Law Centre Chief Executive
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
Law Centre Chief Executive
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time, 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday, with flexibility required
Location: Castlemilk Drive, Glasgow, G45, Hybrid
Salary: To be negotiated
Start Date: 1st October 2026
Our client is looking for someone to lead a small group of solicitors and administrative staff in the day-to-day running of their law centre.
This centre is a community controlled legal resource and uses the law to address poverty and disadvantage. It acts for clients in hundreds of cases at court and tribunal.
You will be accountable to and report directly to the Law Centre's board of management.
Main Role Responsibilities include:
Practice management: Ensuring that the Law Centre operates effectively and meets all its obligations and responsibilities as a charity and leading the legal practice which undertakes the casework.
Finances: Raising sufficient funds for Law Centre purposes, monitoring day-to-day finances and ensuring that the Law Centre is financially viable
Cases and projects: Developing projects which meet the law centre's aims and objectives, and managing casework within the projects
Day-to-day management: Organising and overseeing all relevant managerial tasks
Liaising with other voluntary sector agencies: Communicating and interacting with all relevant voluntary sector agencies in the locality including other Law Centres, advice agencies and community groups.
Working with statutory bodies and institutions: Maintaining contact with government departments at a local and national level, and working with other agencies such as the Scottish Legal Aid Board
Solicitor preferred and job-share considered
Person Specification
- Qualified Solicitor preferred
- Strong knowledge and experience of law centre work and access to justice services
- Demonstrated ability to lead, manage, and motivate a team
- Confident decision-maker with sound leadership and organisational skills
- Good financial acumen, including budgeting and resource management
- Experience of fundraising, including grants, bids, or income generation
- Understanding of financial sustainability within the third/charity sector
- Clear commitment to anti-poverty work and social justice
- Experience working within the third sector or non-profit organisations
- Awareness of governance, compliance, and stakeholders
Closing date: Thursday 4th June 2026.
Interested?
To find out more information, please click the apply button. You will be taken to a simple CHM Recruit form and then redirected to complete your application for this position.
This employer is committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where diversity is valued and everyone is treated with dignity and respect. They actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly those who are underrepresented in the legal and third sectors. They believe that diverse perspectives strengthen their work and improve the services they provide to the community.
No agencies please
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Highlight your qualified solicitor status prominently as this is the preferred qualification for leading the legal practice
📊 Quantify your fundraising achievements: 'Secured £180k in grants across 8 funding streams, ensuring 18-month operational sustainability'
🌐 Emphasise your law centre or access to justice experience as the role requires strong knowledge of this specialist sector
🎯 Demonstrate your anti-poverty work commitment with concrete examples of community impact and social justice outcomes
🤝 Showcase your third sector leadership experience, particularly managing small teams of legal and administrative professionals
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Led 8-person legal team delivering 340 cases annually across housing, welfare benefits and immigration, achieving 89% successful outcomes at tribunal
- •Secured £240k in grant funding from 6 sources including Scottish Legal Aid Board, ensuring 24-month operational sustainability for community legal services
- •Implemented practice management system reducing case processing time by 35% while maintaining compliance with charity governance requirements
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Letter preview — tailored to The Guardian
Dear Hiring Manager,
The Guardian's Law Centre Chief Executive position represents exactly the kind of impactful leadership role I have been seeking to advance social justice through legal services. My background in charity management and fundraising, combined with my commitment to anti-poverty work, aligns perfectly with your centre's mission to address disadvantage through community-controlled legal resources.
My background in third sector leadership has equipped me with the financial acumen and team management skills essential for overseeing both the day-to-day operations and strategic development of legal services that make a real difference to Glasgow's most vulnerable communities.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How would you ensure compliance with Scottish Legal Aid Board requirements while managing casework?
- ›What strategies would you use to develop sustainable funding streams for a community law centre?
- ›How do you approach practice management in a charity context with limited resources?
- ›What experience do you have with charity governance and board reporting?
- ›How would you manage the balance between casework delivery and strategic fundraising responsibilities?
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time when you had to make a difficult decision that affected your team's workload
- ›Describe a situation where you successfully secured funding for a community project
- ›Give an example of how you've motivated a small team during challenging circumstances
- ›Tell me about a time when you had to work with multiple stakeholders with competing interests
- ›Describe how you've demonstrated your commitment to social justice in your previous roles
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time when you successfully secured funding for a community project
Describe how you've motivated a small team during challenging circumstances