Employment Lawyer, British Intelligence Agencies
GCHQ
£66.6k
Plus £3,030 concessionary payment
More information about location
4-5 days a week in office (Role available in Manchester or Cheltenham)
UK's domestic and foreign intelligence services
Open for applications
UK's domestic and foreign intelligence services
1001+ employees
Open for applications
£66.6k
Plus £3,030 concessionary payment
More information about location
4-5 days a week in office (Role available in Manchester or Cheltenham)
1001+ employees
Company mission
MI5, MI6 and GCHQ work together to protect the UK from a range of national security and overseas threats, keeping citizens safe.
Role
Who you are
- You’ll need to be a qualified solicitor or barrister/advocate in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland with at least three years’ post-qualification experience in employment law. You’ll bring excellent legal judgement, strong analytical skills and the ability to provide clear, practical advice in a fast-paced, high impact environment
- With experience of managing a varied employment law workload, you’ll be confident working under pressure to meet tight deadlines. Proactive and motivated with the ability to pick up new areas of law quickly, you’ll combine technical expertise with creativity, offering risk-based solutions that balance legal requirements with operational needs
- You’ll work closely with HR and Security teams, as well as lawyers from other agencies, so strong communication skills and the ability to build relationships across disciplines are essential. You’ll be comfortable explaining complex legal concepts in a clear, accessible way to non-specialist audiences
What the job involves
- As an Employment Lawyer within GCHQ’s Legal Directorate, you’ll provide expert advice on employment law in a fast-paced and highly sensitive environment. Working at the heart of national security, you’ll help shape decisions that impact our people and our mission, managing a varied workload that spans casework, policy and litigation
- Joining a small, collaborative team based in Cheltenham or Manchester, you’ll work closely with HR and Security colleagues, as well as lawyers from the other intelligence agencies, to deliver clear, well-considered advice on complex employment issues. From handling litigation to advising on security-related matters, your work will be intellectually challenging and often time-critical, requiring precision and adaptability
- You’ll develop your expertise through exposure to diverse legal work and structured training opportunities, taking on more complex matters as your experience grows. While much of your role will be office-based, you’ll collaborate across locations and disciplines, contributing to cross-agency projects and helping embed best practice across the organisation
- Whether you’re drafting detailed advice, supporting investigations, delivering training or shaping policy, you’ll play a vital role in ensuring our employment practices remain robust, fair and aligned with national security priorities. This is a role that offers opportunities for professional growth and progression within a supportive, experienced and collaborative team
Our take
The British Intelligence Agencies - GCHQ, MI5 and MI6 play crucial roles in protecting the nation from a range of security threats. By focusing on counterterrorism, espionage, and cyber threats, the unified force works to safeguard the public and support law enforcement agencies. Its work, largely behind the scenes, is pivotal in ensuring national security.
With origins dating back to the 19th century, each of the British Intelligence Agencies plays a specific role within the security services. GCHQ focuses on signal intelligence gathering and information assurance, MI5 on counterterrorism and national security, whilst MI6 is focused on foreign intelligence and overseas security. This evolution into three specific organisations reflects the agency's ability to stay ahead of emerging security challenges, adjusting its strategy and operations as needed.
As technology and global threats change, the British Intelligence Agencies' approaches continue to evolve, ensuring the UK's security remains a top priority. With its deep expertise and ongoing adaptation, they are major key players in protecting national and international interests, whilst responding to complex security dynamics.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Company
Company benefits
- Merit awards – we have a merit award system to recognise exceptional contributions by individuals or team
- Flexible working – opportunities to work part-time, compressed hours or as a job share are available, dependent on the role and business needs
- Pension – we understand the importance of saving for retirement and offer a desirable pension scheme, which gives you a guaranteed pension based on career average earnings
- Annual leave – our employees are entitled to 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days after five years’ service. In addition to this, employees are entitled to public and privilege holidays. Part-time employees receive the same entitlement calculated on a pro-rata basis
- Maternity and paternity leave – we offer maternity and paternity leave over and above the statutory entitlements
- Voluntary service leave – we offer special leave for our employees who wish to undertake voluntary work
- Rented accommodation loan – moving house to take up an offer of employment can be expensive. We offer new joiners the opportunity to take out an interest-free loan of up to £2,500, via our benevolent fund, to assist with the financial burden of relocating into privately rented accommodation. You will be sent an application for the loan at the point of receiving a final offer of employment
- Season ticket loan – we recognise that travel expenses from your home to the office can be significant, so we offer an interest-free season ticket loan which can be used for travel, car park costs or the purchase of a bicycle
- On-site facilities – there is a gym, restaurant, and coffee bar at some locations
- Clubs and societies – we offer a range of sports clubs, fitness classes, societies, and language training facilities
- Childcare Vouchers – we offer two childcare voucher schemes which provide a simple and cost-effective way for employees to receive help towards the cost of childcare
- Eye Voucher Scheme – we offer eye care vouchers and a financial contribution towards prescription glasses
- Physiotherapy – we offer subsidised in-house physiotherapy
- Personal learning – all our staff can undertake professional development to improve their skills and performance in the workplace
Company HQ
Cheltenham, UK
Leadership
Ken McCallum
(Director General)An MI5 Officer with over 25 years of experience in national security and intelligence. Their career has spanned roles in counterterrorism, cyber security, and leading MI5's strategic response to major incidents. They were appointed Director General in 2020 and previously served as Deputy Director General and Director General of Strategy.
Sir Richard Moore KCMG
(Chief)They became the Head of MI6 in October 2020, after serving as Director General in the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office. WIth a career starting in 1987, they have held various roles in MI6 and was also Ambassador to Turkey and Deputy National Security Advisor.
Anne Keast-Butler
(Director)Became the first female Director of GCHQ in May 2023. Previously served as Deputy Director General at MI5, where they led operational and investigative work, including responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. With over 30 years in national security, they have held key roles in MI5, GCHQ, and Whitehall, including launching the National Security Programme.
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at British Intelligence Agencies
- At the Intelligence Agencies, diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking, and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are underrepresented in our workforce, such as women, those from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and those from low socio-economic backgrounds. Find out more about our culture, working environment, and diversity on our website: https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/life-at-gchq/diversity-inclusion.html
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