Head of Authorisation

Head of Authorisation - SQE and Admissions

Location: Birmingham (Hybrid - 2 days in office, 3 days remote)

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 35 hours per week

Sector: Legal Regulation

Salary: £58,000 - £62,000 based on experience

The Opportunity

A nationally recognised legal regulatory body is seeking a dynamic and strategic Head of Authorisation - SQE & Admissions to lead a specialist function responsible for assessing and admitting individuals into the legal profession. This is a senior and high-profile leadership position, overseeing the regulation of entry into legal practice through the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) and related admissions casework.

You will play a vital role in maintaining public confidence in legal services by ensuring decisions are consistent, transparent, and delivered through a customer-centric, outcomes-focused, and risk-based framework. You'll lead a team of around 50 professionals, managing multiple workstreams in a fast-paced, high-volume environment, while driving quality, compliance, innovation, and service excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and deliver a strategic business plan for the SQE & Admissions function, aligned with broader regulatory objectives and values.
• Oversee and continuously improve end-to-end operations for SQE applications and admissions, ensuring regulatory principles are upheld.
• Establish and maintain robust governance, process control, and risk management to ensure operational resilience and compliance.
• Monitor operational data and insights to drive performance, identify emerging risks, and deliver against customer-focused KPIs.
• Lead change initiatives, embedding a culture of continuous improvement and enhancing operational capability and service delivery.
• Promote a high-performing, customer-focused culture through effective leadership, coaching, and development of team leaders and operational staff.
• Ensure high standards of technical decision-making and quality assurance through collaboration with technical advisors and quality leads.
• Foster collaborative relationships with key internal stakeholders to ensure regulatory consistency and informed decision-making.
• Represent the function externally, building strong relationships with major applicants, law firms, and stakeholders to enhance understanding and improve the application process.
• Manage financial and operational resources effectively, including capacity planning, budget oversight, and workforce planning.
• Oversee and manage supplier relationships related to operational delivery.
• Champion organisational values and promote inclusive, transparent, and ethical leadership across the function.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong technical background in a legal, regulatory, or related professional services environment.
• Proven leadership experience in managing high-performing operational teams and delivering complex services at scale.
• Demonstrated success in leading business change, process improvement, or transformation projects.
• Excellent ability to interpret data and make informed, evidence-based decisions.
• Resilient, adaptable, and confident in leading teams through ambiguity and evolving priorities.
• Skilled communicator and influencer, with the ability to engage senior internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent understanding of regulatory principles, risk management, and customer service standards.
• Experience managing to KPIs, delivering high-quality services, and maintaining operational compliance.
• Strong budget management and resource planning capabilities.

Desirable Attributes

• Familiarity with the legal services sector or legal regulation.
• Knowledge of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) framework and related pathways to legal practice.
• Experience using project management methodologies.
• Background in customer complaints or service escalation handling.
• Understanding of digital systems and data used in operational legal or regulatory functions.

Additional Information

• This is a full-time role based on a hybrid working model: 2 days per week in the Birmingham office, with the remainder remote. Paying £58,000 to £62,000 based on experience. Benefits include 25 days holiday (increasing with service), pension up to 12.25%, life assurance, rewards hub and other benefits.
• If you are interested, please do not hesitate to apply.

Morgan Hunt is a multi-award-winning recruitment business for interim, contract and temporary recruitment and acts as an Employment Agency in relation to permanent vacancies. Morgan Hunt is an equal opportunities employer. Job suitability is assessed on merit in accordance with the individual's skills, qualifications and abilities to perform the relevant duties required in a particular role.