Lawyer, Central Legal Team – 12 months FTC Maternity Cover

Commencing Monday 1 June 2026     The GOC registers over 34,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, optical business and optical students. We protect the public by promoting high standards of education, conduct and performance among our registrants.     Job purpose    We are looking for a qualified lawyer to:   Provide legal advice and support on all GOC operations, strategic issues and projects; and Manage the preparation of casework concerning (i) illegal optical practice and (ii) hearings before the Registration Appeals Committee (RAC)  as part of the GOC’s Central Legal team, which comprises the Chief Legal Officer, one lawyer and one Administrator (Legal)   Currently, staff mostly work remotely but this role requires some office-based work    KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES   Provide legal advice and support on all organisational operations, strategic issues and projects, including (but not limited to) in relation to the GOC’s core functions of registration, standards/guidance, education and training, and fitness to practise.  Ensure the efficient management of casework concerning illegal optical practice (an average caseload of five cases) and RAC hearings (approximately one or two a year), including the development of case plans, identification of appropriate lines of enquiry, liaison with complainants and other external parties, instruction internal or external lawyers as needed, and preparation of hearing bundles Support colleagues across the organisation in devising and implementing legally compliant policies and processes Support the GOC's learning culture, assisting colleagues’ understanding of legal issues and assisting the personal development of junior staff Ensure the accurate recording and maintenance of management information, including performance data required for reporting to the GOC’s senior management team, the Council and the Professional Standards Authority Work in accordance with applicable KPIs and business plans, managing own workload and prioritising effectively while maintaining quality of output Maintain own skills and knowledge, including as required to maintain professional registration with SRA, BSB or CILEx   ESSENTIAL SKILLS/EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS Qualified solicitor, barrister or legal executive with a practising certificate and at least two years’ post-qualification experience Good understanding of working in a legal or regulatory environment, including conducting legal research, advising on the interpretation and application of regulations, and drafting policy documents Good Microsoft Office skills, including SharePoint, Word, Excel and PowerPoint   CRITICAL COMPETENCIES/BEHAVIOURS Supports the organisation’s commitment to promoting equality, valuing diversity, being inclusive and meeting our equality duties  Can build relationships and work effectively across the organisation, engaging others in achieving compliance with legislation and good regulatory practice Has strong analytical, creative-thinking and problem-solving skills, demonstrating strong technical understanding of legal processes Conveys information (usually complex) accurately and clearly, whether verbally or in writing, ensuring understanding by all parties Makes decisions and recommendations that are sound, well-reasoned and supported by appropriate and relevant information/evidence.   Details    Salary: £60,000 pa   Closing date: 16:00 Friday 15 May 2026    We may close this vacancy earlier than the closing date if we receive a large number of applications.  Interviews: Interviews are on 19 and 21 May 2026 and will last about one hour.     We are committed to ensuring that in exercising all of our functions we operate in a fair and transparent manner and in a way that is free from discrimination, harassment and victimisation.    Within all of our functions, we are committed to promoting equality, valuing diversity, being inclusive, and meeting our equality duties. We will not discriminate on age, disability, gender reassignment, race/ethnicity/nationality, religion/belief, sex/gender, sexual orientation, marriage/civil partnership, or pregnancy/maternity.   How to apply    Please submit:  Your CV (up to two A4 pages) Your covering letter (up to two A4 pages) summarising your suitability for this role and any difficulty attending an interview on 19 or 21 May.   Please note that we will not consider your application unless you submit both a CV and a covering letter as specified above.    REF-(Apply online only)