Deputy Chief Legal Officer (Deputy Monitoring Officer)

We’re looking for an exceptional Deputy Chief Legal Officer to help shape the future of our council - providing strategic legal leadership, supporting democratic decision-making, and helping us deliver the best outcomes for our communities. This is a senior role with real influence, real challenge, and real opportunity to make a difference.

Linda Jones, Chief Legal and Monitoring Officer

This is a pivotal and exciting time to join us as Deputy Monitoring Officer.

Good governance is the foundation on which an effective council is built. It is the thread that runs through our decisions, our relationships, and our accountability to the people we serve. As one of England’s newest unitary authorities, Westmorland & Furness has achieved a great deal since vesting day - but we are now entering a new and exciting phase. With our foundations stable, our focus is shifting decisively from stabilising post reorganisation to an ambitious transformation plan that will define our future.

Our new Transformation Plan sets out a clear path for how we will modernise, simplify and strengthen the organisation over the coming years, creating a council that is community focused, digitally enabled and financially sustainable. Governance sits at the heart of this journey. It shapes how we make decisions, how we work with partners, how we support our elected members, and how we ensure the council is safe, transparent and effective in everything it does.

This is a pivotal and exciting time to join us as Deputy Monitoring Officer. Working closely with me and with our Chief Legal & Monitoring Officer, you will play a central role in supporting our leadership team, shaping modern governance arrangements, and helping guide an organisation that is ambitious for its future and for the communities it serves.

If you share my belief that strong governance is not simply a requirement but can be a catalyst for change, transformation and public confidence, then please do consider this role with us.

Miranda Cannon | Chief Executive

If you are looking for a role where you can make a real impact, this is it.

Salary: £81,049 to £83,933 with an additional market supplement of £10,000.
Hours: 37 hours per week (part-time hours considered)
Contract: Permanent

Westmorland & Furness is one of England's newest unitary authorities, covering a stunning geography from Barrow-in-Furness to Penrith, taking in Kendal and the surrounding Lake District communities. With a new Chief Executive in post and a clear mandate to modernise the organisation, strengthen governance and deliver a major transformation programme, there is real energy and ambition across the council.

The Deputy Chief Legal Officer (Deputy Monitoring Officer) is a broad and high-profile role, working alongside the Chief Legal & Monitoring Officer to lead across Democratic Services, Elections, Member Support, Information Governance and Constitutional leadership. You will regularly deputise for the Monitoring Officer, providing authoritative advice to elected members and senior officers on governance, standards, conduct and decision-making.

With joint mayoral elections and all-out local elections scheduled for 2027, there is important work to do in preparing the council's democratic processes, governance arrangements and member support. The council is also undertaking a significant transformation programme, and governance sits at the centre of ensuring it can deliver change safely and lawfully. This is a genuine ownership moment for someone ready to put their stamp on how law and governance work across a new and ambitious council.

If you are looking for a role where you can make a real impact, this is it. You will have the chance to establish yourself as a key leader at a formative point in the authority's development. For the right person, this is a superb opportunity.

As the Council operates a hybrid working model, the successful candidate will have the flexibility to work from home or from one of our offices. We promote an agile working culture that supports both high performance and employee wellbeing.

Closing date for applications: 17th May 2026

For more information about the role, please view the below attachment.

Deputy Chief Legal Officer Post Specification

Hear more from Linda about the role...

Our benefits

We are a caring council. We are dedicated to supporting your health and wellbeing while you are working for us. We have a variety of fantastic benefits that ensure you can achieve a healthy work-life balance.

If you want to find out more about our benefits and working for Westmorland and Furness, please visit the link below.

Find out more

How to apply

Our approach to recruitment

Thank you for your interest in joining Westmorland and Furness Council. We are committed to building a diverse and skilled workforce that reflects the character of our community.

We believe in treating all applicants fairly and without bias. Our recruitment process is designed to be open, inclusive, and supportive, ensuring that you feel valued and able to demonstrate your strengths. We aim to make the process as transparent and equitable as possible for everyone.

For more information, please visit Working with us | Careers.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

Safer recruitment

At Westmorland and Furness Council we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all employees, volunteers and workers to share this commitment.

To apply

To register your details and to apply, please visit: Deputy Chief Legal and Monitoring Officer

If you would like an informal conversation about this role, please contact Tim Farr from Starfish Search at Tim.Farr@starfishsearch.com.

Closing date for applications: 17th May 2026

Technical interviews: 27th May 2026

Final interviews: 12th June 2026