Legal Adviser
| Posting date: | 25 September 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £64,300 to £70,730 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 25 October 2025 |
| Location: | London, UK |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 2 days per week |
| Company: | Government Recruitment |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 429013 |
Summary
The Post
The successful candidate will provide legal advice to the IPC, JCs, CEO, inspectors, policy officials and authorising officers. The postholder will lead on communications data matters, working closely with JCs, authorising officers and inspectors, but will also be expected to develop a good understanding of the full range of work that comes through the office and advise JCs on any application for investigatory powers. Communications data concerns the ‘who’, ‘where’, ‘when’ and ‘how’ of a communication, but not its content – it is often referred to as ‘metadata’. It is an extremely important investigatory power that features in most law enforcement investigations.
The postholder will report to the Head of Legal, who works from London. The postholder will need regular access to secure office-based systems and so will need to be based in London. The postholder will be required to undertake occasional travel throughout the UK to support colleagues on inspections or in meetings with stakeholders and public authority representatives. More frequent travel will also be necessary to IPCO’s Birmingham and Manchester offices, where IPCO’s communications data authorising officers are based. There may also be the occasional opportunity for international travel to represent IPCO at conferences and meetings with international counterparts.
Although communications data is a technically complex area, no prior knowledge of communications data is expected or required; full training and on-the-job support will be given. However, you will need to be sufficiently experienced in practicing public law to advise and maintain the confidence of the Judicial Commissioners (all of whom are retired senior judges), inspectors and authorising officers. You will need to be able to challenge senior decision makers in public authorities, as well as wider stakeholder groups on contentious matters or where there is significant internal or external disagreement.
You must have excellent written and oral communication skills and demonstrate an ability to communicate key messages clearly and succinctly to a variety of audiences.
You will need excellent interpersonal skills and be able to work with high levels of tact, diplomacy and political awareness. You will need to be able to work collaboratively across IPCO’s various teams and build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues and counterparts at all levels.
You must be able to respect sensitive information, confidentiality and privacy.
The post does not have line management responsibilities.
We are committed to flexible working but there will be a requirement to attend the office regularly (at least three days a week, depending upon business need) to access classified information in a secure environment. Whilst some home working will be possible, this role might not be suitable for all flexible working options. We are happy to discuss possible arrangements with potential candidates.
The role is only available on a full-time basis, due to business needs. It is your responsibility to ensure that full time working is suitable for you before accepting the offer.
Applications are welcome on lateral transfer at Grade 7 (or departmental equivalent) or on promotion.
The successful candidate will provide legal advice to the IPC, JCs, CEO, inspectors, policy officials and authorising officers. The postholder will lead on communications data matters, working closely with JCs, authorising officers and inspectors, but will also be expected to develop a good understanding of the full range of work that comes through the office and advise JCs on any application for investigatory powers. Communications data concerns the ‘who’, ‘where’, ‘when’ and ‘how’ of a communication, but not its content – it is often referred to as ‘metadata’. It is an extremely important investigatory power that features in most law enforcement investigations.
The postholder will report to the Head of Legal, who works from London. The postholder will need regular access to secure office-based systems and so will need to be based in London. The postholder will be required to undertake occasional travel throughout the UK to support colleagues on inspections or in meetings with stakeholders and public authority representatives. More frequent travel will also be necessary to IPCO’s Birmingham and Manchester offices, where IPCO’s communications data authorising officers are based. There may also be the occasional opportunity for international travel to represent IPCO at conferences and meetings with international counterparts.
Although communications data is a technically complex area, no prior knowledge of communications data is expected or required; full training and on-the-job support will be given. However, you will need to be sufficiently experienced in practicing public law to advise and maintain the confidence of the Judicial Commissioners (all of whom are retired senior judges), inspectors and authorising officers. You will need to be able to challenge senior decision makers in public authorities, as well as wider stakeholder groups on contentious matters or where there is significant internal or external disagreement.
You must have excellent written and oral communication skills and demonstrate an ability to communicate key messages clearly and succinctly to a variety of audiences.
You will need excellent interpersonal skills and be able to work with high levels of tact, diplomacy and political awareness. You will need to be able to work collaboratively across IPCO’s various teams and build and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues and counterparts at all levels.
You must be able to respect sensitive information, confidentiality and privacy.
The post does not have line management responsibilities.
We are committed to flexible working but there will be a requirement to attend the office regularly (at least three days a week, depending upon business need) to access classified information in a secure environment. Whilst some home working will be possible, this role might not be suitable for all flexible working options. We are happy to discuss possible arrangements with potential candidates.
The role is only available on a full-time basis, due to business needs. It is your responsibility to ensure that full time working is suitable for you before accepting the offer.
Applications are welcome on lateral transfer at Grade 7 (or departmental equivalent) or on promotion.