Head of Legal Services

To lead and manage the Legal Services team to support the University\’s staff and Council to deliver its strategy, meet obligations and minimise risk as the University operates.

To engage in key strategic developments and initiatives to establish legal requirements and guide the University in its approach to work.

Client Details

Cardiff University is a Russell Group university delivering excellent teaching and research, supporting students and society to thrive. Our new strategy – \’Together, We Can\’ – is ambitious about our impact and place in Wales and the world and there is a range of exciting new developments underway including Cardiff University Kazakhstan.

The University Secretary\’s Office is at the heart of the university, providing advice and representation to the governing body (Council) and its committees, as well as to senior management and other colleagues on all governance, compliance and legal matters. We are now reforming and growing our Legal Services team to better meet current and future demands as the university evolves. We are currently seeking a new Head of Legal Services:

Description

Key Duties

• Support the Director with the long term strategic planning and management of the department, interpreting department strategy into work priorities and setting the standards and expectations for the team. Form part of the USO senior leadership team and ensure staff across the department are supported in their work.
• Provide leadership to the Legal Services team, ensuring that staff are empowered to fulfil the expectations of their roles and delegations are appropriate.
• Be responsible (accountable) for the provision of high-quality legal advice and legal services to the University and engage with staff, students and trustees of the university to do so.
• Be responsible for auditing legal knowledge and understanding across relevant professional services and College/School roles, with the design and delivery of an ongoing training programme and community of practice to ensure those appropriate staffing groups are up skilled and compliant on an ongoing basis
• Act as the senior lawyer and highest professional legal expert of the university, overseeing/assuring the work of the university lawyers as appropriate, and undertake legal casework fitting with area of specialism or to meet business need. This could cover areas as diverse as commercial, contract or property (including intellectual), employment or student-related casework, charity, regulatory (including data protection) and others.
• Lead or engage in and shape scoping discussions regarding strategic developments to guide the university\’s approach to its work from a legal or regulatory perspective.
• Commission external legal partners as required to support the work of the department, managing the associated budget and ensuring quality.
• Nurture effective partnerships to ensure the team are working closely with other specialist departments and guidance or support is developed where necessary.
• Collaborate closely with other teams in the Department to meet collective objectives and ensure a cohesive departmental service to the rest of the University.
• Gather and analyse relevant data regarding service provision and ensure action is taken on evidence-based management information.
• Undergo personal and professional development that is appropriate to and which will enhance performance.

General Duties

• Ensure that an understanding of the importance of confidentiality is applied when undertaking all duties
• Abide by all University policies
• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role

Profile

Essential:

• Qualified and practising solicitor or Barrister with substantial post qualification experience (c8+ year PQE) in one or more of Commercial, Civil Litigation and/or Public and Regulatory Law demonstrating highly developed legal skills including drafting, researching, negotiation, advocacy, and interviewing
• Has a well-developed understanding of working in a regulated environment and of the consequences of non-compliance.
• Experience of leading and managing a specialist team with a broad range of legal skills and experience, with a focus on continuous professional development.
• Experience contributing to the development and implementation of wider departmental strategy and plans for success as part of a leadership team.
• Proven ability to influence senior decisions and decision-makers to adopt courses of action which minimise risk
• Able to build positive working relationships at all levels and explore/resolve a diverse range of client needs.
• Develops networks in order to contribute to long term developments.
• Demonstrates a positive, outcomes-focused approach and works collaboratively across the team/department/organisation to meet demands
• Evidence of ability to plan the work of a team over year plus time scales, anticipating and reacting to changes in workload and strategic direction of the department and University, including using delegations and team member strengths/preferences to best effect.
• Able to research and solve expansive problems using initiative and creativity; identify and propose both practical and innovative solutions.
• Able to undertake, coordinate and deliver specific programmes of work or projects (beyond individual legal cases) and supervise short term project teams.
• Confident in managing a high-volume workload for self and others with conflicting priorities while maintaining customer relationships.
• Evidence of supervisory and line management skills including performance management.

Desirable:

• Experience of working in a Higher Education environment and/or research funding/contracts
• Welsh language skills (written and/or oral).

Job Offer

Salary: Up to £71,566 – Annual cost-of-living increases ensure your salary remains competitive and fair.

Blended Working: This post can be offered on a blended working basis, with compressed hours or part-time (minimum of 0 FTE) subject to agreement. This means that as well as spending time working on campus for team or USO meetings or other matters requiring it (approximately two days per month, variable) you can also choose to spend some time working from another location, e. your home.

Holiday entitlement: We provide a generous leave entitlement (37-days\’ holiday, plus bank holidays) from your first day of employment with us. A standard 35-hour working week applies to the majority of jobs in the University.

Pension Scheme: When you pay into the USS the University will also make a significant contribution too: 6%* (employee) 14% (university as employer)

Relocation Support: Financial assistance may be available if you\’re moving to Cardiff for the role.

Personal development and training: We provide excellent training and development opportunities, and all staff are encouraged to acquire the knowledge, skill and motivation to fulfil the potential of their current work and to realise their personal career aspirations.

Health and well being: We do everything we can to promote a safe, healthy and positive working environment. In fact, we have developed policies which support this such as the Positive Working Environment initiative and Dignity at Work policy. We offer both occupational health and counselling services, along with generous sick pay arrangements if you are absent due to ill health

Free eye tests: If you use a computer regularly as part of your role here, you\’re entitled to free eye tests at our modern eye clinic, which is part of the School of Optometry. We will even pay £50 towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses if they are required for your job and purchased from the University Optometrists.

Nursery: Our Little Scholars Nursery provides care for children aged 10 weeks to five years for our staff and students. It was the NDNA (National Day Nurseries Association) Welsh Nursery of the Year 2010.

Networks & Unions: Join staff clubs, unions, and equality networks (Disability, Welsh, BAME, LGBT+, Carers).

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