Director of Law, Assurance and Insight - West Sussex County Council : Job Details

Shape the future of governance, strategy, and leadership at West Sussex County Council.

Are you a skilled leader with the vision to influence high-level strategic outcomes? Do you possess the expertise to provide legal, constitutional, and strategic guidance that drives excellence? If so, this could be the ideal role for you.

West Sussex County Council is navigating a dynamic period of change. With growing demographic pressures, tighter financial constraints, and the ambition to deliver better outcomes for residents, we are committed to transforming the way we operate. From 'giving children the best start in life’ to fostering 'independence in later life,’ we are driven by a purpose to improve the lives of our communities.

We are seeking a Director of Law, Assurance and Insight to take on a pivotal leadership role, ensuring the Council operates lawfully, effectively, and strategically while championing high performance across the organisation.

The Opportunity

Salary: £125,000 to £135,000 per annum, plus relocation package if eligibleWorking Pattern: Full-time, 37 hours per weekLocation: County Hall, Chichester, with hybrid working opportunities

As Director of Law, Assurance and Insight, you will report directly to the Chief Executive and act as the Council’s Monitoring Officer, ensuring the lawfulness and integrity of the Council’s governance, policies, and operations. You will oversee the development of strategy and policy in collaboration with Cabinet and Senior Management, ensuring alignment with the Council’s priorities.

You will lead corporate and democratic services, providing strategic legal advice, maintaining the Council’s constitutional frameworks, and delivering assurance across all operations. This role is fundamental in promoting transparency, accountability, and excellence across our organisation and its partnerships.

What are we looking for?

We’re seeking an exceptional leader with:

• A proven track record of delivering and leading complex services, including legal and strategic functions.
• Extensive senior leadership experience driving transformation, fostering cultural change, and ensuring high-quality governance.
• Strategic planning skills to translate political priorities into actionable strategies and operational plans.
• Expertise in law, governance, or strategy, with a deep understanding of public sector challenges and opportunities.
• The ability to influence and collaborate with key stakeholders, including elected Members, partners, and senior leaders.

If you’re ready to lead, inspire, and make a difference, we’d love to hear from you. For more information on the key skills and qualifications required, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Join us and be part of a team committed to delivering positive change for our communities.

Working for us

At West Sussex County Council, we value and invest in our people. In addition to playing a key role in shaping the future of our communities, you’ll benefit from:

• an excellent local government pension scheme
• generous holiday entitlement of 31 days (plus opportunity to buy additional leave)
• a range of flexible working options, depending on your job role
• maternity, paternity, dependency and adoption leave
• volunteering opportunities
• training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring
• a range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over £1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform (see our Staff discounts page if you are a business looking to offer a discount)
• health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Voluntary Health Cash Plans