Job Description

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.

Working for a new regulator with a modern statutory framework, the Fitness to Practise Paralegal plays a key role in the development of Social Work England's fitness to practise directorate to realise our strategic objective to deliver a transparent, efficient, responsive and fair approach to fitness to practise.

We are a young regulator with modern legal powers which enhance our ability to manage fitness to practise casework responsively and proportionately. This role assists the Senior Fitness to Practise lawyer as part of an overarching objective to improve the quality and efficiency of the fitness to practise process. This involves a particular focus on improving the quality and robustness of investigations prior to case examiner consideration by assisting with advising and supporting in relation to evidence gathering and witness engagement and early legal input on complex cases.

The Fitness to Practise Paralegal will work collaboratively across all stages of the fitness to practise process, but with a predominant focus on the triage and investigations team. They will provide specialist legal advice to triage officers, investigators and lead investigators with the supervision of a qualified lawyer. They will assist in managing instructions to our external legal providers ahead of fitness to practise hearings.

Please note there are 3 fixed-term 12 month contract positions available.

What you will do

Draft written legal advice to the fitness to practise team, in particular the triage and investigations teams, on a wide range of legal issues, with the supervision of a qualified lawyer. Provide support to the triage and investigations team in identifying and obtaining relevant documents and evidence, including assisting in taking witness statements with the supervision of a qualified lawyer. Provide support at various meetings with colleagues seeking legal advice and case management support, with the supervision of a qualified lawyer. Assist in managing and allocating incoming work requests from colleagues across the organisation. Participate in project teams and working groups as necessary to further the work of the fitness to practise team and our objectives. Develop and maintain strong relationships throughout the organisation and with external colleagues, using your legal knowledge to provide support. Support the organisation in reviewing internal policies, procedures and processes and developing and providing training to colleagues across the organisation, with the supervision of a qualified lawyer. Create and maintain effective systems for storing shared fitness to practise legal team documents and emails, ensuring appropriate data retention labels are applied and legal privilege is maintained, where required. Assist in the design and delivery of regular case law updates to the fitness to practise team and wider team (as required) with the supervision of a qualified lawyer. Assist in conducting targeted, thematic reviews of fitness to practise cases as part of our internal quality assurance framework (as required) with the supervision of a qualified lawyer. Provide support in the assessment of case plans, statements of case and sanction bids prepared by our external legal provider.
Your skills, knowledge and experience

Excellent analytical skills and an ability to understand legal and procedural issues, with excellent attention to detail. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with a range of internal and external stakeholders; and the ability to draft in a clear and comprehensive manner. Excellent organisation and time management skills (including organising own workload) and the ability to manage several tasks while maintaining a high degree of accuracy. Degree-level education or equivalent relevant experience. Excellent legal research skills and a willingness to further develop your understanding of the law. Proven experience of case management, case progression and working with lawyers in legal proceedings (whether civil or criminal). Willingness to develop advocacy skills and act as an advocate in straightforward cases (if required) Ability to work to tight deadlines, be calm under pressure and flexibly manage competing priorities. Knowledge of investigative methods; rules of evidence, human rights, tribunal, regulatory caselaw and procedure. Experience in family law (to assist in providing advice on fitness to practise cases which involve family law documents and/or information). Demonstrable commitment to inclusion and diversity.
Details

Job type:?Fixed-term 12 month contract (3x positions available) Working pattern: Full time. We offer flexible working subject to business need. Salary: 32,932 per year, rising to 35,285 per year after successful completion of a 6-month probationary period. Location: Sheffield/Hybrid Benefits: flexible working, contributory pension, life insurance and benefits portal
Application

During the application process, you'll be asked to provide answers to three questions from the job description. These answers will be what your application is scored on, please answer in as much detail as possible using examples where necessary.

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract

Pay: 32,932.00-35,285.00 per year

Benefits:

Cycle to work scheme Free flu jabs Life insurance On-site gym
Schedule:

Monday to Friday No weekends
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Sheffield

Reference ID: 10210