Operational Lawyer Ref. 3470

Flexible Working: This is a full-time role, however applications for flexible working (e.g. compressed hours or part-time at a minimum of 25 hours per week) or a job-share are welcome. Due to the classification and nature of the work, this role will be primarily performed in the office, however limited home working may be possible.

About Us

GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage. At GCHQ you'll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

The Role

We are looking for a qualified lawyer to join our Legal Directorate, where you'll advise on many of the highest profile and most sensitive matters across the organisation. Our various legal teams advise on a wide range of GCHQ's operational activity. This includes intelligence gathering and sharing, data handling, cyber effects, international partnerships, compliance and related litigation. It's fast-paced, unique work, often at the cutting edge of developments in both law and technology.

Dependent on your skills, experience, and preference - as well as the needs of the business - you'll be allocated to one of the following legal teams when you join:

The International team advises on legal issues related to GCHQ's intelligence co-operation with foreign partners and its use of cyber effects. International law is a key focus for this team and their role includes both operational advice and working with Government colleagues to support the UK's position as a responsible cyber actor internationally.

The Operations, Employment & Litigation team advises on matters relating to intelligence-gathering, data and compliance, employment law and litigation. This team focuses on the application of GCHQ's domestic statutory framework for the use and oversight of investigatory powers.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Legal team advises on issues relating to NCSC's operational activity, commercial and regulatory matters. This includes the application of GCHQ's domestic statutory framework for the use of investigatory powers as it applies in the cyber security context.

The teams all advise on issues which can engage multiple additional areas of law including human rights, data, criminal, civil and public law.

Your role as an Operational Lawyer will involve, but is not limited to:

1. Working closely with colleagues in the Legal Directorate, who bring expertise across all areas of law which apply to GCHQ's operations.
2. Supporting colleagues in GCHQ's intelligence and effects missions, delivering user-friendly, risk-based advice.
3. Advising on the application of GCHQ's domestic legal framework as well as consideration of wider issues of domestic and international law.
4. Collaborating with partners across the UK Intelligence Community and the wider national security legal community to support Government foreign policy, security and operational objectives.
5. Potential line management responsibilities in the future (following promotion).

The role can be based in London or Central Manchester. Occasional travel will be required to effectively advise colleagues across our different sites. This will always accommodate business need as well as work-life balance. Infrequent travel overseas may be required.

About You

To be successful, you'll need to be qualified to practice as a solicitor or barrister/advocate in England and Wales. You should also have at least two years' PQE in two or more of the following areas:

1. Investigatory powers law.
2. International law.
3. Human rights law.
4. Criminal law.
5. Public law.

You'll have excellent powers of analysis, use of evidence, and appreciation of legal risk. The ability to think creatively about legal problems and give practical, risk-based advice in a readily accessible way. You'll be a motivated individual, able to pick up new areas of law at speed, prioritise effectively and work well under pressure.

You'll also be confident forging new client relationships as well as building and maintaining relationships with a wide range of people. Knowledge and experience of the UK's national security legal framework and a basic or deeper knowledge of GCHQ's legal framework would be beneficial but is not essential.

Candidates should demonstrate the following Behaviours in the Civil Service Success Profile Framework. The core competencies for this role are:

1. Seeing the big picture
2. Working together
3. Communicating and influencing
4. Continuously developing

You can find further information on Civil Service Behaviours here .

Training and Development

As well as an induction into the organisation, you'll also take part in an induction course put together and run by colleagues in our Legal Directorate. We have an expert skills community dedicated to supporting you and from day one you'll be allocated a buddy and a Line Manager, who'll help you settle in.

We're committed to developing our staff and recognise this will look different for everyone. So, as you build your future with us, you'll be empowered to set your own direction for your career and to explore progression opportunities within the Legal Directorate as well as across the wider organisation.

As part of the Government Legal Profession, we have access to a Legal Information Online Network (LION) which offers Government training packages and contacts together with bespoke training from external legal firms. Plus, you'll also have access to a range of internal and external development opportunities, and a chance to apply for training and briefing opportunities throughout the department both at GCHQ and NCSC.

Rewards and Benefits

You'll receive a starting salary of £75,861 in London or, £69,611 in Central Manchester.

Plus other benefits including:

1. 25 Days Annual Leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service, and an additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays.
2. Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme.
3. Interest-free season ticket loan.
4. Cycle to work scheme.
5. Facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on-site coffee bars (at some locations).
6. Paid parental and adoption leave.

At GCHQ 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 under-represented in our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio-economic backgrounds.

Find out more about our culture, working environment and diversity on our website:

There is a wide range of extra support available throughout the recruitment process to enable you to do your best, see our website for information on the reasonable adjustments we can offer.

We're Disability Confident


GCHQ are proud to have achieved Leader status within the DWP's Disability Confident scheme. This is aimed at encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people. Being Disability Confident, we aim to offer a fair and proportionate number of person-to-person interviews to any candidate who self-identifies as disabled and meets the essential criteria for the role. This is our 'Offer of Interview' (OOI). To secure an interview for this vacancy, the essential criteria (in order of application process) are:

1. Qualified to practice as a solicitor or barrister/ advocate in England and Wales, and have excellent powers of analysis, use of evidence and sound legal judgement and appreciation of legal risk.
2. Must have minimum of 2 years PQE experience in two or more of the following areas - international law; investigatory powers law; human rights law; public law; criminal law; data law.
3. You will also be required to reach the minimum pass mark in the application question covering your suitability for the role. This will be assessed at application stage.

What to Expect

Our recruitment process is fair, transparent, and based on merit. Here is a brief overview of each stage, in order:

1. Application sift, looking at your suitability for the role.
2. Online interview.
3. If successful, you will receive a conditional offer of employment.

Please note, you must successfully pass each stage of the process to progress to the next. Your application may take around 6 - 9 months to process including vetting, so we advise you continue any current employment until you have received your final job offer.

Before You Apply

To work at GCHQ, you need to be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. You can read our full eligibility criteria here .

This role requires the highest security clearance, known as Developed Vetting (DV). It's something everyone in the UK Intelligence Community undertakes . click apply for full job details