Apply Now
Details
Reference number
Salary
Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Job grade
Contract type
Type of role
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Job summary
Are you a legal professional with substantial experience delivering robust, high-quality advice and outstanding leadership skills? Join the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to play a pivotal role bringing strategic leadership and vision to the CMAs legal teams as we embark on an ambitious programme of markets and consumer protection enforcement work.
The CMA is growing significantly and taking on a variety of complex cases, such as international mergers, antitrust and cartels cases that were previously reserved to the European Commission.
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 a Legal Director you will work across a broad range of case work, providing legal advice and analysis in relation to competition and/or consumer law, regulatory law, public law, litigation and policy, and merger and market investigations.
You will work closely with case teams and key decision makers and will need to form highly effective working relationships with Project, Economics and Remedies, Business and Financial Advice Directors, collectively leading case and project teams to robust and successful outcomes.
Leading by example, you will demonstrate professional excellence to lead and inspire lawyers working on a range of enforcement, investigatory and regulatory appeal cases, ensuring they have the capability and professional ethos to advise effectively on any legal issues.
About you
You will be a fully qualified lawyer entitled to practise as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive (CILEx Fellow) in the UK. Applicants qualified in a jurisdiction outside the UK will be required to undertake the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme/SQE within 3 years of appointment, and employment will be conditional upon the successful completion of the QLTS/SQE within this time period.
You will need significant casework experience in many of the following areas: competition enforcement, merger review, market studies and investigations, consumer protection enforcement, internal markets, sector regulation and subsidy control, as well as a sound understanding of public law.
Overseeing a team of legal professionals, you will be able to provide strategic leadership and effectively manage staff to deliver high quality outputs. You will also have the ability to develop talent and foster a culture of inclusion and equal opportunity for all.
What we can offer you
The CMA is a hugely diverse, rewarding and stimulating place to work an opportunity to work for the public good and to stretch and develop yourself in doing so. We offer generous benefits, including an excellent pension scheme with an average employer contribution of 27%, at least 25 days leave (increasing to 30 over five years), and generous maternity/paternity leave provision. You can also take advantage of interest-free season ticket loans, a cycle to work scheme, and our extensive flexible working options.
To find out more about this opportunity and about working for the CMA, please click on the APPLY button.
CMA Working for the CMA , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk)
Or our LinkedIn page:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/competition-and-markets-authority/
Please note that for exceptional international candidates, we may be able to sponsor your right to work in the UK, subject to your eligibility to work for the Civil Service. Sponsorship will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Closing date: 11:55pm on Monday 18 September 2023
Job description
Key responsibilities include:
- To provide (and manage the provision of) timely, high quality legal analysis and advice for case teams and other internal stakeholders including decision makers in relation to analytically complex issues arising in competition and/or consumer law, regulatory law, public law, litigation, policy and more generally.
- To deliver robust and constructive quality assurance of legal advice and key documents, for example CA98 statements of objections, provisional findings of merger and market investigations and final decisions, as well as Subsidy Advice Unit (SAU) advice, OIM advice and provisional and final determinations of regulatory appeals, with a view to ensuring that these documents are analytically robust and stand up to legal challenge.
- To provide a high degree of strategic insight and expertise on the key issues of competition (including mergers and markets), subsidy control, the application of the UK Internal Market Act, regulatory appeals and/or consumer protection law and policy, assimilating the wide body of case law, regime experience and wider CMA policies.
- To form highly effective working relationships with Project, Economics and Remedies, Business and Financial Advice Directors, collectively leading case and project teams to robust and successful outcomes including through external engagement with parties.
- To demonstrate professional excellence and to lead and inspire lawyers working on the range of enforcement, investigatory and regulatory appeal cases, ensuring they have the capability and professional ethos to advise effectively on any legal issues that may affect the CMAs efficient and effective delivery of cases.
- To develop the talents of the CMA legal advisers in a way which enables innovative thinking and integrated working across the organisation.
- To line manage, support and mentor CMA legal advisers working across the range of CMA cases and projects and to contribute to the development of best practice and staff through training and coaching.
- To ensure the effective allocation of legal work and resources to ensure effective delivery and appropriate career development opportunities.
