Job summary
We are delighted to invite qualified employment lawyers to apply for a brand-new role within our expanding in-house commercial legal team.
This is a wonderful and also unique opportunity to establish a brand-new in-house employment law function within the comfort of a supportive and ambitious team structure. As our in-house employment lawyer, your advice and support will make a direct contribution to facilitating and improving the delivery of services within an organisation that supports a workforce of more than 13,000 valued employees spanning more than 200 clinical and corporate services. This is particularly significant following the recent launch of our "Respecting Everyone" approach to resolving issues relating to bullying, harassment, grievances, conduct and capability.
You can also say goodbye to chargeable and non-chargeable hours, client tenders, billing and six minute units. You can focus your energy on doing a good job instead.
So, if you are looking for a change from private practice (or an existing in-house role) and want to work in an organisation with values founded on being supportive, respectful, innovative and collaborative please do apply.
We believe wholeheartedly that this is a great opportunity to further develop your legal knowledge and skills within a valued institution and to enjoy the professional satisfaction of seeing your hard work have a direct impact on services that benefit you, your colleagues and wider community.
Main duties of the job
Your work will directly drive and shape the behaviours, identity and culture needed to create the best possible environment for our patients and staff.
You will establish, develop and lead an in-house employment legal service ("Service") within the Trust and its commercial legal service. The Service will cover all aspects of employment law and, through direct relationships with colleagues in the People Directorate, the Post Holder will:
- provide legal support and assurance to Trust colleagues in relation to contentious and non-contentious employment law matters;
- improve employment working practices including supporting with the development of considered and robust employment documentation and processes;
- reduce legal, financial and reputational risk by improving the Trust's analysis, preparation and response to employment matters. This includes working in the spirit of the Trust's "Respecting Everyone" approach to promote staff wellbeing by avoiding escalation of issues or, where such escalation cannot be avoided, mitigate their impact on the Trust and its staff.
- work with the Associate Director of Commercial Legal Services to reduce, better target and add value to external legal spend.
About us
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward-thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For a full an detailed job description please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For a full an detailed job description please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.
Person Specification
Knnowledge and Experience
Essential
- Highly developed, specialist knowledge and understanding of employment law
- Experience of using written reports and verbal presentations to confidently inform and engage target audiences up to and including Board level. This includes an ability to confidently adapt content and complexity to meet the needs and objectives of different audiences and purposes and to formulate plans to address areas of uncertainty and potential change
- Substantial experience in the analysis of, response to and negotiation of complex employment claims
- High level of professional experience and demonstrable skills in communication and presentation and strong commercial acumen.
- Experience of managing contentious and non-contentious employment matters including the conduct of case management/preliminary hearings and representation at court and tribunals
- Experience of undertaking investigations into serious allegations
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Ability to interpret and translate highly complex, often sensitive or contentious, legal arrangements, documents and issues in a manner that can usefully inform individuals with a range of expertise, understanding, experience and priorities.
- Leadership and management skills including proven ability to exercise professional judgement in highly complex legal and commercial matters and to develop plans and determine priorities for the department, based on organisational priorities.
- Ability to analyse problems and devise solutions on a range of issues with innovation and imagination.
- Ability to share ideas, information and feedback (including conflicting professional opinion) in order to develop favourable commercial and legal solutions for the Trust.
- Highly developed interpersonal and communications skills capable of building effective relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders, even where there are significant barriers to acceptance.
- Ability to provide, receive, interpret and advise on highly complex, sensitive and/or contentious information in collaborative as well as antagonistic, challenging or hostile atmospheres.
- Strong drafting and negotiation skills, particularly for employment arrangements and dispute resolution.
- Ability to understand, evaluate and advise on a range of complex options where solutions may be numerous, require compromise or not otherwise be immediately obvious.
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Educated to Master's Degree or equivalent level of expertise and experience
- Significant (and not less than five years) relevant post qualification professional experience including evidence of continued professional development and further professional qualifications
- Qualified Solicitor holding a current Law Society Practicing Certificate
Desirable
- In-house legal experience, preferably within the NHS
Aptitudes
Essential
- Innovative and pragmatic with sound judgement
- Shares ideas, information and experience to empower others and develop effective relationships
- Strong intellect, strategic, adaptable and independent thinker and problem solver
- Willingness to speak up in situations of conflict
- Actively listens and responds to influence improved behaviours and outcomes.
- Strong sense of commitment to openness, honesty, inclusiveness and high standards of personal integrity
- Emotionally intelligent, intellectually flexible and resilient.
Person Specification
Knnowledge and Experience
Essential
- Highly developed, specialist knowledge and understanding of employment law
- Experience of using written reports and verbal presentations to confidently inform and engage target audiences up to and including Board level. This includes an ability to confidently adapt content and complexity to meet the needs and objectives of different audiences and purposes and to formulate plans to address areas of uncertainty and potential change
- Substantial experience in the analysis of, response to and negotiation of complex employment claims
- High level of professional experience and demonstrable skills in communication and presentation and strong commercial acumen.
- Experience of managing contentious and non-contentious employment matters including the conduct of case management/preliminary hearings and representation at court and tribunals
- Experience of undertaking investigations into serious allegations
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Ability to interpret and translate highly complex, often sensitive or contentious, legal arrangements, documents and issues in a manner that can usefully inform individuals with a range of expertise, understanding, experience and priorities.
- Leadership and management skills including proven ability to exercise professional judgement in highly complex legal and commercial matters and to develop plans and determine priorities for the department, based on organisational priorities.
- Ability to analyse problems and devise solutions on a range of issues with innovation and imagination.
- Ability to share ideas, information and feedback (including conflicting professional opinion) in order to develop favourable commercial and legal solutions for the Trust.
- Highly developed interpersonal and communications skills capable of building effective relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders, even where there are significant barriers to acceptance.
- Ability to provide, receive, interpret and advise on highly complex, sensitive and/or contentious information in collaborative as well as antagonistic, challenging or hostile atmospheres.
- Strong drafting and negotiation skills, particularly for employment arrangements and dispute resolution.
- Ability to understand, evaluate and advise on a range of complex options where solutions may be numerous, require compromise or not otherwise be immediately obvious.
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Educated to Master's Degree or equivalent level of expertise and experience
- Significant (and not less than five years) relevant post qualification professional experience including evidence of continued professional development and further professional qualifications
- Qualified Solicitor holding a current Law Society Practicing Certificate
Desirable
- In-house legal experience, preferably within the NHS
Aptitudes
Essential
- Innovative and pragmatic with sound judgement
- Shares ideas, information and experience to empower others and develop effective relationships
- Strong intellect, strategic, adaptable and independent thinker and problem solver
- Willingness to speak up in situations of conflict
- Actively listens and responds to influence improved behaviours and outcomes.
- Strong sense of commitment to openness, honesty, inclusiveness and high standards of personal integrity
- Emotionally intelligent, intellectually flexible and resilient.
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)
Address
Trust Headquarters
Marlborough Street
Bristol
BS1 3NU
Employer's website
https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
