General Counsel (Principal Officer)

at  Irish Medical Council

The Medical Council is seeking to recruit a General Counsel (Principal Officer) to join our Executive Leadership team.
Reporting to the Executive Director of Strategy and Business Services the General Counsel will be a skilled and experienced lawyer with highly developed leadership, communication, collaboration, negotiation, and people management skills. The General Counsel leads the Legal team within the Council which has responsibility for the provision of legal advice across the Council’s regulatory functions, in respect of administrative law issues, statutory interpretation, litigation, information governance issues, contractual matters and employment law issues. The General Counsel additionally has responsibility for the Legislative Affairs team within the Council which works with stakeholders in respect of legislative change affecting the Council.
Complaints and investigations and fitness to practise processes are not within the scope of this role, save for the involvement with these areas where there is litigation or Judicial review of specific Complaints & Investigations and Fitness to Practise processes.
As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, will play a key role in modelling and supporting the Executive Leadership Team to build a values-based culture to support our vision and mission to deliver for Doctors/Patients and the Public by placing them at the heart of what we deliver day to day.

• Participate as a member of the Medical Council Executive Leadership Team (ELT), working together to lead, motivate, empower, and develop colleagues across the organisation, helping to cultivate the desired organisational culture and achieve the strategic vision.
• Leading a team providing a broad range of legal advisory and related services to the Executive of the Medical Council and the President/Board of the Medical Council.
• Ensuring the provision of up to date, high quality, and informed legal advice, in a timely manner, to both the Medical Council and the Executive so that the Council’s interests are protected, and the Council adheres to all relevant legislation (at domestic and European levels) in respect of the Council’s statutory remit and otherwise.
• Providing the President and members of the board of the Medical Council, its Committees, CEO & Executive with high quality legal and professional strategic advice on matters related to the Council’s statutory remit, its strategic objectives, and related matters.
• Leading in the development of regulations/legislative amendments and related material pertaining to the Council’s statutory functions/powers etc and contributing to the preparation of draft legislation, as required.
• Representing the Council where legal advice is required with a wide range of external solicitors, Government Departments, external stakeholders, and other regulators with a focus on building and maintaining strong relationships and streamlining legal processes.
• Leading a team providing legal advice and input into a broad range of areas including on the Council’s regulatory functions, administrative/regulatory law, statutory interpretation, corporate governance, litigation, data protection and freedom of information.
• Oversight of engagement and liaison with external legal advisers to formulate queries for legal opinions and interpreting any response(s) for the Executive/members of Council.
• Strategic management of Council’s resources with a particular emphasis on the management of external legal fees to ensure maximum value for money in any external legal services provided.
• Ongoing engagement with internal directorates to review and improve administrative processes and reduce litigation risks.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with key relevant external stakeholders and professional bodies to inform the work of the Medical Council and to contribute to the wider Health landscape.
• Support and encourage a culture of quality assurance, ensuring that systematic review and continuous improvement are integral to processes within this function and across the Medical Council.
• Management and oversight of sectional and strategic risk registers in line with the Medical Councils Risk Framework and associated processes.
• Carrying out duties appropriate to the post and any other tasks as may be assigned from time to time.