Disputes Manager in London

Benefits: In addition, we offer a flexible benefits fund of 15% which is paid on top of base salary and is fully pensionable.

Background: HS2 Ltd strives to ensure that everyone working for us feels included, thrives and achieves their full potential.

Role Overview: The Disputes Manager will have accountability for devising strategies for tribunal cases, identifying those to settle and those to refer, working with Strategic Suppliers and Legal teams, and engaging in complex negotiations for high‑risk property acquisitions. The role also includes advising on strategy in new, novel and contentious areas of compulsory purchase.

Responsibilities:

• Accountable for devising strategies for tribunal cases, coordinating input from all relevant expert parties and managing a tracker of all existing tribunal cases and potential cases across blight determination, blight compensation, Compulsory Purchase Order compensation and Material Detriment, plotting key dates, case officer, lawyers, experts and counsel together with an accountability "RACI" matrix.
• Ascertain DfT delegations with regards to Sealed offers and Material Detriment approvals.
• Deliver Sealed Offers and Calder Bank Offers with case officers where appropriate in live and potential cases.
• Work with strategic suppliers to undertake risk / cost matrix of their cases to identify hotspots which need to be managed proactively.
• Work with legal to establish a home team of Counsel, including identification and instruction of experts across various disciplines that can be procured easily and quickly and undertake lessons learned in Tribunal cases.
• Lead on the design of strategy for individual tribunal cases including identifying those cases to settle and those we may want to refer, acknowledging the repercussive nature of those strategies for both HS2 Ltd and compulsory purchase practice.
• Implement improvements in ADR policy and provide advice to all team members.
• Seek to share expertise and knowledge on strategies and compulsory purchase practice with Case Managers, Acquisitions Leads and Senior Property Acquisition Managers.
• Contribute to the monthly reporting pack and report costs and opportunities to Head of Acquisitions and the Land and Property Director on a quarterly basis.
• Actively promote and embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all work, and support and comply with all organisational initiatives, policies and procedures on EDI.
• Adhere to HS2 Ltd’s Health and Safety policies.

About You:

Skills:

• Relationship management with the ability to adopt different styles with different stakeholders, influencing decisions and negotiating outcomes where necessary.
• Communication skills – drafting concisely, clearly and persuasively; presenting strategies and solutions through papers, reports and presentations; understanding political context.
• Ability to gather and synthesize information, identify options, apply sound judgement and use analytical approaches to provide relevant information to suppliers, stakeholders and decision makers.
• Advisory skills – delivering independent expert evidence.

Knowledge:

• Chartered Surveyor (or equivalent).
• Understanding of the Land and Property Industry, policy and legislation.
• Knowledge of how compulsory purchase works as well as other government compensation schemes across commercial, agricultural and residential markets.
• Knowledge of managing and delivering within the constraints of public sector arm’s length bodies and an understanding of the nature of central government relationships with HS2 Ltd.

Experience:

• Experience working in the Land and Property sector in a similar complex infrastructure environment.
• Experience of working with suppliers to develop effective working relationships and manage performance to ensure delivery through the supply chain.
• Experience carrying out briefings to Select Committees.
• Experience in working as part of a Counsel team in securing powers for a large infrastructure project.
• Experience working in a property environment (preferably in land acquisition related to infrastructure projects) with substantial land assembly experience at a senior level.
• Experience in providing expert evidence in Tribunal, Select Committees or Development Consent Order / Transport and Works Act Order inquiries.

Recruitment Information & Requirements: HS2 Ltd does not hold a sponsorship licence from the Home Office; we are not able to provide sponsorship to any applicant. Applicants must already have the Right to Work in the UK at the time of application. We will perform a Right to Work validation prior to the interview stage. Note, certain types of time‑bound visas that we cannot accept. Any offers made to applicants will be subject to satisfactory completion of pre‑employment checks which include Nationality & Immigration Status, employment references, DBS, financial and education checks.