on a permanent basis. Reporting to Chief Executive Ruth Adams , you'll provide senior legal leadership, fulfil Monitoring Officer responsibilities, and advise members and senior officers within a politically sensitive environment. About you: Qualified Solicitor or Barrister (England & Wales) Extensive senior local government legal experience Strong expertise in governance, public law, and constitutional frameworks Proven leadership, political acumen, and stakeholder management skills If you are interested in the role please apply on our website with your CV, alternatively you can email your CV to quoting the reference number. Essential Employment is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy. Essential Employment is an Equal Opportunities Employer. All our roles may be subject to pre-employment checks including references so please be prepared. Due to high volumes of CVs received we are not able to respond to all unsuccessful applications. You will always however hear from us by phone if we are able to take your CV forward to the next stage. You can also follow us at Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn or via our website
Apr 30, 2026
Seasonal
Interim Director of Legal & Governance Southampton £1,100 per day 3 days per week (flexible) 3-6 months Interim Director of Legal & Governance to cover a 3-6 month period while we recruit on a permanent basis. Reporting to Chief Executive Ruth Adams , you'll provide senior legal leadership, fulfil Monitoring Officer responsibilities, and advise members and senior officers within a politically sensitive environment. About you: Qualified Solicitor or Barrister (England & Wales) Extensive senior local government legal experience Strong expertise in governance, public law, and constitutional frameworks Proven leadership, political acumen, and stakeholder management skills If you are interested in the role please apply on our website with your CV, alternatively you can email your CV to quoting the reference number. Essential Employment is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy. Essential Employment is an Equal Opportunities Employer. All our roles may be subject to pre-employment checks including references so please be prepared. Due to high volumes of CVs received we are not able to respond to all unsuccessful applications. You will always however hear from us by phone if we are able to take your CV forward to the next stage. You can also follow us at Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn or via our website
Interim Director of Legal Salary: 950- 1100 per day - Negotiable DOE Contract Length: 3-6-month initial contract (22 hours/week) Southeast Local Authority Fully Remote Key Responsibilities Act as, or support, the Monitoring Officer, ensuring compliance with statutory duties and governance requirements. Provide strategic legal advice on local government law, public law, and constitutional matters. Lead and develop the legal team, driving performance, improvement, and strategic change. Ensure robust decision-making processes and mitigate legal and reputational risk. About You Qualified Solicitor or Barrister in England & Wales (registered with SRA, CILEx or BSB). Extensive post-qualification experience as a senior legal professional within local government or a comparable public sector environment. Strong knowledge of local government law, governance, and constitutional frameworks. Demonstrable leadership experience, including managing teams and delivering organisational change. If you're interested in this role, click the apply button or contact Max using the details below: (phone number removed) Our legal specialist, Max, has extensive experience across all areas of the legal market and recruits for positions at every level - from legal assistants and paralegals through to Directors of Legal and Monitoring Officers. If this particular role isn't quite right for you, but you'd like to explore other opportunities, please get in touch using the contact details above for a confidential discussion about the market. We are also proud to offer a market-leading referral scheme, with rewards of up to 300. If you know someone who might be a great fit for this or another legal role, simply ask them to send their CV to Max - and don't forget to include your own details so we can ensure you receive your referral bonus if they are successful.
Apr 29, 2026
Contractor
Interim Director of Legal Salary: 950- 1100 per day - Negotiable DOE Contract Length: 3-6-month initial contract (22 hours/week) Southeast Local Authority Fully Remote Key Responsibilities Act as, or support, the Monitoring Officer, ensuring compliance with statutory duties and governance requirements. Provide strategic legal advice on local government law, public law, and constitutional matters. Lead and develop the legal team, driving performance, improvement, and strategic change. Ensure robust decision-making processes and mitigate legal and reputational risk. About You Qualified Solicitor or Barrister in England & Wales (registered with SRA, CILEx or BSB). Extensive post-qualification experience as a senior legal professional within local government or a comparable public sector environment. Strong knowledge of local government law, governance, and constitutional frameworks. Demonstrable leadership experience, including managing teams and delivering organisational change. If you're interested in this role, click the apply button or contact Max using the details below: (phone number removed) Our legal specialist, Max, has extensive experience across all areas of the legal market and recruits for positions at every level - from legal assistants and paralegals through to Directors of Legal and Monitoring Officers. If this particular role isn't quite right for you, but you'd like to explore other opportunities, please get in touch using the contact details above for a confidential discussion about the market. We are also proud to offer a market-leading referral scheme, with rewards of up to 300. If you know someone who might be a great fit for this or another legal role, simply ask them to send their CV to Max - and don't forget to include your own details so we can ensure you receive your referral bonus if they are successful.
