Our Values

It’s great to know that you are interested in working with us at Coventry City Council. As a prospective employee, it is important that everyone who works for us is committed to our One Coventry values and shares our commitment to becoming a more diverse and inclusive organisation. 

Our Values are:

About the team we are recruiting to

Coventry City Council’s Legal Service is part of the public sector providing in-house legal support to Coventry City Council. The team offers a professional comprehensive, tailor-made service to address legal issues of every description. The team is highly motivated and eager to develop and face challenges head-on.

As part of the Coventry City Council's in-house Legal Services department, the Case Management Team represents Children's Services in child care and adoption proceedings. In this position, you will be working on some of the most sensitive and rewarding cases, supporting Coventry Children’s Services to achieve the best outcomes for children in our city. A successful candidate will manage a caseload of childcare cases and advise on all aspects of child protection and safeguarding, including but not limited to care proceedings, discharge proceedings, deprivation of liberty, and general advice.

What is the job role?

We are seeking a qualified childcare lawyer to join the Case Management legal team as soon as possible. The position will allow you to work with a friendly and supportive team handling public law care and adoption proceedings on behalf of Coventry Children's Services. You will be responsible for managing a caseload of Public Law children's cases through the court process effectively and providing quality legal services to Coventry Children's Services. An in-house advocacy team is available for more complex hearings, although some advocacy will be required.  

This position involves handling a wide variety of child protection and safeguarding matters, such as care proceedings, discharge proceedings, deprivations of liberty, and general advice. You will manage a caseload of childcare cases and advise on all aspects of Child Protection and Safeguarding law.

We seek applications from Solicitors, Barristers and Legal Executives with experience advising on children's safeguarding matters or with an interest in doing so. With expertise in child protection, whether it be in the public sector or the private sector, we are interested in hearing from you. We recognise transferable skills and assist Lawyers in further developing their skills in this rewarding field.

Now is an exciting time to join Coventry, we are firmly focused on regeneration with major developments and new projects taking place across the city. We are particularly proud to have been City of Culture 2021.  Coventry is a lively, multicultural city, which embraces both old and new and is a great place to work.  We occupy a modern building right by Coventry station, so we are easily accessible by public transport. We will continue to embrace a mixture of both remote and office working as the Covid restrictions lift.

Who are we looking for?

You must have the ability to deal with a demanding caseload, excellent client care skills, and an eagerness to provide a high-quality service to our clients and the local community.  You will be self–motivated and organised with a track record of meeting strict deadlines and timescales.

You will have strong drafting skills and be able to give sound, pragmatic legal advice on complex matters to Officers and Members within the Council.  You should have some advocacy experience and be willing to cover hearings.

You must be able to work effectively as part of a team and establish good relations with our Members, client departments, outside agencies, and partners.  Always customer focussed, you will understand the nature of local government in-house legal services and demonstrate a willingness to contribute positively to service development and continuous improvement.

For full details please see the Job Description and Person Specification. 

For full details on the application process please read the attached document labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process

Please contact the Case Management Team Leader Nancy Perkins on 024 7697 7255 or case management lawyer Emma Whitehurst on 02476 97 7104 if you wish to have an informal discussion about the role.

When applying for this role you will be asked to write a personal statement, when writing your personal statement please include/ demonstrate the following:

•  An experienced Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive (Fellow)
• Understanding of the law relating to Children and experience of successfully managing a busy childcare caseload.
• Understanding of rules of evidence and procedure

If you have just become a Solicitor, Chartered Legal Executive or Actuary,  this post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Standard DBS check.

Interview date(s): Week beginning 3rd October 2022

About Coventry

Coventry is a lively, multicultural city, which embraces old and new. Around the modern city centre there are traces of history everywhere – in the old city walls, the timber-framed buildings and the reconstructed medieval Spon Street. But Coventry has always had an eye on the future, and is now firmly focused on regenerating and re-inventing itself to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. With major developments and new projects taking place right across the city, Coventry City Council is the place to be !

There's a huge buzz about the city – Coventry ranks as the 8th best city to live, work and do business in the UK, and it was the UK City of Culture 2021. We believe this will help put Coventry on the map for all the right reasons as you can feel the sense of local pride throughout the city. It also offers a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to those joining us to play their part in it.

We genuinely believe that Coventry City Council is a special place. You will be joining Coventry City Council during an exciting time to become part of a team that contribute to achieving our visions for the city. We have made our council a place where we look after our people, making sure you're happy in your work and given everything you need to succeed. We've created friendly, welcoming workplaces where everyone is working towards the same cause, providing the best possible services for the city of Coventry.

As a council with improvement at its heart, we’re committed to making life better for the people who live and work in Coventry. We’re equally concerned with the quality of life enjoyed by our people, so by joining us, you won’t just be helping the community, you’ll be helping yourself too.

Not only do you get to work alongside great people that are helping to improve services for our community we offer great benefits too ! 

For your valued contribution we will provide a fantastic benefits package including;

• Flexible working arrangements
• Generous annual leave allowance starting at 27 days and rising to 32 days
• Opportunity for Salary Match and Pay progression through multiple increments
• Outstanding local government pension scheme
• Learning & Development with access to certified courses.
• Access to an award winning Occupational Health Team
• Vibrant employee networks 
• Lifestyle savings
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes; Car Scheme, Cycle to work and more
• Interest free travel loans
• Payroll giving scheme
• Workplace parking scheme
• Maternity, paternity and adoption Leave
• And much more

Coventry City Council