Job Description

Senior Legal Strategy Advisor - Strategy, Performance, and Planning - Counter Terrorism Policing HQ

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Vacancy Reference Number
19423


Number of Vacancies
1
(B) OCU
CTPHQ Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters
Location
Westminster
Building
NEW SCOTLAND YARD
Band
Band J4
Part/Full Time
Full Time
Hours per Week
36 hours per week
Type of Contract
Permanent
Job Advert

Job Title:

Senior Legal Strategy Advisor - Strategy, Performance, and Planning - Counter Terrorism Policing HQ

Salary:

The starting salary is 87,893, which includes allowances totalling 2,928.


The salary is broken down as 84,965 basic salary, which will increase annually until you reach the top of the scale 87,651 Plus, a location allowance of 1,928 and a non-pensionable allowance of 1,000.

Location

:

Westminster

Job Summary

Counter Terrorism Policing HQ's Strategy, Planning and Performance (SPP) Directorate is a multi-skilled, diverse, insightful and influential team that sits at the heart of CTPHQ. Operating in New Scotland Yard and CTOC, we work collaboratively with CTP colleagues in the HQ and across the network, to ensure that CTP has effective strategies, policies and plans in place, along with the capabilities it needs to keep the public and the UK safe.


Informed by CTP's strategic approach, and contributing to the UK's CONTEST and other National Security Strategies we set out clear strategic direction, drive CTP's network delivery plan, deliver performance insights to inform decision-making, and run CTP's principal governance structures. We cohere CTP's positions on policy and legislation, while also navigating CTP's organisational response to operational incidents and investigations. In addition, we support, advise and brief CTP's senior leaders in their leadership of CTP while also engaging for CTP with partners, Government and internationally in support of our mission.


CTPHQ's SPP Directorate is a hybrid of mostly police staff and some civil servants on secondment. The team is high-performing, influential and inclusive, and is the ideal place for existing or aspiring professionals to make a real difference, and develop a career in an operational policing environment. This position provides a unique opportunity to gain experience of the national CT Policing Network and wider policing, as well as how policing operates alongside the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) and Whitehall departments.


You will work closely with senior police officers and staff, colleagues across CTP, UKIC and Government departments in advising primarily on legislation and legislative policy formulation and provision of legislative advice. You will support senior CTP leadership in understanding the external political and legislative climate in which CTP operates and be ready to provide strategic advice on a range of matters.


You will strengthen CTP relationships, in particular where it relates to legislative matters, across Government departments, law enforcement and UKIC. You will be expected to understand the challenges, consequences and opportunities of proposed changes in Government legislation and articulate a clear CTPHQ position that meets the operational requirements of frontline CT officers. You will ensure that the CTP view is heard and understood in relation to key issues affecting the CTP network, and influence and negotiate on behalf of CTP in respect of strategic challenges, priorities and delivery, doing so confidently with senior stakeholders.

Key Tasks

The post holder will be required to do the following:

Provide expert legal strategy and legislative policy advice to senior police officers and staff including the National Lead for CT Policing / Assistant Commissioner Specialist Operations, the Senior National Coordinator and Deputy Senior National Coordinator, and Director General CTPHQ. Liaise with Commander CTP London and CTP's other regional CT Heads on legislative matters. Provide expert legislative policy advice to support effective, informed and coordinated decision-making by CTP's Strategy Director and Deputy Director Strategy. Influence and cohere the CTPHQ position across Whitehall in strategic engagement and discussions, liaising between the Home Office and other Agencies and policing colleagues Proactively seek to determine the challenges, consequences and opportunities of proposed legislative changes for CTP. Lead on CTP's legislative relationship management with UKIC. Coordinate and steer CTP and wider policing response to legislative consultations and parliamentary consultations where they relate to legislation. Represent CTP in cross-Whitehall discussions, influence processes, and work with SPP's Strategy and Policy team to represent CTP on policy leading to new legislation, giving legislative advice to policy colleagues on draft clauses. Identify the critical issues for CT policing, clarifying the understanding for seniors and making pragmatic decisions based on available evidence. Lead and represent CTP on legislative matters in policing, national security and cross-government partnerships, and act as CTP's primary liaison with the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation. Produce timely and high quality briefings, letters, presentations and updates for and on behalf of CTP senior leaders including drafting letters to the Home Secretary and Ministers. Be an active corporate member of CTPHQ and SPP's Senior Leadership Team, helping support the Directorate and its people, on work delivery, wellbeing and development. Around once every six weeks, be on an out-of-hours SPP SLT On-Call escalation rota to provide senior advice and support if needed in support of SPP On-Call team members. Liaise with The Met's Directorate of Legal Services, in particular the Heads of Team and senior lawyers.

