What will your day look like? In this role, your day will be varied and fast‑paced as you provide specialist legal advice and manage a diverse caseload for the Council. You will also support and mentor other Legal Officers and contribute to continuous improvement within the service. No two days are the same, but each will involve applying your legal expertise to support effective decision‑making and protect the Council’s interests. Key Responsibilities: Provide expert legal advice and support to both the Childcare and Adult Social Care teams. Draft, review, and prepare legal documents relating to safeguarding, care proceedings and Court of Protection applications. Researching and interpreting legislation and case law. Represent the organisation in multi-agency meetings. Liaising with and instructing external counsel. Ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, guidance, and best practice standards. Work collaboratively with social workers, managers, and external partners to achieve positive outcomes. Who are we looking for? Are you an experienced legal professional seeking a challenging and rewarding role? We are looking for a dynamic Senior Legal Officer to work collaboratively between our Childcare Team and Adult Social Care Team. This is a unique opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of children, families, and vulnerable adults, whilst advancing your career within a supportive and forward-thinking organisation. The ideal candidate must be highly motivated and enthusiastic, who can work effectively as part of a team, is able to work under pressure and has the appetite to embrace change and new opportunities. Local Government knowledge and an appreciation of the challenges facing local authorities is desirable but not essential. Why join us? Joining our Legal Services team means becoming part of an organisation that genuinely lives its values, valuing people, acting with honesty and integrity, and always striving for continuous improvement. You’ll work in a supportive environment where your expertise is recognised, your development is encouraged, and your contribution has a direct impact on the delivery of high‑quality public services. This role offers the opportunity to handle meaningful, varied and complex legal work while collaborating with passionate professionals across the Council and beyond. With opportunities to grow, flexibility to balance service needs, and the chance to help shape positive outcomes for the community, this is a place where you can build a fulfilling and rewarding legal career. Flexible working arrangements including the ability to work remotely are available and will be considered. For more information, please refer to the attached guidance and role profile. If you would like an informal discussion, please contact Emma Finch Email: Emma.Finch@nelincs.gov.uk Key Dates Advert closing date: Wednesday 25th February 2026 We aim to interview candidates: Wednesday 4th March 2026 We want you to have the best interview experience with us, so will provide candidates selected for interview their questions 24 hours in advance of meeting us. We reserve the right to close our adverts early if we have received a significant volume of suitable applications. Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme Disability Confident About Disability Confident A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .