JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION:

SEO Lead for Litigation

Fixed Term Contract: 12 months, with potential to be extended further (maternity cover).

“Thank you for showing an interest in the Parole Board".

The Parole Board is an independent court-like body that is responsible for carrying out risk assessments on prisoners to determine whether they can be safely released into the community. We do that with great care and public protection is our top priority.

The Board is made up of about 190 members of secretariat staff based in our Inner London Head Office and nationally and approximately 320 Members who make decisions on risk and hold hearings at prisons around the country.

The Parole Board is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. Staff who work for the Parole Board Secretariat are Public Servants and not Civil Servants.

About the role:

An exciting opportunity has arisen to be part of the Legal Hub. The Hub oversees the following key workstreams:

• Litigation;

• Set Aside;

• Reconsideration; and

• Public Hearings.

In addition to the above, the Hub provides legal support and advice to the Parole Board secretariat and membership. It also plays a key part in the transparency agenda which the Parole Board is committed to, for example, through the case management of Reconsideration, Set Aside and Public Hearing applications.

The Lead for Litigation is a fast-paced and interesting role, with responsibility for leading the Litigation Team which handles public and private law claims against the Parole Board.

The work of the Parole Board is always evolving and requires individuals to work effectively within the organisation, and with stakeholders, to ensure that processes are workable and fully compliant with the law.

The post line manages one HEO role (Litigation Team Leader) and reports to the Head of Legal.

This role provides excellent opportunities to:

• Work collaboratively on a variety of interesting areas of litigation at the Parole Board.

• Manage and/or contribute to discrete projects or other time limited initiatives.

• Work closely with senior stakeholders, judicial, independent and specialist (psychologist/psychiatrist) Parole Board members, and colleagues at all levels.

• Work with external stakeholders, such as Criminal Justice agencies and the Government Legal Department.

• Work in an environment of continuous improvement.

• Manage business critical and high profile workstreams.

Person specification:

Your duties will be to support and lead the Litigation Team by overseeing the workstream and ensuring that all litigation matters are progressed to a high standard and within the specified timescales. You will also support the membership and secretariat and help the Parole Board deliver its transparency agenda.

It will be imperative that you are able to communicate effectively with a diverse range of individuals, at varying grades. You will need to be able to manage competing demands effectively whilst working at pace.

Main Duties:

Lead for Litigation specific:

• Day-to-day oversight and management of the Litigation Inbox.

• Sift/allocate member queries.

• Sift/allocate and (possibly) respond to pre-action letters.

• Manage and assist with complex litigation queries and requests for information, including requests for the disclosure of Parole Board decisions.

• Manage a caseload of private law claims with the Government Legal Department.

• Assist the Head of Legal and Director of Legal with legal queries and their judicial review caseload.

• Assist in development of policy and guidance.

• Manage and respond to requests and directions for transcripts of Parole Board oral hearings, in line with Parole Board policy.

• Assist with financial provisions relating to compensation claims.

General:

• Day to day management of the Litigation Team Leader ensuring HR processes are followed, performance is managed and learning and development needs are met.

• Facilitate individual and team performance and development.

• Undertake projects and lead on delivery of priorities as identified by the Head of Legal.

• Role model leadership, management and professional behaviours in line with the Parole Board’s vision, values and Success Profiles.

• Contribute to the Business Plan, other Hub strategies, and appropriate organisational and corporate policies and strategies.

• Attend national and regional meetings and events which may require occasional travel and overnight stays.

• Other tasks appropriate to the role as assigned from time to time by the Director of Legal, Chief Operating Officer or Head of Legal.

• Manage the Parole Board’s reputation through the efficient, effective and high quality progression of litigation matters, ensuring factual and legal accuracy and compliance with the law.

• Work closely with other Parole Board staff and members to develop positive working relationships.

• Assist with handling the highest noteworthy/offline cases, working closely with the Specialist Casework team.

• To represent team interests as required and appropriate e.g. at meetings at an operational and strategic level.

• Assist the Head of Legal and other tasks appropriate to the role as assigned.

• To conduct weekly meetings with the Litigation Team Leader.

• Deal with member/complex queries as escalated by the Litigation Team Leader.

• Allocate tasks to the Litigation Team Leader where required.

• Attend Senior Leadership Team meetings as / when assigned.

• To undertake these responsibilities in line with current legislation, local and national policies.

It is essential that you have:

• Experience in communicating with internal and external audiences. You need to have excellent communication skills with experience in relaying complex information in a simple, digestible format at all levels.

• Excellent analytical skills to understand complex legislation and other technical information.

• Attention to detail and be accurate.

• Excellent planning and organisational skills, with the ability to adapt to change.

• Skills in building good working relationships and networks with internal and external contacts.

• The ability to understand and interpret legislation and policy documents.

• Experience in using Microsoft programmes.

• Ability to work well within a team.

It is desirable that you have:

• Previous working experience in legal work, such as experience working as a paralegal, legal or litigation officer.

• Any professional qualification related to law.

Behaviours:

We will assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions

• Leadership

• Communicating and Influencing

• Delivering at Pace

Security:

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Check.

Selection process details:

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours and Strengths.

At the sift stage, you will be assessed against Behaviours and a statement of your suitability for the role and of how you meet the essential criteria. Should a large number of applications be received, the initial sift may be conducted using a lead behaviour. This will be the behaviour which is listed first in the job advert.

Interviews will be undertaken remotely. As part of the interview, there will be a thirty-minute written assessment.

Any persons successful in gaining an interview will need to provide photographic ID, and two items which prove address dated within the last three months. Failure to do this may result in the successful applicant’s offer being withdrawn.

If you are part of the Civil Service and are applying for a job in a non-departmental public body (NDPB) (or vice versa) by moving jobs this will involve a change of employer and you may break the statutory rules on continuity of employment.