Senior Lawyer - Fitness to Practise in Sheffield

The Role

Social Work England is the specialist body that regulates social workers in their vital role. Every day, social workers support millions of people to improve their chances in life. We believe in the power of collaboration and share a common goal with those we regulate – to protect the public, enable positive change, and ultimately improve people’s lives.

This Senior Lawyer role will be working predominantly alongside the Head of Triage to implement changes following the process review with the objective of supporting efficient and robust decision making at the triage stage. You will also provide advice and support in case planning and progression at the investigation and hearing stages (as required). You will work collaboratively to support the case presenting team and the in house legal team.

What you will do

• Lead on the delivery of legal advice and support to the triage team
• Support in the provision of legal advice to the investigation team to assist in effective and efficient case planning and case progression
• Supervise and line manage paralegals and/or lawyers (as required) including reviewing and quality‑assuring legal advice
• Develop excellent working relationships with internal stakeholders in particular the Head of Triage, Head of Investigations and operations managers in both teams
• Use your legal expertise and knowledge to ensure the team provides solutions‑focused support and advice on fitness to practise casework including policy and process development, and production and review of guidance.
• Support the FTP legal and social work support team to deliver its objectives including the design and delivery of training and promotion of legal awareness to the rest of the organisation.
• Participate in and provide strategic legal advice to project teams and working groups as necessary to deliver the corporate strategy.
• Ensure effective stakeholder engagement with the leadership and other colleagues across the business and with our external lawyers and contacts, as required.
• You will provide management support and deputise as required for the Head of Legal – Fitness to Practise with a particular focus on the regulatory areas of our remit across fitness to practise.
• Provide ongoing mentorship to operational staff, particularly in relation to complex investigations, high profile hearings and the management of complaints.
• Design and deliver training on our Regulations, Rules, case law and other relevant legal matters to the fitness to practise directorate, adjudicators and legal advisors and other staff, as required.

Your Skills, Knowledge And Experience

• Experience as a Solicitor, Barrister or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executive. Must be registered with, or be eligible to immediately join: the SRA Solicitors’ register, BSB Barristers’ register or CILEX Authorised Practitioners’ directory.
• Experience of the fitness to practise process and advising on professional regulation, ideally in the context of the regulation of health and/or social care
• Experience of advising on wider regulatory matters and family law is desirable but not essential.
• Experience of line management and/or supervision or a willingness to develop these skills.
• Strong legal analytical skills and judgement and experience of managing caseloads with minimal supervision, with the ability to analyse complex issues and present risk‑based and practical advice and options to stakeholders.
• Experience of designing and delivering training to legally and non‑legally qualified individuals or a willingness to develop these skills
• The ability to work to tight deadlines, be calm under pressure and flexibly manage competing priorities.
• Excellent written communication skills, ability to draft clear and comprehensive correspondence and to present information on complex issues clearly and succinctly for a range of different audiences.
• The ability to work cross‑organisationally, working well with others and responding positively, creatively and supportively to a variety of colleagues while maintaining high and consistent standards.
• A demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Details

• Job type: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time. We offer flexible working subject to business need.
• Salary: £55,242 per year, rising to £57,644 per year after successful completion of a 6‑month probationary period.
• Location: Sheffield/hybrid

The Benefits

In addition to your salary, we also offer:

• Hybrid working
• 25 days annual leave, rising with service to 30 days per annum, plus bank holidays.
• The option to purchase up to an additional 5 days of annual leave per annum.
• A TIDE award winning inclusive culture, made up of staff networks, social events and forums.
• A pension scheme, life insurance, an employee recognition scheme and cycle to work scheme.

Pre-Employment Checks

If you are successful at interview, we will carry out a series of routine pre‑employment checks. These include verifying your references, confirming your right to work in the UK, and completing a Basic DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check.

These checks are conducted in partnership with our third‑party provider, Amiqus, who will guide you through the process.

Please note that all offers of employment are subject to the satisfactory completion of these checks. If you have any questions or concerns please contact our recruitment team via recruitment@socialworkengland.org.uk and our team will be happy to help.