Legal Services Manager

Job title: Legal Services Manager | Grade: 7 | Employment type: permanent | Hours: full time (35 hours a week) | Starting salary: £61,820 | Directorate: Client Legal Services | Department: Public Defence Solicitors’ Office (PDSO) | Location: Edinburgh | Closing date: 7 September 2026 (23:55)

We are looking for a Legal Services Manager to lead and develop a team delivering high-quality legal defence services through the Public Defence Solicitors’ Office (PDSO) in Edinburgh. This role will involve managing people, performance, operational delivery and change, while supporting the continued development of an effective, client-focused public service.

This is an exciting opportunity to manage our team of solicitors at our flagship Edinburgh office with initial focus on people management to effect culture change, followed by leading change with legal aid reform, public sector reform and departmental redesign.

Key responsibilities include

• Leading, motivating and developing a team of legal professionals
• Managing performance, wellbeing, attendance and employee relations matters
• Supporting recruitment, onboarding and retention of staff
• Monitoring team performance and improving productivity and service delivery
• Developing and maintaining effective operational practices and procedures
• Ensuring compliance with organisational policies, employment law, and health & safety requirements
• Leading and supporting change across the team and wider service
• Managing projects linked to SLAB and PDSO corporate objectives
• Identifying training and development needs and supporting colleagues through coaching and mentoring
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Supporting initiatives to attract and retain talent
• Contributing evidence and insight to inform wider criminal justice policy and practice

To succeed in this role, you will need

• experience of managing organisational change and improving team culture
• strong people management experience, including performance management and employee relations
• the ability to coach, mentor and support colleagues to develop
• excellent communication, influencing and conflict resolution skills
• sound judgement when managing people, services, resources and stakeholder relationships
• experience of working with operational controls, budgets, processes and compliance requirements
• strong planning and project management skills
• the ability to deliver high-quality work with initiative and minimal supervision
• experience of stakeholder engagement
• good IT skills, including Microsoft 365, Word, Excel and case management systems
• a relevant degree or equivalent qualification, or equivalent relevant work experience
• a full driving licence and access to a vehicle.

What we offer

• A meaningful role where your work makes a real impact
• A supportive, inclusive, and values-driven working environment
• Opportunities for learning and professional development
• Flexible work to support a healthy work-life balance
• A competitive salary and benefits package, including pension contributions
• Generous annual leave entitlement (34 days, rising to 42 days after two years’ service)
• Enhanced family-friendly leave entitlements
• Access to wellbeing support, mental health support and an employee assistance programme
• Access to a wide range of discounts (including gym and retail) and the Cycle to Work scheme through our partner, Edenred.

For more details about this role and a full list of essential criteria and required competencies, please see the Job Description.