Overview
Please note, we reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive a high volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Interview dates: First stage – 20 – 22 April 2026, second stage – 27 – 29 April 2026
At the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, we make final decisions on complaints about UK Government departments and the NHS in England, and our findings don’t just resolve individual cases, they help drive wider improvements across public services. For a solicitor, this is work with purpose, visibility and influence.
You will be advising on complex, often sensitive matters that go to the heart of fairness, independence and good administration. Our Legal team plays a central role in supporting high‑quality decision‑making, managing litigation, and helping colleagues across the organisation understand and manage legal risk.
If you’re looking for a legal role with real variety and challenge, this is an organisation where you can make a meaningful contribution.
You will be based in either our Manchester or London offices, depending on your location with some travel expected between offices occasionally.
The role
Full details of the requirements of this role are set out in the Role Profile. In summary as a Solicitor in our Legal team, you will work closely with casework and corporate teams, attending meetings and legal advice clinics, and helping colleagues navigate legal risk with confidence.
Alongside your casework, you will build and maintain strong technical knowledge of the legislation governing the Ombudsman’s work, including data protection, and stay up to date with professional standards. You will be comfortable managing competing priorities, using your judgement and initiative to support the wider goals of the Legal team.
Responsibilities and requirements
The successful applicant will be able to demonstrate:
* Experience of working effectively within a team, contributing to shared objectives while taking responsibility for their own work and decisions.
* The ability to work flexibly and adapt their approach when dealing with changing priorities, competing deadlines or complex situations, while remaining approachable and professional.
* Up‑to‑date legal knowledge and experience relevant to litigation, with the ability to progress a busy and varied caseload. This will normally include experience of having conduct of cases, or clear evidence of operating at that level, with the capability to develop and apply knowledge of relevant statutes and procedure.
* Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain legal concepts clearly and proportionately, provide advice at different levels, and communicate effectively both in writing and verbally with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including complainants in challenging or sensitive circumstances.
Applicants must be a qualified Solicitor or Barrister with 3 years PQE, although relevant experience gained prior to qualification will be considered.
We recognise the value of lived experience. If you have experience of complaining about any public body, we strongly encourage you to apply.
We know the value of having diverse, representative teams across our organisation. Which is why we particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented within the team. These include people who are:
* Asian, Black, Mixed Ethnicity or another ethnic background
* disabled
* LGBTQ.
* Civil Service Pension scheme
* 32.5 days annual leave (plus bank holidays on top)
* hybrid working, 40 percent office based
* access to a free, confidential Employee Assistance Programme offering 24/7 advice and support from professionals and counsellors
* comprehensive learning and development programme
* employee discount scheme across hundreds of retailers
* bicycle loan scheme
* season ticket loan
* paid for professional memberships
Equality, diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing are vital to the way we work and our culture. We want our colleagues to feel included, valued, and supported at work. It is essential that we are representative and accessible for the people who work here and those who use our service.
Actions we take to embed this include:
* an anonymised shortlisting process to make sure it is fair and unbiased
* monitoring the demographic trends in our workforce and making measured, sustained efforts to improve our diversity at all levels
* providing wellbeing support and opportunities for personal and professional development for all colleagues
* creating spaces for connection and engagement through our employee network groups and social clubs
* part of the disability confident scheme
* providing reasonable adjustments
* engaging in regular inclusion learning to enhance the cultural competency of our organisation.
If you want to join a dedicated team that makes a real difference and helps raise standards in public services, then is the opportunity for you.
If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact Nicola Easton, Deputy Director of Legal, Nicola.Easton@ombudsman.org.uk
Interviews will be held onsite.
Please do not use AI as this may result in in your application being rejected.
Please note that we don’t offer feedback at application stage.
PLEASE NOTE: We can only consider applications from candidates who have the right to work in the UK. We are unable to offer sponsorship as we do not have a licence.
We do not accept CVs. To apply for the role, please complete the application form by clicking on the ‘apply online’ button.
No agencies. Applications from individuals only.
Important notice: fraudulent job postings
We have been made aware that some websites are falsely advertising job vacancies for the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). We only advertise job vacancies through these official channels:
* our website
* LinkedIn
* GOV.uk
* Indeed
* Ombudsman association
* BMEjobs.co.uk
* LGBTjobs.co.uk
Do not share personal details with any other websites claiming to represent PHSO. Contact our recruitment team to report any concerns at recruitment@ombudsman.org.uk
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