Senior Lawyer Legal Manager

Job Description

Organisation: UK Sport.
Salary: Grade 6 - £80,000 per annum plus generous benefits.
Location: Loughborough, London or Manchester based, with regular remote working.
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: Sunday 31st May 23:59
Interview Dates: Stage 1 - week commencing 8th June
Stage 2 - week commencing 15th June

Who are UK Sport?

We are the UK’s trusted high-performance experts, powering our greatest athletes, teams, sports and events to achieve positive success. Investing a combination of National Lottery and Government funds, we support our Olympic and Paralympic sports to realise their world-leading potential, and help bring major sporting events to the UK. Our purpose is to lead high-performance sport to enable extraordinary moments that enrich lives.

We are on a mission – to create the greatest decade of extraordinary sporting moments; reaching, inspiring and uniting the nation. That mission is underpinned by three ambitions for UK high-performance sport; to keep winning and win well, to grow a thriving sporting system and to harness those to inspire positive change. Working with the sports and events we fund, DCMS, and our partner organisations across the UK high-performance system, we are building on 25 years of ever-growing success to write the UK’s next chapter for Olympic and Paralympic sport.

About the role

This is a high‑impact opportunity to shape how UK Sport navigates legal risk, protects integrity, and supports confident, well‑informed decision‑making across the organisation.

As a Senior Lawyer, you’ll provide clear, pragmatic legal advice across a wide range of complex and high‑profile matters, from contracts and funding decisions through to integrity, safeguarding and governance. You’ll work closely with colleagues at all levels, acting as a trusted advisor and enabling strong, timely decisions.

You’ll also play a key role in strengthening how legal services are delivered at UK Sport — improving processes, anticipating challenges and driving a more proactive, forward‑thinking approach. Alongside this, you’ll support and develop others in the legal team, using your leadership to elevate the quality and impact of the team’s work.

This is a role for someone who thrives in complexity, enjoys solving challenging problems, and wants to shape how a high‑performance organisation operates with integrity.

Who will I be working with?

You’ll work closely with colleagues across UK Sport at all levels, as well as external partners and stakeholders, building trusted relationships that support effective decision‑making across the organisation.

About you

You’re an experienced legal professional who is comfortable operating in complex, fast‑paced environments. You bring sound judgement, credibility and a practical, solutions‑focused mindset. You’re confident advising on sensitive and high‑profile issues, balancing risk with opportunity, and supporting others to make informed decisions. You build strong relationships, communicate clearly and influence with confidence. You also take a proactive approach, always looking for ways to improve how things are done and strengthen the impact of legal support across the organisation. Just as importantly, you enjoy developing others and contributing to a collaborative, high‑performing team.

What you’ll bring

• Significant experience providing high‑quality legal advice across complex areas
• Strong judgement and confident decision‑making capability
• Ability to act as a trusted advisor, balancing legal risk with practical solutions
• Excellent communication and influencing skills
• A proactive approach to continuous improvement

It’s a bonus if you also have:

• Experience working in a public sector or multi‑stakeholder environment
• Exposure to governance, integrity, safeguarding or regulatory frameworks
• Experience advising on high‑value contracts or funding decisions