Senior Lawyer

Senior Lawyer

Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday, 4th of August 2025

Location: Manchester, M2 3AW / City of Westminster, London, SW1A 2BQ

Salary: £59,003 - £79,556 + benefits (including a Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%)

We lead the Government's work on the future governance of football. At present, the Shadow Football Regulator comprises over 30 members of staff, led by an interim Chief Operating Officer, undertaking a range of activities in preparation for passage of the Football Governance Bill, which is currently in Parliament.

The Shadow Football Regulator is a dedicated team within DCMS which is responsible for setting up the Independent Football Regulator. It is ensuring the Regulator has the right skills, governance and corporate functions so it can start work as soon as possible after the Bill receives Royal Assent.

This post, and its recruitment, is dependent on progress of the Bill, and the intention is for this role to transfer to the Regulator once it's legally established.

Please note that the Independent Football Regulator will be based in Greater Manchester, but an exact location has yet to be determined.

Job Description

We are recruiting a Senior Lawyer to join the Shadow Football Regulator (SFR) to help advise and shape the organisation in parallel with Parliamentary passage of the associated legal framework.

At present, the SFR comprises over 30 members of staff, led by an interim Chief Operating Officer, undertaking a range of activities in preparation for passage of the Football Governance Bill. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in developing the legal function within the new organisation, determining the right balance between in-house and outsourced provision, and work collaboratively with others in considering how best to operationalise the provisions of the Bill.

They will also support the Chair (designate) when they are appointed and advise on a wide range of legal issues. The successful candidate will work with the legal team and wider organisation to identify, monitor and manage legal risks attaching to the IFR s activities.

This work will include advising, amongst other issues, on the IFR s powers and obligations, regulatory investigations and enforcement, litigation and appeals, the IFR s decision-making obligations, corporate governance and wider public law issues.

The candidate will be required to provide practical legal advice to IFR teams within a nascent legal framework, and to ground this advice in the relevant statutory, public law and industry context. They will also be required to instruct and oversee the work of external counsel.

The legal team will also be expected to work collaboratively with the sponsor department, DCMS, as well as with a variety of other bodies, including within the football industry.

Person Specification

Essential Requirements:

• Creative thinking and excellent judgement to deliver authoritative and credible legal advice, at pace, to facilitate practical solutions, including at senior levels.
• Experience of proactively creating, maintaining and promoting a strong network of contacts across an industry.
• Effectively managing legal risk, providing sound legal direction, leadership and oversight to ensure quality outcomes and delivery of legal excellence.
• Have a track record of picking up new and complex areas of legal work quickly and providing context-appropriate advice in high-profile and fast-moving situations.
• Professional experience Significant knowledge of and post-qualification experience advising on regulatory compliance or enforcement, whether as part of a Regulator or more generally on matters subject to regulatory oversight. Candidates will also require some appreciation of public law considerations.

Desirable Skills:

• Understanding of the football industry, including financial regulation and familiarity with the English football pyramid.

Benefits

DCMS values its staff and offers a wide range of benefits to everyone who works here. We re committed to developing talent and supporting colleagues to have great careers in our department. To support with that, some of the benefits we offer include:

• Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working - DCMS staff work on a flexible basis with time spent in offices, and time spent working from home
• 26.5 days annual leave on entry, increasing to 31.5 days after 5 years service
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Access to the Edenred employee benefits system which offers discounts to popular retailers and access to various useful resources such as financial and savings advice
• 3 days of paid volunteering leave
• Up to 9 months maternity leave on full pay + generous paternity and adoption leave
• Staff reward and recognition bonuses that operate throughout the year
• Occupational sick pay
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme which offers staff 24/7 confidential support and resources such as counselling, debt guidance and management advice
• Active and engaged staff networks to join including the LGBT+, Ethnic Diversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing and Gender Equality Networks
• Exceptional learning and development opportunities that you can explore alongside your day-to-day work
• Season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and much more!

How To Apply

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