Director of Legal Services: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust is looking for an exceptional legal leader to become our next Director of Legal Services. This is a rare opportunity to lead a highly respected in-house legal function, working alongside executive colleagues, clinicians and external partners to ensure the Trust receives outstanding legal advice while using learning from legal cases and inquests to improve the quality and safety of care.

This is far more than a traditional legal management role.

You’ll be the Trust’s principal legal expert, providing strategic advice to the Trust Board and senior leaders across a broad range of healthcare law. You’ll lead our response to complex clinical negligence claims, represent the Trust at Coroners’ Inquests, oversee High Court and Court of Protection applications as required, and build strong relationships with organisations including NHS Resolution, Coroners, external legal advisers and partner organisations.

Just as importantly, you’ll lead a talented team and help shape the future of legal services within one of the country’s largest NHS organisations. Using insight from claims, inquests and legal activity, you’ll identify themes, influence organisational learning and help improve patient safety across the Trust.

Please note interviews are proposed for week commencing 28th September (date to be confirmed).

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible for leading and managing all aspects of the Legal Services Department, ensuring that there is a high performing, effective legal service that delivers best practice Trust-wide and when engaging with external organisations. They will provide strategic leadership and direction for the team to maximise learning and quality improvement in line with the Trust’s long-term strategy. They will have overarching responsibility and accountability for all work carried out in the Legal Services Department.

We’re looking for a qualified solicitor with significant senior-level experience, ideally within healthcare or another highly regulated environment. You’ll bring outstanding technical legal expertise, excellent judgment and the credibility to advise at Board level on highly complex and sensitive issues. You’ll also be an experienced leader, able to inspire your team, build influential relationships and drive continuous improvement.

At UHCW, improvement is part of who we are. We are committed to continually improving the quality of care we provide and the way we work. You’ll play a key role in that journey.

If you’re looking for a role where your legal expertise can genuinely influence organisational strategy, improve patient outcomes and make a lasting difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• oEducated to Masters level in legal practice oA qualified and practising solicitor. oSignificant post-qualification experience successfully managing a substantial case load, advance specialist knowledge, expertise and experience in this field or similar. oEvidence of SRA-required ongoing continued professional development oAwareness of national and local policy, legislation and regulations and the latest developments in healthcare law

Desirable

• oLeadership qualification / training oProject management training / qualification

Experience

Essential

• oExperience of managing, leading and building teams oSignificant experience advising at a senior level on the full range of health and/or regulatory law issues oDemonstrate extensive experience of delivering across an organisation oExperience of undertaking advocacy in court and/or at inquests. (NB The post holder must have rights of audience to allow them to appear before Coroners and Judges.) oExtensive experience of analysing highly complex information and producing reports to tight deadlines. Experience presenting this information within a large, complex organisation. oExperience developing and delivering training on a variety of legal topics to a wide range of recipients. oExtensive experience of managing sensitive issues within sometimes hostile or emotional situations. oWide range of experience of working under pressure to agreed time-scales. oExperience of working with and effectively communicating highly complex information with a range of external stakeholders including (but not limited to) NHSR, panel and external solicitors, the Coroner and his office, members of the public, patients/Claimants and the police.

Knowledge

Essential

• oSpecialist legal knowledge across a wide range of legal disciplines oAppreciation of the context of in house NHS legal services regulation and legislation and the context of how they apply within organisations.

Skills

Essential

• o Ability to demonstrate strategic vision as well as a track record of leading a team through a change process. oEvidence of resilience and diplomacy to lead and support change within the service oDemonstrable skills in planning over the short, medium and long term, with the ability to constantly assess, adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly. oAbility to provide clear and informative reporting information in relation to the Trust’s legal position, cases and risks. oDemonstrated capabilities to manage own workload and make informed decisions in the absence of required information, working to tight and often changing timescales. oExcellent analytical and organisational skills. oAbility to make difficult decisions autonomously, when required, on challenging, sensitive and complex matters.

Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours

Essential

• oMust be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with Trust values and behaviours oApplicants applying for job roles with managerial responsibility will be required to demonstrate evidence of promoting equal opportunities through work experience

Closing Date: 4 September 2026