We are looking for an experienced and motivated colleague to join our national Costs Team on a secondment basis as a Costs Team Leader, aligned to our Medical Negligence work. This is an exciting opportunity to broaden your leadership experience, develop your operational and stakeholder management skills, and contribute to the continued delivery of high-quality costs services in a complex and high-value practice area.

During the secondment, you will lead, support and develop a team of Law Costs Draftsmen and Costs Lawyers, helping to drive strong performance, consistent technical standards and effective day-to-day delivery. You will be a key point of contact for senior stakeholders across the Medical Negligence teams and your aligned locations, ensuring the service we provide meets agreed standards, supports client teams effectively and contributes to strong recovery outcomes.

The role will give you exposure to the full spectrum of costs team leadership, including supervising the preparation of Bills of Costs and court pleadings, providing technical guidance on complex costs issues, supporting quality and timeliness, and encouraging best practice across the team. You will also play an important role in motivating and engaging colleagues, championing continuous improvement, and supporting operational delivery across the wider Costs function.

This secondment would suit a confident costs professional with a strong technical grounding in legal costs and an understanding of high-value, complex personal injury or clinical negligence work. It offers a valuable opportunity to step into a leadership role, make a meaningful contribution to a nationally recognised team, and develop skills and experience that will support future career progression.

• A costs or legal qualification, admitted by CLSB, CILEX, SRA or BSB.
• Some experience of supporting, mentoring or leading colleagues, or a clear interest in developing people leadership skills during the secondment.
• Strong organisation and communication skills, with the ability to support, engage and motivate a hybrid working team while developing confidence in operational leadership.
• Good understanding of medical negligence or high-value personal injury costs work, including the need for accuracy, evidence-based recovery and clear technical judgement.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, expectations and stakeholder demands with support, particularly where matters involve complex issues, high value claims or urgent litigation deadlines.
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail and a strong focus on quality, consistency and compliance with agreed standards.
• Confident, or willing to develop confidence, in attending and contributing to key stakeholder meetings.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to provide clear direction, feedback and technical guidance to colleagues working on complex costs matters.
• Ability to analyse information, problem-solve and identify practical solutions that support recovery, service delivery and stakeholder confidence.
• Working knowledge of the Civil Procedure Rules, costs budgeting, detailed assessment processes, legal aid regulations where relevant, and costs recovery principles.
• Knowledge of time-recording procedures, costs systems and the importance of accurate data to support forecasting, reporting and operational planning.

Desirable

• Experience contributing to process improvement, quality standards or ways of working across a costs or litigation support team.
• Interest in using data, MI or performance measures to support workload planning, recovery outcomes and service improvement.
• Interest in supporting networking and business development activity, contributing to opportunities that strengthen the profile and impact of the Costs Team.

As this is a secondment opportunity, applicants should have the support of their current line manager before applying and be able to commit to the role for the agreed secondment period.