Force Lawyer - Employment and Civil

Salary: Band 11, £32,149 - £35,073 per annum (£53,583- £58,455 pro rata)

Location: Agile, Forth Banks Police Station and homeworking

Hours/Contract: Permanent, 22.2 hours per week

Working for #TeamNP

Our purpose at Team NP is simple: to keep people safe and to fight crime. But it takes more than officers alone to do the job – and that’s where our 2,000-strong team of police staff and 200 volunteers come in.

As one of the largest police forces in England, we have a huge variety of departments and specialisms offering you endless opportunities. From mentoring and coaching schemes to leadership development programmes; we’ll give you the support, training and time to carve out the career you always wanted.

As one of the top 50 UK inclusive employers and a disability confident employer, we promote a culture of respect in the workplace so everyone can feel seen, heard and valued.

Whether you’re a member of staff or a volunteer, you can also expect first-rate support to manage your health and wellbeing. With year-round events, a 24/7 welfare support hotline and a leading approach to neurodiversity, our initiatives enable you to be at your best.

Above all else, here at Team NP, we can offer you a career that is so much more than just a job, it’s a chance to be part of something that really matters.

The role

Here at Northumbria Police, we think our region is amazing! It takes a great deal of people from different backgrounds, with diverse skills and experience to serve our force area effectively. If you think you have what it takes to help us make a difference, this could be the perfect time for you to join us in our Legal Department as a Force Lawyer Employment and Civil.

As the Senior Lawyer Employment and Civil, you will provide a comprehensive legal service to the force in relation to employment law in accordance with legislation and case law.

What you’ll do

• Casework Management: Handle allocated employment law cases, conduct court proceedings including advocacy, manage resources, and liaise with relevant stakeholders to provide comprehensive legal services to the Chief Constable.
• Legal Advice: Offer timely and courteous legal advice on all issues, ensuring high-quality support for decision-making processes.
• External Legal Specialists: Select, appoint, and monitor the performance of external legal specialists, complete necessary documentation, and obtain approval from the Legal Senior Management Team to ensure appropriate advice and representation, ensuring value for money.
• Legislation and Case Law Research: Conduct research into new legislation and case law, assess potential impacts on the force, and disseminate guidance to inform legal policies and procedures, minimizing litigation risks.
• Reporting and Communication: Prepare reports, briefing papers, and media statements with detailed recommendations and advice for internal departments or external bodies.

What you’ll bring

• Admission as a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales with a minimum of five years litigation experience.
• Experience in managing own caseload, determining investigations to be carried out and organizing necessary meetings, ensuring ongoing compliance with key dates set.
• Ability to identify key issues in a claim and determine the most effective resolution.
• Ability to work with and support other members of the department and to liaise with other areas of the force as necessary.
• Ability to identify issues affecting other areas of the force and communicate these through the SMT and to the Chief Officer Team and OPCC where necessary.

We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Harnessing these differences creates a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, and their talents are fully utilized. Appointments are based on merit alone.

What we offer

• 26 days’ leave (increasing to 30 days for 5 years+ service) plus 8 bank holidays.
• NHS Fleet Solutions Car Lease Scheme.
• Enhanced maternity, shared parental and adoption leave.
• Flexi time - allowing you to fit your working hours around your individual needs.
• Flexible working (we are happy to discuss options such as compressed hours).
• Agile working – option to work from home, your team zone, and spaces across the force.
• Fantastic market-leading public sector pension scheme with up to 16% employer contribution.
• Corporate travel schemes – local rail, bus services and metro discounts.
• Access to private healthcare and eye test vouchers.
• Discounts on shopping and eating out thanks to the Blue Light Card and Blue Light Tickets.
• Extensive paid sick leave, trained mental health first aiders on-site, and an employee advice service for additional support.
• Access to gyms in some stations.
• Sports & Social Club – join our thriving sports scene at Team NP and enjoy further exclusive discounts on days out and travel.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Opportunity to volunteer in the local community.

Just so you know

Our application form will help us understand how your work, education, and life experience have prepared you for the role of a Force Lawyer Employment and Civil with #TeamNP. To help support your application, research what makes us tick here at Northumbria, the role you’re applying for, and the values and behaviors that contribute.

The recruitment process will consist of the initial application form followed by an interview. You can save your application and come back to it any time prior to the closing date on the advert.

We are proud members of the Business Disability Forum, with whom we collaborate to improve the lives of disabled employees. We are also a Disability Confident Employer; therefore, if you demonstrate that you meet the minimum criteria for this role as stated in the advert, we will progress your application and offer you an interview.

If you tell us that you have a disability, we can make adjustments to support you through the recruitment process (for example, we can arrange extra time for tests or provide a sign language interpreter). You can get in touch with us via careers@northumbria.police.uk for any support regarding the application process. Please provide us with plenty of notice so we can ensure your visit goes smoothly.

If your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a Recruitment Vetting (RV) form, therefore you must be a resident of the UK for a minimum period of 3 years to ensure vetting checks can be successfully performed. A job offer will be dependent upon vetting clearance, medical information, and references.

Terms of appointment

This is a permanent role subject to a six-month probationary period. If you are successful in your application, you will have a six-month probation period with us where you will be unable to apply for any other post advertised internally or externally.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.