CMA1999 (1) General Counsel

As the CMA nears our 10 year anniversary, and we take on important new and expanded powers, we have a number of vacancies in our Senior Executive Team creating an exciting opportunity to refresh and expand the leadership of our growing organisation at a pivotal moment.

 The role of General Counsel for the CMA provides an unrivalled opportunity to deliver exceptional cutting edge legal and policy advice across all of our most complex cases, defending high profile litigation and acting as Legal Advisor to the Board.

 About the CMA

We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. Our work is wide ranging, ambitious and often new and challenging.

As the CMA takes on ever-more complex work, the legal and policy questions we address sit at the heart of all that we do.

The role

Reporting to the Chief Executive, the General Counsel is responsible for providing first class legal and policy advice across all of the CMA’s casework, including mergers, markets, competition and consumer protection enforcement, subsidy advice and our new digital markets regulation function.

You will be responsible for the overall conduct of the CMA’s litigation function and providing risk-based legal and policy advice to the CMA Board, Chair and CEO as well as senior decision-makers across the CMA.

You will work with the CEO and the Board to set the strategic direction of the work undertaken by the CMA’s Legal Service and Policy team.

Leading by example and acting as a role model, you will also be responsible for building the required skills and expertise within the CMA’s Legal Service.

As a key member of the CMA’s Senior Executive Team, you will have shared responsibility for leading the CMA beyond our 10 year anniversary as the volume, breadth, complexity and importance of the work we undertake extends to new frontiers.  

Watch the video as our CEO, Sarah Cardell, talks about our opportunities in more detail: Senior Leadership Roles

Please note that we are also looking to appoint a Deputy General Counsel. Collectively, these roles will shape our legal profession, taking responsibility for the provision of first class legal and policy advice across all CMA cases and litigation decisions.  Whilst the level of accountability and responsibility will vary, the essential criteria for both roles remains similar and candidates applying for these positions will be considered for both roles. Candidates will be informed through the process for which role they are to be considered. If candidates only wish to be considered for one of the two roles, they should make it clear in their personal statement.  

About you

Senior level experience of working as a lawyer at partner level across competition, consumer, public and relevant sectoral legal frameworks is essential. You will also need a track record of strategic decision making, providing strategic legal advice, proactively managing risks and operating collegiately within complex governance arrangements.

As an experienced communicator and influencer, you will have the ability to work effectively with businesses, consumers, government, UK stakeholders and international counterparts.

Strong leadership skills with the gravitas to lead an intellectually strong management team is equally important.

The post holder can be located in any of our locations, but a substantial amount of time will need to be spent in London.

We are currently recruiting to a number of senior roles and candidates are advised to review the candidate packs and make it clear in their personal statement and application to which positions they are applying. Candidates may apply for more than one role. 

Key Responsibilities

• Be an active adviser to the CMA Board, providing an exceptional level of legal advice and policy as well as contributing fully and broadly to the development and articulation of organisational strategy, ensuring that the CMA fulfils its statutory duties and functions and that the principles of good corporate governance are observe.
• Be a collaborative and engaged member of the CMA’s Senior Executive team and Executive Committee providing joint executive leadership of the CMA including ensuring the work of the organisation aligns with the strategic priorities and ambition set by the Board, that risks are appropriately identified, managed and reported, and that organisational development continues to deliver a positive, respectful and inclusive culture in line with the CMA’s Values.
  
• Take an active part in other senior decision-making fora, including the Case and Policy Committee, the Resource, Portfolio and Pipeline Committee and the Subsidy Advice Committee.
• Work with the CEO and the Board to set the strategic direction for the work undertaken by the CMA’s Legal Service and Policy team and be accountable to the CEO and the Board for the overall delivery of that work including by reference to relevant statutory requirements.
• Directly lead the CMA’s advisory lawyers and litigation professionals, and policy professionals ensuring effective resourcing of ongoing and prospective projects including in light of resourcing demands across the CMA.
• Build the required skills, expertise and diversity within the CMA’s Legal Service, supporting staff development, developing the Legal Service senior leadership and management teams, and acting as a role model.
• Lead and ensure the provision of first-class legal advice across all of the CMA’s work and including the provision of risk-based and strategic legal advice to the Board, Chair, CEO and senior decision-makers across the CMA.
• Deliver exceptional strategic and risk-based leadership of the CMA’s litigation function.
• Provide strategic leadership of the CMA’s Policy function, championing the delivery of policy advice across the CMA’s case work together with strategic leadership of the CMA’s wider legal and policy thinking.
• Liaise effectively with counterparts in relevant government departments, sector regulators, international agencies and where appropriate in the devolved administrations.
• Be a strong external advocate for the CMA in the UK and internationally. Build strong relationships with counterparts, including competition and regulatory authorities, consumer bodies, academics, and consultants in the legal, economic and business community.

