At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and manage legal aid billing operations for a children's charity.
- Company: Join Coram, the UK's oldest children's charity making a real difference since 1739.
- Benefits: Flexible working hours, competitive salary, and a supportive team environment.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace committed to equal opportunities.
- Why this job: Make an impact on vulnerable children while developing your management skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in legal aid billing and strong organisational skills required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
About Coram. Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive. Part of the Coram Group, Coram Children’s Legal Centre (CCLC) is the UK’s specialist centre for children’s rights in education, immigration, community care and family law, and provides significant international legal systems consultancy. The centre is located on the Coram Campus in central London with a base in Colchester. We champion access to justice through information and advice, legal practice and representation, policy and strategic litigation. Our Legal Practice Unit provides advice and representation primarily under legal aid contract. Our Policy and Practice Change team promotes practice change through training and capacity building to professionals and secures systems change through research, policy and advocacy.
About the role. This role will coordinate, oversee and supervise the Legal Practice Unit’s legal aid billing operations. Through systematic and efficient management, the post-holder will play an important role in CCLC’s financial and operational sustainability. Working with the Managing Director of Legal Practice, the Heads of Department and Coram’s central finance team, the key objective of the role is to help maximise the unit’s legal aid billing in controlled work, certificated work and inter partes costs. It will also oversee private fees billing. The post-holder will oversee the smooth running of legal aid billing. In this role, the post-holder will work very closely with legal, operations and administrative staff. The role will act as a key point of contact for a range of internal and external stakeholders including Coram’s central finance team who will support the role with grant fund management and overall accounting functions for CCLC. The post-holder will support the Managing Director of Legal Practice and Children’s Rights and department heads in the successful maintenance of our relationship with the Legal Aid Agency.
The role would suit a legal aid billing professional with significant direct hands-on experience of a range of types of civil legal aid billing (including controlled and certificated work) and an understanding of the challenges of legal aid. The ideal candidate will have experience of supervising the work of others but support and training will be provided. We are looking for someone who is interested in developing into management, is a proactive problem solver, is highly organised and able to maintain oversight over different workstreams ensuring progress. In addition to legal aid experience, they will need an aptitude for processing large amounts of data, developing and managing spreadsheets and improving organisational systems. They will be well supported through training, an enthusiastic and competent junior billing team, the central finance team and an outsourced legal cashiering company, as well as a friendly and collaborative management team including the Managing Director and the Heads of practice areas.
This is a largely office-based role in order to fully provide support to the billing team. However, some remote / hybrid working may be possible depending on the experience of the candidate after the initial settling in period and there will be flexibility over how the working hours days will be spread across the week (within working hours). The team are mostly based in the London office and with one billing team member in Colchester so the postholder may require some occasional travel.
£30,000 to 40,000 FTE pro rata (£18,800 to £24,000 for 0.6FTE and £24,000 to £32,000 for 0.8FTE) Part time 0.6 FTE (21 hours per week) or 0.8 FTE (28 hours per week) with some flexibility around working hours.
Equal opportunities and diversity. Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from global majority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram. We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Registered Charity No. 312278. Location London office – Coram Campus, 41 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AZ
Senior Legal Aid Billing & Operations Lead employer: Coram Academy Ltd
Coram is an exceptional employer, dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the lives of vulnerable children and young people. With a strong commitment to diversity and equal opportunities, employees benefit from a supportive work culture that fosters professional growth and collaboration. Located in the heart of London, the Coram Campus offers a vibrant environment where staff can thrive while contributing to vital legal aid services and advocacy efforts.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Legal Aid Billing & Operations Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the legal aid sector and let them know you're on the hunt for a new role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Coram and its mission. Understand their work with vulnerable children and how your skills in legal aid billing can contribute to their goals. Tailor your responses to show how you can make a difference!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or mentors to refine your answers and boost your confidence. Focus on showcasing your experience in managing legal aid billing and your problem-solving skills.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you're genuinely interested in joining the Coram team and making an impact in the lives of children and families.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Legal Aid Billing & Operations Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Senior Legal Aid Billing & Operations Lead role. Highlight your relevant experience in legal aid billing and any supervisory roles you've held. We want to see how your skills align with what we're looking for!
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills:In your application, don’t shy away from sharing examples of how you've tackled challenges in previous roles. We love proactive problem solvers who can think on their feet, so let us know how you’ve made a difference in your past positions.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward and to the point. Use clear language and avoid jargon where possible. We appreciate well-structured applications that are easy to read and understand!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to the right people. Plus, it shows you're keen on joining our team at Coram!
How to prepare for a job interview at Coram Academy Ltd
✨Know Your Legal Aid Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of legal aid billing, especially controlled and certificated work. Familiarise yourself with the challenges faced in this area, as well as the specific processes at Coram. This will show that you're not just interested in the role but also understand its complexities.
✨Showcase Your Organisational Skills
Since the role requires overseeing multiple workstreams, be prepared to discuss how you manage your time and tasks effectively. Bring examples of how you've improved organisational systems in previous roles, and be ready to explain your approach to handling large amounts of data.
✨Demonstrate Team Leadership Potential
Even if you haven't had formal supervisory experience, highlight any instances where you've led a project or mentored colleagues. Coram is looking for someone interested in developing into management, so express your enthusiasm for supporting and training others.
✨Engage with Their Mission
Coram is all about helping vulnerable children and young people. Make sure you convey your passion for their mission during the interview. Share any relevant experiences or motivations that align with their values, and show that you're committed to making a positive impact in this field.
