Job summary
The post holder will be required to provide professional in-house legal advice on a range of property law and business operation issues relating to both NHS England and the NHS generally.
Working with the Senior Property Lawyer and the Housing and Capital Programme Leads for NHS England's Learning Disability and Autism Programme, the post holder will in particular facilitate the delivery of housing solutions to enable the timely discharge from in-patient care, and/or prevent the admission to hospital of, people with learning disabilities and/or mental health issues and/or autism. This will include advising on the grant making powers of NHS England which enable the granting of capital to support local systems to develop housing options for people currently in inpatient facilities, or for people most at risk of being admitted to hospital.
The post holder is likely to need to access either our London or Leeds offices on a regular basis in combination with any hybrid or home working arrangements that are agreed. Some travel between the two offices may also be required, although this may be limited given the increased use of technology to facilitate meetings within the organisation.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be supporting good decision-making in relation to the NHS, advising on legal risk and how to manage that risk, with a view to ensuring effective corporate governance.The post holder will be expected to apply the principles of public law and interpret NHS and other legislation, and have an understanding of current healthcare policy and the relationships between the different bodies in the NHS system.
The post holder will be expected to manage a varied and busy caseload of legal queries, maintaining oversight of matters outsourced to our legal panel and advising on individual queries as required. The job description provides more detail of areas of responsibility which the post holder will be required to fulfil.
About us
NHS England leads the NHS in England to deliver high quality care for all. We support NHS organisations to deliver better outcomes for our patients and communities, work to get the best possible value for taxpayers, and drive improvement across the NHS.
The NHS England Legal Team is a high performing team working in a fast-paced environment advising and supporting NHS England in delivering its functions and objectives. The team is looking to recruit a qualified lawyer, with experience of advising public bodies, ideally in the health sector. For this particular post, we are looking for someone with a commercial and property law focus and a broad range of experience advising on a range of property law issues.
The Legal Team is supported by a panel of health sector focused legal firms. The successful post holder will be providing legal advice and involved in the day-to-day management of outsourced matters to ensure that legal advice provided is of a high standard, meets the organisation's objectives and achieves value for money.
The scope and breadth of the work undertaken by the Legal Team is huge and the post holder will have the opportunity to advise on, and have oversight of, a wide variety of matters in a fast-paced, dynamic environment that requires quick thinking, the ability to multi-task and effective use of technology (including MS Teams and our case management system on which the post holder will be provided with full training).
Job description
Job responsibilities
In this post, we are looking for someone with a commercial law focus and a broad range of property law experience, for example, experience of advising on various matters including:
- Capital grant making powers under the NHS Act 2006 (as amended)
- Legal charges and redemptions
- Consents and variations
- Conveyancing process
- General and ad hoc property law matters and queries
We recognise that you may not have experience in all areas of property law listed, however, there must be a willingness to acquire and develop those skills. Additional support and on the job training will be provided to develop additional skills as required. In addition to the property aspects of the role, advising on public law issues (particularly in relation to health and NHSE/I powers where these relate to the property work) is an integral part of the role and therefore such experience would be an advantage.
The post holder will report to a Senior Lawyer in the team, and will need to work closely with colleagues in the Legal Team and the Learning Disabilities and Autism Programme, Estates Team and others across the organisation, to support the organisation to take decisions defensibly, robustly and lawfully and to ensure decisions, and the rationale for those decisions, are recorded in line with internal policies and organisation objectives.
Job description
Job responsibilities
In this post, we are looking for someone with a commercial law focus and a broad range of property law experience, for example, experience of advising on various matters including:
- Capital grant making powers under the NHS Act 2006 (as amended)
- Legal charges and redemptions
- Consents and variations
- Conveyancing process
- General and ad hoc property law matters and queries
We recognise that you may not have experience in all areas of property law listed, however, there must be a willingness to acquire and develop those skills. Additional support and on the job training will be provided to develop additional skills as required. In addition to the property aspects of the role, advising on public law issues (particularly in relation to health and NHSE/I powers where these relate to the property work) is an integral part of the role and therefore such experience would be an advantage.
The post holder will report to a Senior Lawyer in the team, and will need to work closely with colleagues in the Legal Team and the Learning Disabilities and Autism Programme, Estates Team and others across the organisation, to support the organisation to take decisions defensibly, robustly and lawfully and to ensure decisions, and the rationale for those decisions, are recorded in line with internal policies and organisation objectives.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Solicitor or Barrister with relevant PQE and member of relevant professional body (Solicitors Regulatory Authority or Bar Standards Board)
- Educated to master's level or equivalent level of experience of working in specialist area
Experience
Essential
- Evidence advising on property law and related matters; ability to work without supervision providing specialist advice to the organisation, working to tight and often changing timescales; experience of delivering against competing priorities and deadlines
- Experience of providing and receiving highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiating with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and presenting complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.
Knowledge
Essential
- Subject matter knowledge across several key areas relating to at least some of the following: property law, town and country planning, decision making, policy development, communications, risk mitigation and management and responding to legal challenge and scrutiny from stakeholders.
Values
Essential
- Values diversity and difference operates with integrity and openness. Demonstrable commitment to partnership working with a range of external organisations.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Solicitor or Barrister with relevant PQE and member of relevant professional body (Solicitors Regulatory Authority or Bar Standards Board)
- Educated to master's level or equivalent level of experience of working in specialist area
Experience
Essential
- Evidence advising on property law and related matters; ability to work without supervision providing specialist advice to the organisation, working to tight and often changing timescales; experience of delivering against competing priorities and deadlines
- Experience of providing and receiving highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiating with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and presenting complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.
Knowledge
Essential
- Subject matter knowledge across several key areas relating to at least some of the following: property law, town and country planning, decision making, policy development, communications, risk mitigation and management and responding to legal challenge and scrutiny from stakeholders.
Values
Essential
- Values diversity and difference operates with integrity and openness. Demonstrable commitment to partnership working with a range of external organisations.
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
