Job Description
Suffolk County Council
Address: Endeavour House, Ipswich IP1 2BX - Hybrid working
Salary:£28,598 per annum (pro rata for part time)
Hours:Post 1Children's team - 37 hours per week. Post 2 Adults team hours per week
Contract:Permanent
As a modern, flexible and effective organisation, at Suffolk County Council we're driven to make a positive difference to the environment, the communities we serve and the careers of our people. That's why, when you join us as a Paralegal, you'll be encouraged to share your fresh thinking and empowered to explore new ideas that will shape and improve our services as well as your career. Reimagine the possibilities.
One Paralegal vacancy is in the children's team, and the other is in the adult's team (undertaking a mix of adult safeguarding and inquest work).
Your Role And Responsibilities
As a Paralegal in the Safeguarding Team, you will have the opportunity to be involved in a wide range of issues and gain a firm foundation for your career as a rounded paralegal.
Children's Team
Supporting lawyers, advocates and caseworkers in care proceedings.
Liaising with clients in Children's Services.
Preparing court bundles.
Arranging DNA testing and drug testing.
Liaising with external solicitor firms and the Family Court.
Arranging legal representation for court hearings.
Providing crucial support to your colleagues by performing administrative tasks such as file and diary management.
Adult's Team
Supporting lawyers to prepare and issue proceedings in the Court of Protection.
Preparing court bundles.
Completing precedent court forms.
Straightforward legal research.
Administrative support to the legal team.
Assisting with administrative support with inquests in the Coroner's Court.
You will be offered the training and supervision that you need to fulfil the role effectively and work collaboratively with colleagues in a close and supportive team.
You will need
Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail with a flexible but rigorous approach to your work.
Ability to use and adapt to technology to promote efficiency and productivity.
Clear and professional communication.
A willingness and aptitude for learning.
Enjoyment of collaboration with colleagues and client officers.
To be able to organise your time and resources, and prioritise effectively.
A desire to help further the council's objectives and support excellent service delivery.
To bring your own values, experience and insights to enhance the team and help develop the department as a whole.
To have an honours degree and/or relevant work experience in a legal setting.
You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (Word). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.
The team
Legal Services is made up of teams specialising in Safeguarding (Children and Adults), Education, Commercial, Planning, Property and Highways, Disputes & Employment, and Local Land Charges. Paralegals are enabled to move between the teams, when required by the needs of the organisation, which brings opportunities for building a broad skillset and identifying routes for career development.
Our office team days are a Tuesday and Thursday and there is an expectation that you will attend the office.
Empowering Everyone
We're big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We're always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report .
For more information
Please contact Polly Mann, Legal Services Manager, for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling or emailing
How To Apply
Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word) .
Step 2 - Click 'Apply Now' to start your online application.
Tell us about a time you delivered excellent client care—how did you set expectations, keep the client informed, and handle any challenges?
Give an example of how you've used MS Office (Word/Excel/Outlook/PowerPoint) or other tools to manage legal work efficiently—e.g., document control, trackers, or presenting advice.
Tell us about a time you managed multiple cases or pieces of work with conflicting deadlines. How did you prioritise and what was the outcome?
Step 4 - Upload a CV (without name and personal details).
Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.
We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process.
Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at or
You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages. If you're invited to the next stage, you'll have another chance to request adjustments.
Closing date: 11.30pm, 8 March 2026.
Interview date: 16 March 2026.
This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.
About Us
As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We're driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.
In return, you'll enjoy:
up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
diverse and active staff networks
flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day
Plus lots more
If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website ) .