Job summary
This is a pivotal point to be joining our Employment Legal Service as we establish an in-house team under the direction of our existing Associate Director of Employment Legal Services. Joining the team at its formation, you will genuinely get to shape the way the service supports the strategic objectives and cultural transformations of the Trust through pro-active and peoplecentred legal support to people solutions.
Sitting within our People Directorate and working closely with our Chief People Officer, you will be exposed to a genuinely varied caseload, working alongside experienced colleagues committed to doing things right and well. You will have real scope to help embed a professional, forwardlooking function, and to grow with it.
You will support the management of employment claims, complex workplace investigations and a range of contentious and noncontentious matters, ensuring they are managed compliantly with clarity, fairness and empathy.
This role demands someone with a grounding in employment law to manage a highvolume, complex caseload. You will bring strong analytical skills, excellent written communication and the emotional intelligence to work sensitively with colleagues at all levels, and the ability to stay calm, accurate and wellorganised under pressure.
Interviews will take place in person on Wednesday 15th April and if required Friday 17th April.
Main duties of the job
As Employment Paralegal, you will provide essential specialist legal and procedural support to the Employment Solicitor and Associate Director of Legal Services across a varied portfolio of contentious and noncontentious work
You will be the first point of contact for employment tribunal claims, managing the process from notification through to resolution. This includes preparing ET3 responses, coordinating disclosure, drafting witness statements and bundles, and meeting all statutory deadlines. You will also support complex workplace investigations, conducting interviews, gathering evidence and producing clear, wellstructured reports that enable fair and informed decisions.
You will provide procedural support across employee relations cases and organisational change, preparing documentation, attending meetings as notetaker and ensuring processes align with employment law, ACAS guidance and Trust policy. You will triage incoming queries, escalating to the Employment Solicitor as appropriate.
You will contribute to policy reviews and monitor developments in employment law, flagging relevant updates as needed. Throughout, you will prepare accurate documentation and communicate professionally with colleagues at all levels, often in sensitive circumstances. The role offers genuine specialist depth, broad casework exposure and real opportunity to develop your expertise -- with the satisfaction of keeping a peoplecentred function running safely with precision and care.
About us
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people. As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Job description
Job responsibilities
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- *Educated to degree level in Law, Human Resources, or related discipline, OR equivalent knowledge and experience gained through any combination of alternative study, employment, or voluntary work
- *Post-graduate qualification in Employment Law or Human Resources/ equivalent knowledge acquired through experience
Desirable
- *Legal Practice Course (LPC) or equivalent legal qualification or equivalent knowledge acquired through experience
- *CIPD Level 5 or equivalent knowledge acquired through experience
Experience
Essential
- *Significant experience of working in an employment relations, HR, or legal environment
- *Demonstrable experience of supporting Employment Tribunal claims from notification through to resolution
- *Experience of supporting formal HR procedures (disciplinary, grievance, capability)
- *Understanding of Employment Tribunal processes, documentation requirements, and procedural rules
- *Knowledge of employment law including unfair dismissal, discrimination, TUPE, and whistleblowing
- *Experience of managing own caseload independently
Desirable
- *Experience of conducting workplace investigations including disciplinary and grievance matter
- *Experience of working within the NHS or public sector
- *Experience of instructing and liaising with external legal advisors
- *Knowledge of NHS terms and conditions (Agenda for Change)
- *Experience of ACAS Early Conciliation and settlement negotiations
Additional Criteria
Essential
- *Excellent written communication skills with ability to draft legally robust documents, statements, and reports
- *Strong verbal communication skills with ability to explain complex legal concepts clearly
- *Exceptional organisational skills with ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deadlines
- *High degree of accuracy and attention to detail in document preparation and case management
- *Strong analytical skills with ability to review evidence critically and identify key issues
- *Practical, pragmatic solutions within established legal and procedural frameworks
- *Ability to work independently and use own initiative whilst knowing when to escalate
