Director of Legal Services

NHS Blood and Transplant; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 105,000 - 122,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking organization dedicated to saving lives and improving community health. This role offers the chance to lead a dynamic legal team, providing expert legal advice and ensuring compliance across a range of critical areas. You will work closely with senior leadership, driving strategic initiatives and managing complex legal issues that impact the NHSBT's mission. With a commitment to professional development and a supportive work culture, this position is perfect for a legal leader looking to make a significant impact in a respected institution. Embrace this opportunity to contribute to a cause that truly matters, while advancing your career in an inclusive and collaborative environment.

Benefits

27 days annual leave

NHS pension scheme

High-Cost Area Supplement

Flexible working opportunities

Continuous learning culture

Qualifications

• Strong track record in leadership and management.
• Expertise in employment, procurement, and data protection law.

Responsibilities

• Lead the legal function and ensure compliance with legislation.
• Advise NHSBT Board on legal matters and risks.

Skills

Leadership skills

Interpersonal skills

Legal expertise

Change management

Analytical skills

Education

Qualified barrister/solicitor/advocate

Member of a relevant professional body

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Legal databases

Job description

Job Summary (Hybrid Working)

This is an exciting opportunity to bring your professional skills to a highly respected organisation and contribute to our incredible work which impacts the lives of everyone in the UK and beyond.

We are looking for a legal leader with exceptional leadership skills as well as strong interpersonal and influencing skills, to be able to develop and lead high performing teams, acting as an advocate for change.

You will provide leadership on all legal issues, and act as an adviser to the most senior people in the organisation.

You will need a deep expertise in at least one relevant area of law, such as employment law, procurement law, data protection, and litigation related to clinical safety.

In addition to advising on your specialist area of law, you will draw on internal colleagues and external advice to ensure NHSBT decision makers can rely on high quality, pragmatic, timely and good value advice.

Main duties

You will be responsible for the development and application of a strategy for the provision of legal advice and legal services to the organisation. Your responsibilities will include:

1. Ensuring NHSBT is a legally compliant organisation, in all internal and external undertakings, to advise upon and manage all aspects of legal risks and to make sure NHSBT makes the most effective use of its legal powers for the benefit of donors and patients.
2. Being a senior and trusted advisor to the NHSBT Board, CEO, NHSBT Executive Team and the wider organisation on the interpretation and application of all relevant legislation.
3. Leading the legal function and developing it towards an excellent inhouse legal service.
4. Leading, motivating and developing colleagues supporting legal processes, including individuals that report directly to you, and through professional leadership of colleagues across the wider organisation.
5. Being an effective and engaged member of the NHSBT leadership team, supporting at a very senior level the strategic direction of the organisation.
6. Ensuring that the inhouse legal function is compliant with current SRA guidance.

You will be required to travel and spend time away from base, which will involve working irregular hours and overnight stays when required, with prior notice.

About You

Experience and Knowledge

1. Possesses a strong track record of successful people leadership and management, including the ability to coach and drive motivation and performance.
2. Proven board level experience, and leading and delivering complex change and strategy development programmes in a politically sensitive and complex environment.
3. Experience of handling complex legal cases – drawing implications for organisations and presenting them for consumption by the NHSBT Board.
4. Expertise in one or more relevant core areas of law (employment law, procurement law, data protection, or litigation related to clinical safety) together with relevant experience of governance, administrative law, public law and/or regulatory law.
5. Experience of developing procurement specifications and tendering for cost effective legal services providers.
6. Experience of analysing financial and non-financial data to draw meaningful insights.
7. Experience of managing other legal professionals and working successfully within multi-disciplinary teams.
8. Knowledge of standard desktop packages (Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint, Teams and PowerPoint).

Qualifications and Training

1. Member of a relevant professional body.
2. Qualified barrister/solicitor/advocate to practise in the UK.
3. Demonstrates commitment to own continued professional development (CPD).

Please view the attached recruitment profile which is a summary of the detailed Job Description and Person Specification for the full personal attributes we require for the role. You will need to demonstrate these throughout the recruitment process.

About Us

It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you’ll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need.

Our three core values are what set us apart. At NHSBT, they guide and inspire everything we do.

By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work – and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever.

You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.

What we offer:

1. A starting salary of £105,385 - £121,271 per annum in accordance with the Agenda for Change pay framework.
2. A permanent full-time opportunity to lead the legal team in a Band 9 role.
3. Opportunity to work with a national organisation and be based in any of our major sites such as London, Barnsley, Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester.
4. High-Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) on top of the base salary, where applicable.
5. NHSBT promotes flexible working opportunities.
6. 27 days annual leave (pro rata for part-time) plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years’ service and to 33 days after 10 years.
7. NHS pension scheme. The NHS Pension Scheme is a defined benefit scheme (not dependent on investment returns) Further details and outline of benefits can be found at: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/pensions.
8. We have fostered a culture of continuous learning where colleagues are well-led, engaged, and encouraged to grow. We support you in reaching your full potential, both in your current role and future career. Our Thrive program embodies our commitment to learning and development, offering a wide range of activities to support your personal and professional growth. It’s open to everyone at NHSBT, ensuring you have the resources to succeed and shine in your role.

This vacancy will close at 23:59 on Sunday 12^th January 2025.

Interviews are anticipated to be held face-to-face on 29^th January or 12^th February 2025 – subject to confirmation.

For informal enquiries please contact – Carl Vincent, Chief Financial Officer at [e-mail].