Birmingham launches recruitment for "most important top team ever", including director of legal

Birmingham City Council is offering the highest recorded salary for an in-house local government lawyer as it seeks a new team of directors to steer the authority out of its financial predicament.

The Director of Legal & Monitoring Officer role's advertised salary of between £131,200 - £169,980 per annum is the highest recorded by Local Government Lawyer’s recruitment board PublicLawJobs.co.uk, putting the successful candidate on near par with the Prime Minister, who earns around £172,000 a year.

The beleaguered council is also hiring four other positions on the executive team, which lead commissioner Max Caller described as "probably the most important top team that a local authority has ever recruited".

Birmingham's job advert describes the Director of Legal role as an "unrivalled career challenge and opportunity".

It adds: "We have laid the foundations to be a 21st Century Council, with 21st Century Officers and Councillors, and as our Director of Legal & Monitoring Officer you will build on these by strengthening our large (130+) legal team to support the vast array of services and ambitions of the council and inspire the transformation of our governance and services.

"At the heart of our leadership team, deputising for the Executive Director, and leading our legal, governance and democratic services; this is a rare opportunity, the kind that makes careers."

Birmingham is also currently recruiting for its Executive Director of Finance (S151), Executive Director of Adult, Social Care and Health, Executive Director of Place, Prosperity and Sustainability, and Executive Director of Corporate Services.

Caller, who was called into the council after it declared effective bankruptcy last year, said the new executive team would "need to work together to break down entrenched silos, put the right structures and governance in place, and deliver a modern, effective Council that can deliver resident focussed services whilst living within its means".

"Birmingham needs a Council that should be able to do things that no other council can do and being part of this is the top local government challenge," he added.

The Director of Legal position closes to applications on 31 October 2024.

Adam Carey