Team Manager (Patents) - 14-month FTC Maternity Cover

Team Manager (Patents)

Full Time 14-month FTC (family leave cover)

35 hours per week, with core hours at 9am to 5pm

The role

Our Records and Formalities team plays a crucial role in the efficiency within our organisation. We collaborate closely with our attorneys to provide support from first filings through to grant and registration for our Patents, Trademarks, Transactions and Dispute Resolution teams, ensuring legal documentation is always accurate and up to date.

This role is to lead the Patents team, which is made up of 4 senior team members, 2 mid level team members and 4 junior team members. The team completes a high volume of work to an extremely high standard.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Team Management
• Managing the C&R Patents Team to deliver timely and accurate execution of EP/GB/WO patent processes and requests.
• Managing the C&R Patents Team to deliver timely and accurate execution of P-EP, G-PT, P-GB, P-WO, L and U files.
• Supporting and advising team on technical/legal aspects, as necessary.
• Managing team staffing and resourcing and coordinating daily 10 minute briefing team meetings.
• Coordinating delivery of training/mentoring for team members.
• Working with FEs to coordinate out of hours filings.
• Working with the finance department to keep fee schedules up to date and help resolve billing issues.
• Conducting monthly documented 1-1 meetings, annual appraisals and setting objectives for team members.
• Advising Director of Legal Operations with regards to team member probation reviews, promotions, training requirements etc.
• On request from the Director of Legal Operations, provide information and recommendations with regard to salary reviews for team members.
• Co-ordinating and distributing rotas within the team.
• Process/Systems Review, Improvement and Implementation
• Working with the Director of Legal Operations to identify potential process improvement opportunities in current Patents Service processes and making recommendations for change.
• Working with the Secretarial Services Manager to improve workflows and process between the secretarial and the Patents Team.
• Responsibility for the Standard Operating Procedures for the patents team, ensuring that they are up to date and of sufficient quality and detail.
• Working with the development teams to maintain, develop and improve systems that support the EP Patents Service, including EPO Online Filing 2.0, IPO 2.0, Inprotech, CRUX Hub (proprietary software) and the DMS.
• Maintaining and improving KPIs for the Patents team.
• Working with the Patents team to implement process improvement solutions.
• Working with the Internal Process Task Group (IPTG) and assisting with implementing recommended changes in the Patents team.
• Documenting and maintaining processes and procedures inclusive of cost estimates.
• Market and technical awareness/knowledge
• Attending events such as:
  • EPO seminars
  • Annual CIPA IP Paralegal conference
  • UKIPO events
• Signing up to all appropriate newsletters.
• Monitor for and co-ordinate implementation of EPO updates.
• Other duties as required in development and operation of the C&R Patent Service and Team.

Skills And Experience We’re Looking For

• People management skills.
• Positive outlook with strong leadership ability.
• Self-motivated and uses own initiative.
• Ability to work to deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Proactively suggests improvements to processes/Inprotech.
• Maintains a diligent and thorough approach to their work.
• Strong collaboration skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with Partners, fee earners and other members of staff.
• Excellent attention to detail, including spotting incorrect/incomplete information.

The Ideal Candidate Will Also Possess The Following

• CIPA Administration Certificate.
• Demonstrable IT skills (Word, Outlook, Excel, Internet, EPO Online filing 2.0).
• Good level of Inprotech knowledge and experience, including running reports.
• Strong knowledge of online resources and journals in order to find answers to legal queries.
• Knowledge of EP, WO and GB patent processes and procedures.
• Technical knowledge of patent renewal processes procedures.

What We Offer

We offer a competitive benefits package that currently includes the following:

• 25 days’ holiday, increasing by 1 day per year up to our maximum of 28 days.
• Employer pension contribution of 5% in your first year, with a minimum 3% employee contribution, increasing to 10% employer contribution after one year’s service.
• Holiday buy scheme, with the option to purchase up to 5 additional days.
• Holiday bonus, starting at £400 per year, increasing each year up to a maximum of £2,000.
• Private medical insurance via Bupa, where you’ll be eligible to join the month following your start date. You will also have the option to add dependants, subject to a monthly cost.
• Free confidential access to 24/7 medical, mental, legal and financial wellbeing support via Health Assured and WeCare from your first day of employment.
• Access to internal Mental Health First Aiders, all of whom have completed the Mental Health First Aid England accredited training programme and champion wellbeing across the firm.
• Life assurance of 4x your base salary.
• Income protection, with cover for up to 5 years and compensating for up to 75% of your base salary.
• Cycle2Work scheme.
• Season ticket loan.
• Access to Payroll Giving or Give As You Earn (GAYE) which allows you to donate to charity through your monthly pay.

We’re passionate about the benefits of corporate volunteering and offer all employees 1 paid volunteer day per year.

We’re very proud of our collegiate culture and the value that working together brings. Through our commitment to enabling everyone to do their best work, we offer a range of family and life‑friendly policies.

This includes competitive enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, surrogacy and shared parental leave schemes, if you’ve been with us for at least 26 weeks. Furthermore, our fertility policy aims to assist employees with both the logistical and emotional aspects of undergoing fertility treatment. This includes paid leave of up to five days for fertility treatment.

We also recognise the needs of balancing home life around the requirements of your role. Depending on the work you do and your team, we offer informal arrangements such as hybrid and agile working, as well as more formal arrangements such as flexible hours and part‑time working. We’re very happy to discuss flexible and life‑friendly working options during the recruitment process and upon joining us.

We are proud of our inclusive culture where individual differences are celebrated, and we are committed to providing equal opportunities to all employees and job applicants. We do not tolerate discrimination either directly or indirectly on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, pregnancy and maternity, or any other characteristic protected by law. Our approach is embodied in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, as well as our diversity and inclusion programmes.