Policy Manager - Education and Training Unit

Permanent
Full time - flexible working may be considered
35 hours per week
c.£60,000 per annum
Birmingham
Based in Birmingham, with a staff of over 600, the Solicitors Regulation Authority is currently in the midst of a major and exciting programme of regulatory reform and organisational change, focused on reducing regulatory burdens, and delivering effective policies that protect consumers of legal services and promote the rule of law.

We are seeking a number of Policy Managers, to lead our policy and research work in core areas of expertise. These are Regulatory Policy and Education and Training.

These will be new opportunities and post holders will play a senior role within the Policy Directorate. Successful candidates will be responsible for leading the development, delivery and implementation of key policies likely to have a material impact on professional legal education and/or the market for legal services in England and Wales. You will be expected to apply robust project management skills and have a clear understanding of the range of available regulatory tools, the importance of an evidence base and the values of equality, diversity and inclusion to deliver effective policy outcomes.

One of the posts will be a dedicated Education and Training role. The role holder will play a leading part in Training for Tomorrow, our response to the Legal Education and Training Review, and in particular in the development of a new qualification and assessment framework for solicitors.

Working with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, you will produce/supervise the production of and present a wide range of well-written reports, consultation papers, policy documents, committee and board papers, and will lead the provision of specialist advice, support and briefings on complex regulatory and/or educational policy issues to team members, internally within the SRA and externally.

The role holders may be based either in London or in Birmingham and will be expected to travel regularly between the two locations.

Please note that currently we have more roles in our Policy Directorate. For more information please visit www.sra.org.uk/jobs.

To apply for this role, please submit your CV and covering letter in one document. Please ensure that your CV and covering letter clearly demonstrate how you meet the knowledge, skills and experience requirements of the role.

Essential

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and experience:

Relevant degree or equivalent experience

Relevant, substantial, senior level experience in one or more of: education and training (including assessment), regulation, consumer policy, economics, legal services market,

Substantial experience of leading policy development and delivery in a similar or related environment

Demonstrable ability to apply regulation to the legal services market and/or to professional legal education and a deep understanding of the wide range of regulatory tools which deliver effective policy

Senior level experience of leading project teams and of using robust project management techniques to deliver and implement policy

Strong decision maker, able to think independently and to produce well-argued, well-evidenced and practical solutions to complex policy issues

Outstanding interpersonal and influencing skills, with an existing, senior level network of relevant stakeholders

Confident, authoritative and credible communicator, able to engage effectively both internally and externally and to present information to a wide range of audiences

Demonstrable ability to produce well-argued, well-researched, authoritative reports, consultation papers, policy documents, committee and board papers

Experience of leading, coaching and developing individuals

A deep understanding of and strong commitment to, equality and diversity, both as a colleague and regulator

The SRA is the independent regulator of solicitors and law firms in England and Wales, protecting consumers and supporting the rule of law and the administration of justice. We do this by overseeing all education and training requirements necessary to practise as a solicitor, licensing individuals and firms to practise, setting the standards of the profession and regulating and enforcing compliance against these standards.
We offer an inclusive, supportive and friendly working environment and the chance to develop your career within a professional organisation. We are committed to the health and wellbeing of staff, helping everyone to strike a good balance between personal and professional life.

Additionally, we provide a generous flexible benefits package, including gym membership with a tax only cost, an excellent defined contribution pension scheme and an additional 3% of annual basic salary upon successful completion of probation.
Vacancy closing date: 28/09/2014, 23:55

The Solicitors Regulation Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

Diversity and inclusion is central to everything we do. We are actively committed to promoting and participating in good practice in the way that we attract, recruit and retain staff.

Everyone is encouraged to bring their whole self to work because we appreciate the value that a truly diverse workforce brings to an organisation. We celebrate difference, recognising the benefits this brings to our inclusive culture, including age, disability, gender identity and expression, religion, race, sex, sexual orientation and socio economic background.

 We are a Stonewall Top 100 Employer, a member of ENEI, a disability confident employer and we are happy to talk flexible working.

This opportunity is closed to applicants.