Head of Knowledge

About the Government Legal Department

At Government Legal Department we have a vital, single-minded purpose: to help the Government govern well within the rule of law. This is complemented by our exciting vision to be an outstanding legal organisation, committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism and a brilliant place to work where we can all thrive and fulfill our potential.

Our work touches almost every aspect of public life. We are the largest provider of legal services across government, working on high profile matters.

Our respected professionals are involved in everything from regulation and litigation to advice on drafting legislation. They provide expertise to the full range of government departments. We are at the heart of delivering the governments priorities and our success depends on our people.

GLD is a non-ministerial government department headed by the Treasury Solicitor, our Permanent Secretary, and employs nearly 4000 people, including nearly 3000 legal professionals. We have offices nationwide, in Bristol, Leeds, inner and outer London and Manchester. Our lawyers can also be located within other departments and overseas.

GLD also depends on a range of cross-functional professionals to provide our corporate services. There are nearly 1000 colleagues playing an essential part in helping GLD to achieve its purpose and truly deliver much more than law.

This is an exciting time to join GLD, with cutting edge legal work on global issues and a transformation agenda which is ensuring the Department exemplifies the Modern Civil Service .

To find out more about what we do you can view our introductory film . On our website you can hear from team members, find out how to apply and learn about the benefits of working for GLD. You can also read more about the future vision for GLD in our GLD Strategy 2024 2027 .

About Legal Operations, Knowledge & Innovation Division

The Knowledge and Innovation (K&I) Division sits in the Legal Operations Directorate. K&I equips government lawyers with the relevant Legal knowledge, skills and tools to provide excellent legal service to ministers and officials - our work is core to all our legal work in GLD.

The K&I Division is a multi-disciplinary team, that provides a portfolio of services spanning:

• Knowledge incorporating Library & Information Services, Central Knowledge Development Lawyers (KDLs) and Knowledge Systems
• Knowledge Development
• Legal Learning
• Innovation

Sitting at the heart of the Government Legal Profession, we connect lawyers, support legal communities and facilitate sharing of knowledge and collaboration across government.

We drive innovation to improve legal processes and create new services, including introducing new legal technologies such as artificial intelligence and developing lawyers' capability to maximise the benefits of these technologies.

We support our lawyers professional development at every stage of their careers through an extensive programme of learning opportunities.

Through our commitment to excellence and innovation across all our activities, we help GLD achieve its vision of being "an outstanding legal organisation, committed to the highest standards of service and professionalism".

About the Role

This is a significant role in the K&I Division, which will play a key part in delivering GLDs legal knowledge strategy.

The Head of Knowledge is a pivotal senior role within the K&I Division structure, responsible for the legal knowledge strategy and content. The role reports to the Deputy Director - Head of Knowledge & Innovation, Helen Barker and is part of the senior leadership team led by the Head of Knowledge & Innovation, the other members being the Head of Innovation, Head of Legal Learning, Public Law Senior KDL, and the K&I Central Services Team Manager.

The post holder will work closely with the Head of Knowledge & Innovation and lead the central KDL team, knowledge systems team and the legal information team and must be qualified to practice as a solicitor or barrister.

They will work alongside the legal learning and innovation teams to deliver the knowledge strategy within GLD and the GLP. The post holder will also be able to draw on the guidance and support of our Knowledge Management Director Champion, Nick Fussell.

The successful candidate is expected to deliver the knowledge element of the K&I strategy, delivering new strategic initiatives as well as continuing to drive improvements in the quality and efficiency of our legal knowledge activities across GLD and GLP.

This role will suit an aspiring and strongly motivated candidate with significant experience in a senior knowledge role.

Responsibilities include:

• Directing strategic legal knowledge initiatives designed to support the delivery of legal services of the highest standard by our lawyers for our clients.
• Supporting cross-GLD engagement to ensure our knowledge products and services meet the needs of GLD lawyers.
• Establishing clear priorities, in line with K&I strategy, for the central KDL team, knowledge systems and legal information teams.
• Ensuring the structures are in place for maintaining and developing legal induction, legal professional privilege guidance for LION, along with key K&I owned publications including BEGL and JOYS.
• Line management responsibilities, including setting performance and project objectives for members of the teams. Task management of the Divisions central KDLs.
• Establishing joined up working between the central KDL, knowledge systems and legal information teams and the Division to achieve:
  • Effective communication and reporting of services provided by the teams to the rest of the Division and to governance committees.
  • Efficient processes within the teams and with users of, and contributors to, knowledge services.
  • Regular measurement of progress against objectives and response to user feedback.
• Ensuring that technology systems and processes are in place to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and to enable members of the GLD and relevant government departments to access relevant knowledge and expertise easily.
• Having oversight of the annual business plans and future development of GLDs legal knowledge product, including through knowledge communities and GLD centres of excellence programme.
• Liaising with panel law firms and other external providers and developing knowledge activities to mutual benefit.
• Ensuring that all activities are aligned with GLDs priorities, the GLD and GLP strategies and foster an inclusive and dynamic knowledge sharing culture.
• Representing knowledge services and initiatives to senior management and internal governance bodies.
• Contributing to the assembly of the annual K&I Division budget and on-going monitoring of expenditure in knowledge.
• Keeping up to date with developments in knowledge management and applying them to knowledge initiatives introduced to GLD.

Behaviours

Below are details of the Success Profiles that make up this role. Demonstrating all the behaviours listed below is essential at either application or interview. You can read more about Success Profiles and how they are used as an assessment method before completing your application .

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership (Lead Behaviour)
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Working Together

Key Skills & Experience

Essential - must be demonstrated at application and/or interview

• Strong previous experience in one or more senior knowledge roles in private or public sector.
• Experience of electronic knowledge systems, processes and concept.
• Understanding and application of effective knowledge management concepts.
• Experience of ...