Vetting

This post requires access to the most sensitive intelligence material on a daily basis. Applicants must hold or be prepared to undergo National Security Vetting (NSV) Developed Vetting (DV) level before taking up the post.


This post requires British nationality (some dual nationals may be ineligible) and an Enhanced Security Check (eSC)/Developed Vetting (DV)] clearance.


As the post holder will have access to very sensitive information, there are limitations on travelling to a small number of countries and we will undertake additional security checks as part of the recruitment process. Applications from candidates with close connections to certain countries may take considerably longer to process, or in some cases result in a withdrawal of an offer of employment. Further details will be provided at the conditional offer stage.

Confidentiality Agreement

Applicants should also be aware of the need to sign a confidentiality agreement on taking up the post.

Our Employee Commitments

Counter Terrorism Policing aims to create an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere and culture and an environment where all our people feel a strong sense of belonging and are able to reach their full potential. Where any group or individual can be and feel respected, supported and valued to fully participate and contribute to our mission of "Working to keep people safe from Terrorism".


Inclusion, diversity and equality is at the front and centre of our approach to make the composition of Counter Terrorism Policing more representative of the communities we serve. As Counter Terrorism is rooted in Local Policing, to tackle today's complex policing challenges, applications from across all communities are therefore essential and encouraged. Counter Terrorism Policing as a network is committed to ensuring that disabled people and those with long-term health conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations'.


Counter Terrorism Policing is committed to creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working arrangements, including part time working or job share. In addition, this role has been reviewed following learning from work during the Covid pandemic and may be done in an agile manner. In the first instance, please contact the vacancy holder to discuss how such arrangements could be accommodated (where applicable).

How to apply

To begin your career at the Met, please click the "apply now" button below. The application process requires a comprehensive CV, a Personal Statement, and an online application form. In your Personal Statement, you should explain your interest in the position and illustrate how your skills and experiences make you a suitable candidate. Please note that you should not submit two copies of your CV, and ensure that your documents are saved in either PDF or Word format, clearly labelled as CV and/or Personal Statement.

Completed applications must be submitted by 23:55 on 25th June 2025.

Once received, your application will be reviewed against eligibility criteria, following this, your application will be reviewed by the hiring manager. The application review for this vacancy will commence 2 weeks after the vacancy has closed.


Following application review, successful candidates will be invited to interview. Interview dates are to be confirmed.

www.metpolicecareers.co.uk

Essential For The Role

Essential Experience

Be a qualified solicitor, barrister or Chartered Legal Executive Lawyer in England and Wales with a minimum of ten years post qualification experience. Have a high level of strategic awareness, be driven, forward thinking and able to communicate with high levels of confidence at a senior level across the breadth of internal and external stakeholder groups Have experience advising senior leaders. Have demonstrable leadership skills. Be able to demonstrate experience of building strategic relationships and partnerships with senior principals and stakeholders. Have experience of dealing with contentious and complex matters. Demonstrate experience of working collaboratively and engaging with different people across teams. Excellent written and verbal communications skills Ability to analyse complex information and extract key issues (namely strategic opportunities, threats and risks) for seniors.

Reports To
CTPHQ Deputy Director Strategy (SPP)
Additional Information
CTP Competency and Values Framework (1) (1).pdf - 3929KB Opens in a new window

Disability Confident Statement

The Met is committed to being an equitable (fair and impartial) and inclusive employer for disabled people, striving to have a diverse and representative workforce at all levels. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and long-term conditions, ethnic minority groups and women.



As a Disability Confident employer, the Met has committed to making disability equality part of our everyday practice. We ensure that people with disabilities and those with long term conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations.



The Met is committed to making reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to ensure disabled applicants can perform at their best. If you need any reasonable adjustments or changes to the application and recruitment process, we ask that you include this information within your application form. All matters will be treated in strict confidence.




Please note, if you are applying for a police officer role or to become a police community support officer (PCSO) or designated detention officer (DDO), there is a minimum requirement that you must pass a job-related fitness test (JRFT) at point of entry. This does not apply to police staff roles. Find out more about police fitness standards.



Read our full disability confidence statement.