Legal Director - National Office

GMB is a growing trade union representing more than 500,000 workers across both public and private sector employers in Great Britain and Ireland, and is known as ‘Britain’s General Union’. Today, 1 in every 32 people at work in Britain is a member of the GMB and we are organised in 34 of the top 50 biggest companies in the country.

In 2015, together with the CWU (Communication Workers’ Union) we launched our own legal firm, UnionLine, with the aim of offering a first-class service and first line support to our members for any legal need: from employment issues to personal injury claims.

We’re looking to expand and develop the business strategy and output of not just UnionLine, but also GMB, over the next 10 years. We are looking for a competent, credible and industrially-minded legal expert to join us on this journey.

We’re looking for a determined and engaged person with proven leadership skills to help deliver the business strategy and change agenda of both the union and UnionLine. We need someone who will be competent and confident in advising or challenging senior colleagues, providing sound legal advice and guidance as part of the union’s senior management team.

The postholder will be responsible for developing the national legal strategy, as well as working closely with both the General Secretary and wider senior management team in the development of national campaigning strategy. You’ll manage a small but high-achieving and professional team within GMB, overseeing and leading them in all national legal actions for the union, including managing risk and costs associated with litigation. You’ll guide and advise the press and communications of both the union and UnionLine to ensure the public image of both entities is maintained in line with our core branding and values. You’ll bear overall responsibility for the smooth and efficient running of UnionLine, including all aspects of people and business management and development.

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You’ll be a qualified lawyer, able to practice law in both England and Wales. You’ll possess a proven track record of practising industrial and employment relations law, as well as being able to demonstrate good legal case and law firm management experience. You’ll also have extensive prior experience of public policy strategy development, together with both an understanding of and experience in business development and people management. You’ll play an integral part of our growth plan, so it’s imperative you have the ability to build and develop solid working relationships with a diverse range of people, from government ministers, to union officials, to our membership.

This is an extremely varied but highly rewarding role, and a commitment to putting the needs of working people first is absolutely essential.

In return, we offer excellent terms and benefits, including:

• Final salary pension scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Season ticket loan
• Cycle to work scheme
• Generous holiday allowance

If you think this sounds like you, and you’d like to know more about either the role or us as an organisation and what we can offer you, we’d like to hear from you.

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