- *Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and case management databases
- *Well-developed interpersonal and influencing skills with ability to build effective relationships
- *Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information appropriately
- *Able to demonstrate a sound understanding of employment law including Employment Rights Act 1996, Equality Act 2010, ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures, Employment Tribunal Rules of Procedure
- *Understanding of the legal framework governing workplace disputes and investigations
- *Ability to work in a challenging and pressured environment whilst meeting statutory deadlines
- *Ability to deal tactfully and diplomatically with contentious and sensitive employment matters
- *Resilience and emotional intelligence when dealing with distressed or difficult individuals
- *Ability to maintain professional boundaries and objectivity
- *Commitment to continuous professional development and maintaining current legal knowledge
- *Able to work as part of a team and contribute to team objectives
- *Flexibility to travel between Trust sites as required
- *Knowledge of TUPE regulations and reorganisation processes
- *Understanding of compromise/settlement agreements
- *Awareness of trade union recognition and collective consultation requirements
Desirable
- *Experience using case management systems
- *Minute-taking skills for formal hearings
- *Ability to interpret and apply Trust policies and employment legislation
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- *Educated to degree level in Law, Human Resources, or related discipline, OR equivalent knowledge and experience gained through any combination of alternative study, employment, or voluntary work
- *Post-graduate qualification in Employment Law or Human Resources/ equivalent knowledge acquired through experience
Desirable
- *Legal Practice Course (LPC) or equivalent legal qualification or equivalent knowledge acquired through experience
- *CIPD Level 5 or equivalent knowledge acquired through experience
Experience
Essential
- *Significant experience of working in an employment relations, HR, or legal environment
- *Demonstrable experience of supporting Employment Tribunal claims from notification through to resolution
- *Experience of supporting formal HR procedures (disciplinary, grievance, capability)
- *Understanding of Employment Tribunal processes, documentation requirements, and procedural rules
- *Knowledge of employment law including unfair dismissal, discrimination, TUPE, and whistleblowing
- *Experience of managing own caseload independently
Desirable
- *Experience of conducting workplace investigations including disciplinary and grievance matter
- *Experience of working within the NHS or public sector
- *Experience of instructing and liaising with external legal advisors
- *Knowledge of NHS terms and conditions (Agenda for Change)
- *Experience of ACAS Early Conciliation and settlement negotiations
Additional Criteria
Essential
- *Excellent written communication skills with ability to draft legally robust documents, statements, and reports
- *Strong verbal communication skills with ability to explain complex legal concepts clearly
- *Exceptional organisational skills with ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deadlines
- *High degree of accuracy and attention to detail in document preparation and case management
- *Strong analytical skills with ability to review evidence critically and identify key issues
- *Practical, pragmatic solutions within established legal and procedural frameworks
- *Ability to work independently and use own initiative whilst knowing when to escalate
- *Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and case management databases
- *Well-developed interpersonal and influencing skills with ability to build effective relationships
- *Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information appropriately
- *Able to demonstrate a sound understanding of employment law including Employment Rights Act 1996, Equality Act 2010, ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures, Employment Tribunal Rules of Procedure
- *Understanding of the legal framework governing workplace disputes and investigations
- *Ability to work in a challenging and pressured environment whilst meeting statutory deadlines
- *Ability to deal tactfully and diplomatically with contentious and sensitive employment matters
- *Resilience and emotional intelligence when dealing with distressed or difficult individuals
- *Ability to maintain professional boundaries and objectivity
- *Commitment to continuous professional development and maintaining current legal knowledge
- *Able to work as part of a team and contribute to team objectives
- *Flexibility to travel between Trust sites as required
- *Knowledge of TUPE regulations and reorganisation processes
- *Understanding of compromise/settlement agreements
- *Awareness of trade union recognition and collective consultation requirements
Desirable
- *Experience using case management systems
- *Minute-taking skills for formal hearings
- *Ability to interpret and apply Trust policies and employment legislation
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