- To contribute proactively to policy development (including best practices and analysis) relating to competition or consumer law enforcement, mergers, market studies and investigations, subsidy control, application of the UK Internal Market Act and sector regulation/regulatory appeals.
- To contribute proactively to the development and sharing of legal know-how and best practice across the CMA.
- To lead and maintain open, professional and proactive engagement with key external partners for the CMAs enforcement, investigatory and regulatory work, including private practitioners, business, domestic and international agencies and other Government departments, as well as to represent the CMA externally, for example at conferences and seminars.
Person specification
It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application:
- Fully qualified lawyer entitled to practise as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive (CILEx Fellow) in the UK. Applicants qualified in a jurisdiction outside the UK will be required to undertake the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme/SQE within 3 years of appointment, and employment will be conditional upon the successful completion of the QLTS/SQE within this time period.
- Significant legal experience in casework involving a number of the following areas: competition enforcement, merger review, market studies and investigations, consumer protection enforcement, internal markets, sector regulation and subsidy control, as well as a sound understanding of public law.
- Demonstrable evidence of strong communication and representation skills, including experience of negotiating with and influencing senior decision makers, and high-level external stakeholder engagement.
- Strong experience of effectively leading and motivating professional teams, including managing and developing staff to ensure effective working with other professional groups, and the timely delivery of high-quality outcomes and decisions.
- A commitment to creating an environment that celebrates diversity and inclusion and promotes a culture of respect towards colleagues at all levels.
- Significant experience delivering high quality analysis, advising on complex decisions, writing robust reports and contributing to policy development.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Benefits
£25,472 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
As well as the interesting and varied work youll do to contribute to effective competition in the UK, and to ensure consumers get a good deal when buying goods and services, youll 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 Kings birthday. In addition, youll 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. We work at least 40% of our time from our office locations across the UK.
If youre already a civil servant being appointed on level transfer, youll retain your existing terms, including annual leave. If you are being promoted youll receive either a 10% pay increase or the new grade minimum, whichever is the greater. Applicants new to the civil service can be considered for appointment at a salary higher than the starting point indicated above, but not more than the advertised mid-point, depending on skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications.
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, people with diverse gender identities and from people of different ages.
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.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.
The selection process will comprise of the sift (CV & application review) and an interview. Arrangements for the interview will be enclosed in the invitation. Interviews will be either conducted either virtually, by Microsoft Teams, or in-person at a CMA office.
At sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification (above and in the attached role profile) will be considered.
The sift will take place week commencing 19 September 2023.
If your application is successful you will be invited to attend an interview. You will be notified via email to log-in to your Civil Service Account and book your interview slot. You will be sent an email with full details of your arrangements for interview.
Successful candidates at the shortlisting stage will be asked to participate in an Individual Leadership Assessment (ILA) which is a one-to-one psychological assessment of candidates in selection for Senior Civil Service (SCS) roles. Candidates will complete a range of questionnaires on-line, the outputs of which are explored during a structured interview of approximately 1-2 hours with an assessor. The ILA must occur prior to interviews taking place. The assessment does not lead to a pass or fail decision; rather, it is intended to highlight areas of strength and possible concerns which the panel can probe at interview.
Please note that where an individual has been assessed for an individual leadership assessment via Civil Service Resourcing and applies for another SCS post at the same pay band within a two year period, it is now policy to automatically re-use the original report.
Interviews will be held 11 – 13 October 2023.
The first part of the interview will comprise a presentation details of which will be forwarded in advance of the interview. The second part of the interview will be a 45 minute -1 hour panel interview where you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours, Experience and Technical elements outlined in the role profile.
If successful you must hold, or be willing to obtain, security clearance to SC level.
Reasonable adjustments
We want to make sure no one is at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should complete the Assistance required section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process.
For example, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you are deaf, a Language Service Professional. You might also require additional time to complete a timed assessment or a sign language interpreter to support with the relaying of information.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them
to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through
building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above.
This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions.
Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and
conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your
personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any
absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you
to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Suruthi Thavarasa
- Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk
- Telephone : 0208 738 6808
Recruitment team
- Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk
Further information
