D2/G7 Head of Paralegal Officer Team

Location

Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Exeter, Ipswich, Leeds, London (Croydon & Stratford) Manchester, Newcastle, and Nottingham.

About The Job

Job summary

The Insolvency Service is a leading Government agency which plays a crucial role in providing essential services to the public and to business. The work we do is important to the proper functioning of markets, the economy in general and support for thousands of people each year who are in financial difficulty.

Legal Services Directorate undertakes both criminal enforcement work on a range of offences that underpin the insolvency and corporate regimes and civil litigation work arising from director misconduct and corporate wrongdoing.

This post is a highly visible, key strategic leadership role within LSD, responsible for leading the Paralegal Officer team to drive operational delivery in their key areas of work.

Inclusive and diverse teams are important to us. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups underrepresented in our workforce. The Insolvency Service strives to ensure that the agency is a safe, inclusive and welcoming place for everybody to bring their true self to work and to help the agency to achieve its diversity objectives. We have 10 active employee network groups available to join or become an ally, these include, Carers Network, Disability & Health, FACES Network Group, Grass Roots, LGBT+, Mind Matters, No Limits, Part Time Workers, The Shed, and Women’s Network Group.

We offer full-time, part-time, job share and flexible ways of working (minimum 34 hours for this role). We value capability, technical skills and experience and we place great emphasis on lifetime development to support our people. We encourage our employees to become more involved in areas they feel strongly about, whether it be for the benefit of the agency, though our Engagement network or in their own local communities via volunteering opportunities.

The Insolvency Service is a great place to work, learn and grow your career!

Job Description

This is a new and exciting opportunity within our Legal Services Directorate.

As Head of the Paralegal Officer Team, you will lead a highly motivated team which is responsible for providing support and assistance to the in-house legal teams across all aspects of our enforcement work. Working to the Assistant Director (Paralegal), you will lead, inspire and motivate your team, welcome feedback and champion continuous improvement both in service delivery and personal development.

Responsibilities
• Functional leadership of a growing team (currently 26 people of various grades). You will be expected to contribute to wider corporate activity within the Directorate and wider Agency by managing workloads and performance, promoting an inclusive working environment and motivating and developing staff to reach full potential.
• As part of the Paralegal Senior Leadership Team, you will support the Assistant Director (Paralegal) in the operational management of the Paralegal Team. A key part of this role will involve creating, developing, and maintaining relationships with internal and external stakeholders and managing their varying and complex needs.
• Accountable for the operational delivery of the Paralegal Officer team, ensuring its contribution to the achievement of the directorate’s enforcement KPIs. You will manage performance across the team, identifying risks to performance achievement, and driving forward continuous improvement.
• Provide assurance to the LSD SMT through the development of the Paralegal Officer audit plan, completion of regular audits and contribution to risk management.
• Act as Deputy Information Asset Owner for the directorate, with specific responsibility for the internal criminal case database.
• Lead in all aspects of people planning activities for the team including, but not limited to, work force planning, recruitment and development of training plans.
• Act as directorate lead for technology improvements relating to court interactions and transition to the National Identity and Access Management.
• Frequent travel to the Manchester and Stratford offices will be required.