It is important through your CV and Statement of Suitability that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the selection criteria detailed.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate evidence against the following essential criteria:

• Exceptional legal experience operating at the most senior levels (partner equivalent) practicing across competition, consumer, public and relevant sectoral legal frameworks.
• Extensive leadership experience operating at the most senior levels, with a measurable track record of taking strategic decisions, providing strategic legal advice, proactively managing risks and operating collegiately within complex governance arrangements.
• The presence and impact to operate effectively with businesses, consumers, government, UK stakeholders and international counterparts, many of whom are extremely well qualified and have strength and expertise in the technical detail of consumer, competition and markets regimes.
• An experienced communicator and influencer, with significant experience of leading and proactively managing complex high-level stakeholder relationships.
• Senior experience of operating effectively, both strategically and tactically, within strict resource constraints.
• Strong leadership skills with the gravitas to lead an intellectually strong management team to achieve robust and impactful outcomes and to garner their respect and support.
• Demonstrate strong leadership to the CMA, ensuring that there is a clear integrated vision and promoting a strong culture of openness to challenge, collaboration and delivery. Work with the CEO to foster an inclusive environment where teams are empowered, and the team capability is improved.
• High intellectual capability and a capacity to move between strategic thinking and technical detail.
• A high level of personal credibility based on first class judgement and integrity.

As well as the interesting and varied work you’ll do to contribute to effective competition in the UK, and to ensure consumers get a good deal when buying goods and services, you’ll also benefit from:

• An exceptionally generous pension scheme with a significant employer contribution and range of options, including a tax-free lump sum at the point of retirement and injury, ill-health and life assurance benefits
• 25 days leave (increasing to 30 days over five years), plus 8 public holidays and an additional day off for the King’s birthday. In addition, you’ll be able to access a wide range of other types of leave as and when you need it, including generous maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption options, as well as paid special leave for volunteering
• Season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, flu vaccinations and eye tests
• Access to the Civil Service Sports & Leisure, giving discounted gym membership, high street discounts, free access to UK wide attractions and a free Tastecard
• A range of wellbeing benefits, including an employee assistance programme, flexible working options and family friendly policies, regular networking events and professional learning opportunities at work

Any move to the CMA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.”

Like many other organisations, we operate a hybrid working model with a mix of office and home working. We believe this supports us to deliver our best work while allowing the flexibility to maintain balanced and healthy lives. For this role, we would expect a minimum of 60% attendance at a CMA office location.

We follow the Senior Civil Service pay rules for civil servants who secure a SCS role at the CMA, including existing CMA staff. 

Circa £180k for successful candidates currently external to the Civil Service. 

If promoted to a new SCS role an internal applicant will receive 10% pay on promotion or the minimum of the PB2 CMA Competition Specialist pay range, which starts at £126,307 (pay award pending).

Existing Senior Civil Servant colleagues applying on lateral transfer at PB2 will remain on their current salaries if successfully appointed (pay award pending).

We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We want a diverse workforce that reflects the consumers we serve. We welcome applications from under-represented groups, including ethnically diverse people, people with a disability, and people with diverse gender identities.  

We are an accredited Disability Confident Employer and disabled applicants meeting the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.

Our Values

The CMA delivers impactful outcomes for people, business and the UK economy.​ We are Ambitious and Evidence-based, and always strive for Excellence.​ We treat everyone with Respect, and are Collaborative and Inclusive.​

Everything we do is underpinned by the Civil Service values: Honesty, Integrity, Impartiality and Objectivity.

Job contact :

• Name : responses@russellreynolds.com
• Email : responses@russellreynolds.com
• Telephone : 020 37386580

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk