Paralegal in Bristol

Salary: £37,614 - £38,577 plus London weighting £3,566 (where appropriate)

Location: Bristol or London

Generous Civil Service defined benefit pension

We are the independent regulator of higher education in England. We aim to ensure that every student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches their lives and careers. We’re proud of our people, our culture and the benefits we offer. We care about supporting and developing our staff. At the OfS we want to create a welcoming and engaging working environment which is free from discrimination. We’re looking for skilled, committed people who care about students and their experience of higher education. Join us and you’ll be part of an energetic, forward-looking organisation with high ambitions and big opportunities for our people.

About the role

We are looking for a Paralegal to support our established legal team. The role will involve providing assistance and support on a wide variety of legal matters in the higher education context, including applying public, human rights, consumer protection and data protection law. The role will involve a significant amount of legal research, as well as assisting lawyers to advise on a broad range of regulatory matters, and supporting the handling of litigation/appeals. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the ability to proactively manage a varied workload, whilst adopting a creative and innovative approach to legal issues.

Key responsibilities may include

• Providing support to the legal team, in particular through legal research and analysis relating to:

• Legislation applying to the higher education sector, including the Higher Education and Research Act 2017;
• Data protection and information law, including legislation implementing the GDPR and the Freedom of Information Act 2000;
• Legal topics relevant to decision-making and supporting processes, such as public law principles, statutory duties and considerations, the delegation of functions and equalities legislation;
• Human rights law;
• Litigation activities, such as judicial review proceedings, statutory appeals and regulatory investigations;
• Consumer protection law;
• The use of the OfS’s enforcement and information gathering powers; and
• The regulatory framework and registration conditions that apply to higher education providers.

About you

Essential experience required for the role:

• Excellent legal research skills;
• Experience of at least two of the following legal practice areas, gained through paid practical experience:

• Public law;
• Consumer protection law;
• Human rights law;
• The interpretation of regulatory rules such as licence conditions or equivalent;
• The interpretation and application of sector specific legislation which relates to a public or regulatory body;
• Investigation and enforcement in a regulatory context;

Professional qualifications:

• Essential: Legal degree (or equivalent conversion course)
• Desirable: Completed relevant postgraduate legal training (for example, the Legal Practice Course, Solicitors Qualifying Examinations 1 and 2, or vocational component of Bar training such as the Bar Practice Course)

For the purposes of recruitment to this role, we are measuring against the following core competencies:

• Making effective decisions: I analyse and research information to support effective decision-making. I speak with relevant people to get the most accurate information and advice when I am unsure how to proceed. I consider the diverse needs of those impacted by decisions. I ensure that my decisions reflect the legal requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) and the OfS’s strategic commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. I ask others to clarify decisions if I am unsure and I query any issues that arise constructively.
• Delivering at pace: I have a positive and focused attitude to achieving outcomes, despite setbacks. I regularly review my performance against objectives, making suggestions for improvement or taking corrective action where necessary. I consider relevant policies, procedures, and legislation when completing my work. I regularly review the success of activities I contribute to and identify barriers to progress, proactively suggesting how we can overcome these in the future. I formulate clear plans and prioritise effectively to complete tasks and activities.
• Communicating and influencing: I communicate using appropriate styles, methods, and timing, to maximise my impact with different audiences. I communicate confidently with an appropriate diversity of stakeholders, interested groups and colleagues at different levels and can construct a convincing narrative to bring to life my message. I communicate the benefits of acting in a straightforward and engaging manner, choosing appropriate styles to maximise understanding and impact for different groups. I regularly engage with people in my area of work and across the OfS, so they can understand the course of action required.
• Collaborating and partnering: I seek information, resources, and support as appropriate from others across the OfS, to help achieve results. I invest time to develop an OfS common focus and team spirit where colleagues feel valued and respect one another. I take responsibility for creating an OfS working environment that encourages collaboration, diversity, and inclusion. I actively seek and consider input of people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

Application process

There are 3 online application questions to complete, alongside providing a summary of your career to date, which will allow you to demonstrate your relevant experience. For those who are shortlisted, there will be a written research task to complete during week commencing Monday 16 February. For those who progress to interview, the process will include discussing a case study, sent shortly ahead of the interview on the day itself.

Reasonable adjustment

We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you through the application stage, please contact us at recruitmentteam@officeforstudents.org.uk and we will be happy to help.

Working for us

The OfS regulates the higher education sector on behalf of all students. We value diversity and the wealth of perspectives, experience and ideas that it brings to our work, and we strive to embed equality of opportunity in everything we do. We recruit based on fair and open competition and welcome applications from candidates regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. At the OfS, we recognise that flexibility can enable people to work more effectively.