Head of Litigation and Investigation Strategy and Response for Cyber-Attack Investigation and Litigation Team - Legal Aid Agency

About this role

This vacancy is only available to existing Civil Servant employees and employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs). Please review the "Eligibility" section before you apply.

General Information

Working Pattern

Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Flexible Working

Vacancy Approach

Cross Government

Region

East Midlands, East of England, Greater Manchester, London, North East, North West, South East, South West, Wales, West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber

Post Type

Permanent

Civil Service Grade

Number of jobs available

2

Reserve List

12 Months

Job ID

20990

Descriptions & requirements

Job description

Job Title & Grade: Head of Litigation and Investigation Strategy and Response, Grade 6

National - £71,381 to £80,419

London - £75,674 to £85,257

Please note that unless you are currently employed by the Civil Service and are earning more than the minimum above, if successful you will be offered the minimum for the grade depending on your location.

Please note that whilst this role is open to all Civil Service staff, you can only apply for London, Cambridge and Brighton offices if you are a current LAA staff member based in those offices. This is due to and in line with the LAA's Location Strategy and the Cabinet Office's Places for Growth Strategy.

Important information for candidates choosing the Liverpool office

If you are successful and choose to be based in our Liverpool office, you will be required to complete Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) clearance in addition to our standard pre-employment checks.

To obtain CTC clearance, you must meet the current National Security Vetting residency requirements. Under Central Government policy, applicants must normally have been resident in the UK for the last 3 years to be eligible for this level of clearance.

Please consider this requirement carefully when applying if Liverpool is your preferred location.

Minimum Working Pattern

If you are applying for a part time role, please note that to meet business demands we need cover for a minimum of 30 hours and to cover 4 days of the week

To meet legal requirements, if you are between the ages 16-18 and you are a successful candidate, you will be required to complete an apprenticeship after your initial on the job training.

Security and Eligibility

This role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance. Postholders may be required to undertake Security Clearance (SC) when in post.

The Legal Aid Agency

We are an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). We are responsible for operationally administering the legal aid fund to provide criminal and civil legal aid advice to people in England and Wales.

Our people are at the heart of achieving excellence. Employing around 1,200 colleagues across England and Wales, we feel proud to have some of the best People Survey results in the Civil Service.

Cyber-Attack Investigation and Litigation Team

The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is leading the Ministry of Justice's response to the legal and regulatory consequences of the significant cyber-attack experienced in 2025. The incident presents one of the most complex operational, legal and reputational challenges faced by the department, requiring coordinated leadership across litigation, regulatory investigation, operational delivery and strategic governance.

Job Summary

We are seeking two exceptional Grade 6 leaders to act as Heads of Litigation Investigation Strategy and Response. Operating through a joint leadership model, postholders will collectively provide strategic leadership of the Government's response whilst individually leading defined portfolios across litigation, regulatory engagement, evidence and data, governance, and programme delivery.

The postholders will shape and deliver the department's litigation and investigation strategy, ensuring responses are legally robust, evidence-based, operationally deliverable and aligned with wider departmental objectives. Working in an environment of significant public, parliamentary and media scrutiny, they will exercise sound judgement in balancing legal, operational, financial and reputational risks while providing authoritative advice to senior leaders.

This is a rare opportunity to lead one of the most significant cross-government responses affecting the justice system, protecting vulnerable service users whilst helping strengthen future organisational resilience.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for the Ministry of Justice's response to litigation and regulatory investigations arising from the cyber-attack.
• Jointly develop and deliver a cont litigation and investigation strategy, ensuring alignment across legal, operational, regulatory and communications activity.
• Set strategic direction for the programme, adapting rapidly to changing evidence, legal advice, operational requirements and emerging risks.
• Provide authoritative advice to senior leaders on complex, novel and high-risk issues with significant legal, financial and reputational implications.

Litigation and Regulatory Strategy

• Lead development of litigation strategy covering individual and group claims, working ly with Government Legal Department and external legal advisers from pre-action through to resolution.
• Lead strategic engagement with the Information Commissioner's Office, shaping regulatory response, evidence submissions, settlement considerations and investigation strategy.
• Ensure litigation, regulatory activity and wider organisational responses remain aligned and mutually reinforcing.
• Oversee external legal services contracts, ensuring high-quality delivery, effective contract management, value for money and appropriate governance of public expenditure.

Evidence, Data and Strategic Narrative

• Establish and maintain a single authoritative evidence base supporting litigation, investigations and organisational decision-making.
• Oversee development and quality assurance of complex datasets to support claimant identification, risk assessment and litigation strategy.
• Lead development of a cont strategic narrative that integrates operational response, recovery activity, investigations and assurance work into a consistent evidence base.
• Ensure secure and proportionate handling of highly sensitive information, balancing operational effectiveness with legal and security requirements.

Governance, Risk and Assurance

• Establish governance arrangements that support timely, evidence-based decision making across the programme.
• Lead strategic assessment and management of litigation, regulatory, operational, financial and reputational risks.
• Provide senior leaders with clear options, recommendations and assurance to support informed decision-making.
• Maintain oversight of financial exposure, litigation costs and value for money across the programme.

Leadership and Cross-Government Collaboration

• Lead complex multidisciplinary teams drawn from legal, operational, analytical, policy, technical and communications functions, delivering through influence as well as direct line management.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships across the Ministry of Justice, wider government, law enforcement, regulators and external organisations.
• Represent the programme at senior cross-government meetings, ensuring effective collaboration and sharing of learning from major cyber incidents.
• Work ly with the National Crime Agency and other investigative bodies, coordinating departmental engagement and evidential requirements.

Stakeholder Management and Communications

• Lead production of high-quality submissions, ministerial briefings, Parliamentary material, Select Committee evidence, correspondence and responses to statutory requests.
• Build trusted relationships with Ministers, senior officials, regulators and external partners, providing clear and authoritative advice.

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