Investigations and Advisory Lawyer

Ofsted is looking for an Investigations and Advisory Lawyer to join our Legal Services team.

Ofsted is strengthening its response to unregistered children’s social care through a dedicated Unregistered Social Care (USC) Team. We are seeking a skilled legal professional to provide expert legal advice and support across criminal investigations, policy development, and enforcement activity.

Working closely with the USC Team and Legal Services, you will advise on complex investigations, support case management, assist with warning notices, fines and prosecutions, and help secure positive criminal justice outcomes. You will play a key role in ensuring lawful, effective enforcement action that protects vulnerable children and reduces offending.

Reporting to a Senior Lawyer, you will provide legal advice and support to the USC Team on policy matters and criminal investigations, working collaboratively to deliver effective enforcement outcomes and uphold regulatory compliance.

This is a fantastic opportunity to further your experience in Ofsted’s well-established team. The post holder will work with high-achieving professionals at all levels, surrounded by a friendly and supportive team. They will have access to amazing benefits, such as flexible working hours, the Civil Service Pension Scheme, and 32.5 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays. We offer a hybrid working model, so you may also choose to spend a proportion of time working from home.

Please refer to the job specification for further information.

Qualified Solicitor or Barrister with three years post qualification experience.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application and shortlisting

The selection panel will assess your application/personal statement explaining how you meet the essential and, where applicable, desirable criteria outlined in the job description and person specification.

You will also be asked to provide information within the “Employer/Activity History” section of the application form. This information is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV setting out your career history (this may be used in the sifting process).

Assessment and interview

Candidates who pass the benchmark at the shortlisting stage will be invited to an interview where you will be assessed against a combination of the the Civil Service behaviours and the technical/experience skills set out in section 3 of the job specification.

Assessment and interviews will be held on Tuesday 12 October 2026 and Wednesday 13 October 2026 at 10 South Colonnade, London.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.