Solicitor - Home Ownership

Job summary

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.

Job description

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.

Person specification

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.

Benefits

Homes England is an executive non-departmental public body with its own terms and conditions, benefits and pension scheme. We are a government agency working in partnership with the private sector and want to employ and retain great people. In return we offer a range of excellent benefits, some of the key benefits include:

Holiday - Homes England offers all staff 33 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 statutory bank holidays.

Working Flexibly - At Homes England we have a strong culture of flexible working and encourage all employees to have a healthy work/life balance. We offer a wide range of potential working patterns, including part time, job share and compressed hours.

Health and Wellbeing - We offer health screening with Nuffield Proactive Health Clinics, a free Employee Assistance Programme which offers confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as well as access to Occupational Health.

Professional Development - At Homes England we are committed to your continued professional and personal development with learning as one of our core values. We pay for one job-related professional membership subscription per year for our employees.

We also offer an excellent range of family friendly benefits, for example, maternity, paternity, shared parental leave.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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 ensu