Person specification
• You will have excellent interpersonal skills, be a self-starter who can work flexibly, effectively and inclusively when working across teams, departmental and other boundaries.
• You have strong organisational skills, with an ability to prioritise tasks and work to tight deadlines.
• You will have strong analytical and problem-solving skills and can effectively monitor performance, have the ability to effectively interpret and use management information to deliver against performance objectives.
• You can keep your own and the team’s efforts focused on the goals that really matter and successfully manage, support and stretch yourself to deliver agreed outcomes by being proactive and taking ownership and accountability for decisions and commitments.
• You will have a willingness to adapt to change and promote the positive benefits of a culture of continuous improvement.
• You empower and encourage your diverse workforce, providing real opportunities for people to develop their strengths and innovate
• You will have a working knowledge of civil and criminal legal processes.
• You have experience and knowledge of leading large and diverse teams through effective coaching and mentoring to improve operational delivery.
• The successful candidate will need to pass security clearance at the NPPV2 level which will be processed as part of the onboarding process.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £51,518, Insolvency Service contributes £14,+24 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We want you to have a good work-life balance and want to support you in all that you do, so we offer a great benefits package including:
• flexible working arrangements and flexi-time
• full time new entrants to the Civil Service and those Civil Servants on modernised terms and conditions will be entitled to 25 days leave increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service
• in addition to this you are entitled to 8 public/bank holidays plus an additional day of privilege leave
• competitive maternity, paternity and parental leave
• 5 days paid leave for learning and development
• 5 days paid for volunteering
• a Cycle to work scheme
• staff have access to an employee assistance programme, Workplace Wellness, for confidential, independent support and advice during difficult times in either their professional or personal life

Your pension is a valuable part of your total reward package where the employer makes a significant contribution to the cost of your pension. Your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken. This means, if you pay tax, your take-home pay will not be reduced by the full amount of your contribution; and your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire. For more information, visit www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV, 750-word personal statement and will be assessed on your behaviours. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Your personal statement should be no more than 750 words and should explain the following:
• What skills, knowledge and experience you would bring to the role, with particular reference to the person specification
• What you believe is the core role of a senior leader within The Insolvency Service
• What you consider would be the leadership challenges for this role

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour Leadership. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

We will test your behaviours and experience as part of the application process, and if successful, you will be invited to a short interview where we will test your behaviours, experience and be asked to conduct a presentation. Full details of the selection process will be made available to shortlisted candidates once the sift has been completed.

Expected timeline (subject to change)

Sift – w/c 3/3/2025

Interview – 25/3/2025

Location - Stratford office - 16th Floor, 1 Westfield Avenue, Stratford, London, E20 1HZ

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Your interview will either be conducted face to face or by video. You will be notified of this if you are selected for interview. Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Use of AI

Candidates must ensure that their applications, including personal statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to Insolvency Service from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 60+ 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Transforming Workplaces

The Insolvency Service is currently delivering an exciting five-year transformation project that started in April 2022 which will define our future direction supporting a gradual migration to a Regional Centre model combined with smarter ways of working. As part of this, transforming our estate will align us with the government modernisation programmes making The Insolvency Service a great place to work.

We are letting you know about our future plans because if you are joining the Insolvency Service and are recruited into an office over the next five years that is not one of the Regional Centres, you will be expected to move to one of the Regional Centres in the future. This move would not attract financial assistance.

The 11 Regional Centres are : Birmingham, Cardiff, Croydon, Edinburgh, Exeter, Ipswich, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Stratford.

Hybrid Working

Insolvency Service operates a hybrid working policy subject to business need, giving people the flexibility to choose when and where they work and collaborate with others.

Individuals are expected to work from one of the office locations stated in the advert to connect with their colleagues, as required by their role and business team needs. There is flexibility to split the working week, spending a minimum of 60% in the workplace, which includes the office, site visits, court etc.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via Insolvencyrecruitment.grs @cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality Requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:
• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window) .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window) .

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :
• Name : Helen Bailey
• Email : helen.bailey@insolvency.gov.uk

Recruitment team
• Email : InsolvencyRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

A candidate can raise a complaint to the Insolvency Service by emailing the contact point for applicants (as listed on the vacancy advert), if they think that:

They have been discriminated against under the Equality Act 2010

there have been procedural irregularities at any stage of the recruitment process

All complaints must be received by the contact point for applicants within 24 hours from the date the applicant is advised of their non-success at sift, assessment or interview. Complaints will be considered by an independent third-party outside of recruitment campaign. The decision will be conveyed to the applicant, in writing, within 5 working days of receipt of the complaint. The recruitment process will usually be put on hold until the complaint has been resolved. Complaints may also be made to the Civil Service Commission at any time if the individual believes their application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles (appointment on merit through fair and open competition). However, complaints must first have been raised to the Insolvency Service