Grade B - £42,044 (National) or £47,900 (London – for London office based or homebased workers within the boundary of the M25) – There is also an additional homeworking allowance of £600 per annum for those working from home. he role also includes a £3,000 recruitment and retention allowance per annum. Contract Type: 12 Month Fixed Term or Secondment Opportunity Contracted Hours: Full time 37 hours per week Location: Home-based Closing date: Thursday 2 April 2026 at 11.59pm Make a difference Every role at CQC contributes to our mission, If you’re looking for a new role in Inquiries and Investigations that gives you a true sense of meaning and purpose, then you’ve found it! As a Lawyer, you’ll help us give clear, trusted legal guidance that supports CQC in delivering our responsibilities to Public Inquires and Independent Investigations Picture this You’ll be part of a team working on issues that matter to people across the country, offering legal insight that shapes how we respond to independent inquiries. Each day brings new challenges and the chance to solve problems that make a real difference. As a Lawyer in the Inquiries and Investigations team, you might get the chance to work on: Supporting CQC’s response to a major public inquiry by advising teams on the legal risks and ensuring the right evidence is shared safely and lawfully. Leading complex casework that shapes new policies or improves how CQC approaches independent investigations The role You’ll play an important part in delivering our mission. In this role, you’ll: Provide clear legal advice: Offer accurate, accessible legal guidance across CQC, helping teams understand risks and make informed decisions. Support colleagues to grow: Coach and guide Legal Officers, Trainees and Paralegals so they can develop their skills and deliver great work. Lead complex legal work: Manage challenging casework and contribute to policy development, working with Public Inquiry Managers, Legal Managers and Senior Lawyers to meet directorate goals. Show us We will be looking for specific skills, knowledge and experience in your application form: Qualified legal professional: You are a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive eligible to practise in England and Wales, with relevant post‑qualification experience or substantial pre‑qualification experience in a regulatory or health and social care setting. Experience managing legal casework: You can handle a varied caseload, give clear legal advice, and explain complex issues in a way that others can understand. Ability to assess risk and support others: You can analyse legal risks in a fast‑moving environment, adjust priorities when needed, and help colleagues develop their skills. Apply today to join a workplace where your impact is felt every day. Compliance Note for internal candidates: This is a secondment/fixed term opportunity. Please read the recruitment and selection policy section on secondments. You must discuss your application with your line manager before applying. To progress your application, you’ll need to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK. Without valid right to work you won’t be eligible for the role. We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. Some roles may also be subject to a satisfactory DBS check. Next steps If you apply, you’ll need to create a profile and complete an online application form. Your application will be completely anonymous. Please see our information for applicants for more details on the process. We contact every applicant to let them know the outcome of their application, so you will hear from us whether or not you are shortlisted. You can read the full details of the role in the Job Description If you’d like an informal chat about the role contact – Lorraine Reed, Public Inquiries Manager; Lorraine.Reed@cqc.org.uk. For general enquiries, please email recruitment@cqc.org.uk. The Benefits We offer a wide range of benefits, including: Annual leave starting at 27 days per year, rising to 32.5 days with service, plus bank holidays (usually 8 days per year). Training and development opportunities. Wellbeing initiatives, such as gym discounts and meditation. NHS pension scheme, with around 14% employer contribution. Discount schemes (including eligibility for a Blue Light card, at a cost of £4.99 and valid for 2 years), reward vouchers, car leasing and more! Please see our benefits page for the full list. Equity for all We know job descriptions can feel intimidating. Research shows they can cause some people to doubt whether they’re a good fit. This happens more often to people from underrepresented groups (e.g. ethnic minority backgrounds). If this role interests you, we encourage you to apply. Your unique perspective, skills, and experience could be exactly what we need. We want every candidate to feel supported and able to do their best. If you need adjustments to our process, we’ll work with you to remove any barriers. Visit our accessibility page for more on this. If you’d like to chat, please contact recruitment@cqc.org.uk. Please note, if you have previously informed us of adjustments you need for interview or within your role these are not carried over and must be discussed for each individual application you make. We promote a workplace where fairness, respect and inclusion are a priority. Diverse teams make our work better, help us deliver our mission and make our culture stronger. See our ED&I page for more about this. We welcome applications from everyone, and colleagues can find support and community among our many employee networks. This includes people of any: Age Sex Gender identity or expression Sexual orientation Religion or belief Ethnicity Disability Values and vision We are guided by our core values, which shape our work and our culture. Excellence – being a high-performing organisation. Caring – treating everyone with dignity and respect. Integrity – doing the right thing. Teamwork – learning from each other to be the best we can. We are a disability confident employer and a carer confident employer. A Note on AI AI tools can be great for research and refining ideas, but we want to learn about you. If you use AI or Chatbots to help you with your application, keep these points in mind: AI can support research, structuring and refining your writing, but your application must reflect your real skills and experience. Spell-checking and condensing word counts are great ways to use AI effectively. Do not copy and paste AI generated answers. These will not help you stand out; remember we want to hear about your skills and experience. Providing false and insincere examples goes against our core values of honesty and integrity and may lead to your application being withdrawn or termination of your employment.