Assistant Director of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer, London Borough of Havering

Romford | Contract: Permanent | Grade: 14 | Salary: £105,126 - £114,822 pa

About the Role

As Assistant Director of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer, you will act as the Council’s principal legal adviser and statutory guardian of lawful and ethical governance. You will lead high-performing teams across legal, governance and electoral services, champion compliance and transparency, and ensure the Council operates within a strong constitutional and legal framework. Reporting to the Strategic Director of Resources, and to the Chief Executive in your capacity as Monitoring Officer, you will play a key role in driving excellence across the organisation.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for a visionary and experienced senior leader with:

Proven experience in strategic legal leadership and governance in a complex public sector or regulated environment
Deep understanding of local government law, governance frameworks and electoral legislation
Ability to provide authoritative legal advice to senior leadership and elected members
Strong leadership skills and the ability to inspire, influence and lead multidisciplinary professional teams
Excellent communication, analytical and stakeholder engagement skills

Key Responsibilities

Provide high-level legal advice and ensure legal compliance across all Council functions
Fulfil the statutory role of Monitoring Officer, safeguarding legal and ethical decision-making
Lead the Committee Services function, ensuring transparent and effective governance processes
Oversee electoral services, including election delivery and electoral registration
Support the development and review of the Council’s constitution and governance arrangements
Build strong partnerships with elected members, senior management, external partners and regulators

Why Havering?

Working for Havering means being part of a forward-thinking council that values integrity, innovation and public service. We offer:

A supportive and inclusive working environment guided by our ICARE values
Local Government Pension Scheme
Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working
Generous annual leave with options to buy additional days
Continuous professional development opportunities
Health, wellbeing and employee support benefits

We’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from candidates who reflect the communities we serve.

How to Apply
For more information about the position, please click Job Pack

Please attach your CV and supporting statement, explaining in no more than x2 A4 sides why and how you meet the criteria for this role.

Closing Date: Monday 27^th April 2026, midnight (we may close the vacancy early due to high interest). For recruitment enquiries regarding the role please email Talent@havering.gov.uk quoting REF 3866 Assistant Director of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer, in the subject line

The hiring manager will be holding informal discussions about the post, please contact Kathy Freeman, Strategic Director of Resources, Kathy.Freeman@havering.gov.uk

We practice anonymised recruitment. Please ensure that you remove all personal information from any documents that you upload.

Additional Information
Due to the senior and statutory nature of the role, the recruitment process will include multiple assessment stages, including a face-to-face interview with elected Members.

We want everyone to choose Havering. When you apply for a job with us, your application is considered on its merits regardless of your age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation. Our residents and service users come from all walks of life, and so do our employees. Find out what it means to Choose Havering.

The London Borough of Havering has important responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. If you are appointed to a job that involves working with these groups, you may be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Havering is a Disability Confident employer – candidates with a disability who meet the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview

Internal candidates and redeployees will be given priority consideration