Solicitor - Home Ownership

A bit about the role...

Now is a very exciting time to join Homes England and a rare opportunity has arisen to join Homes England’s Home Ownership legal team.

The role will provide the opportunity to act on high-quality work including HM Government’s:

• largest ever Home Ownership Product, Help to Buy Equity Loan, currently valued in excess of £10 billion,
• recently announced Your First Home scheme; and
• Building Remediation Schemes such as the Cladding Safety Scheme.

The role will report to the Head of Legal (Home Ownership) and provide a proactive, professional legal service to Homes England to support its strategic objectives and, in particular, the delivery and administration of Help to Buy: Equity Loan Scheme, other Equity Loan Schemes and Building Remediation Schemes. This position offers a unique opportunity to have a real impact by delivering on HM Government’s premium home ownership and building safety initiatives.

A bit about you…

We are looking for a Solicitor (or FCILEX), who is flexible and motivated, keen to enhance their skills within a National government body. You’ll excel at managing a busy, varied caseload acting within a wide range of Homes England’s Equity Mortgage portfolio and enable and support our Help to Buy programme and join a small friendly team of lawyers.

The role may also suit a candidate looking to make a career move from private practice to a career in a fast paced in-house legal team.

The key skills and knowledge we’re looking for are:

Essential:

• Qualified Solicitor with experience (NQ+ PQE) in either one or more of the following areas:
• Commercial Property (development acquisitions and/or plot disposals);
• Conveyancing - acting on purchases of new build homes involving lenders;
• Consumer Credit Law.

Although the role is advertised for a Senior Solicitor, Fellows of CILEX (FCILEX) with the equivalent PQE will also be considered, albeit in the role of Senior Chartered Legal Executive.

• Current Practising Certificate.
• A good knowledge of residential mortgage lenders’ requirements (such as the UK Finance Lender’s Handbook).
• Experience of acting in respect of residential or commercial property mortgages/charges including acting on behalf of a lender.
• Experience of legal service provision in a secured lending environment.
• Ability to present complex legal issues to senior stakeholders.
• Excellent verbal, written, negotiating, presentation, drafting and communication skills.
• Knowledge of risk management methodologies and experience of identifying, managing and reporting on corporate, functional and compliance risks.
• Able to be a team player and collaborate with other stakeholders, while maintaining independence.
• Able to work collaboratively with clients and internal and external stakeholders.

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)

How to apply?

To apply please follow the links to our careers page.

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Selection process details

For more information on the role, please see the attached Job Description.

Successful applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application and interviews held as soon as practical after the closing date. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in this role and Homes England.

Please note – Homes England has a responsibility to ensure compliance with HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard to address the potential problems of identity fraud, illegal working and deception generally. To ensure compliance we will carry out a pre-employment Personal Identity and Vetting Report through Experian to meet the standard and you will therefore be asked to provide certain information in order that the verification check can be carried out if you are successful in your application.

Homes England are an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer that values and respects the people who work for us. Our aim is to be an employer of choice, enabling everyone to reach their full potential.

Homes England is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal data. For further information please refer to our Privacy Notice which can be viewed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/homes-england/about/personal-information-charter

Nationality requirements

Open to UK, Commonwealth and European Economic Area (EEA) and certain non EEA nationals. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a guaranteed disability confident interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

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