Job description

First Response Team Leader (5216)

We’re a national law firm with a local reach. Our philosophy is ‘we're legal and financial experts that care’ – something you’ll find in the way we work with our clients and how we support our teams. But we’re more than just a law firm – we’re a team of people working together to help individuals and businesses navigate life’s ups and downs. Working here you’ll feel a part of our friendly and inclusive environment.

We’ll value you for who you are and what you bring. We support each other and push boundaries to achieve incredible things and make a real difference to our clients and communities.

We're always looking to support our colleagues to work in a way that works best for them and everyone else, including our clients, the business and the regulators. Please speak to a member of our Recruitment and Onboarding team for more information.

Your Role and What You'll Be Doing

As the leading clinical and medical negligence law firm in the UK, we know how to make a positive difference to our clients lives. Our experienced medical negligence solicitors take the time to understand what clients are going through, helping them get the answers and compensation they deserve. Our clinical negligence team has extensive experience in clinical negligence claims arising from obstetric, neonatal, anaesthetic, neurosurgical, cardiac and psychiatric care.

You can read about our client stories here.

You will lead a team of client enquiry experts in our Manchester office who will be responsible for sifting incoming medical negligence cases on a national scale The team deals with all different types of negligence such as missed fractures, delays in diagnosis, negligent surgical procedures, and fatal cases involving adults and children.

The Team Leader plays a crucial role in overseeing and managing a team of new client advisors. The advisors handle incoming medical negligence queries, identify potential claims, and secure work for the team from the outset, ensuring that prospective clients are thoroughly assessed before acceptance.

This role involves providing guidance, support, and supervision to the team members, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, and fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong combination of leadership and people management skills and operational experience in a high-volume area. The role requires the ability to develop strong partnerships and coordination with case handlers and Partners within the Medical Negligence Team.


Leadership Leading and managing a team, providing guidance and support in amending and sending documentation and conducting oral explanation calls with prospective clients. Monitoring and evaluating individual team member performance, providing regular feedback, coaching, and mentoring to team members to support their professional development. Creating and maintaining an engaging and inclusive environment where team members feel they can perform to the best of their abilities and grow their careers with Irwin Mitchell. Training Identify and coordinate the provision of training and guidance to team members on processes, legal and regulatory developments, process changes and firm-specific policies and procedures. Workflow and service delivery Responsible for managing, delivering, and improving all operational activity within the team including – pipeline management, work prioritisation, work allocation, service levels, productivity, and quality. Understand the work and workflows and work to remove blockages/ issues that prevent team members being able to do their work effectively and deliver what matters to prospective clients and case handlers. These could cover a range of root causes including process design, systems issues, training and support, communication etc. Continuous Improvement and change Lead and drive initiatives aimed at improving prospective client experience, aligned to key strategic priorities. Supporting the development and implementation of new systems, technologies, and tools to enhance the team's capabilities and performance Relationship building Collaborating with internal stakeholders, such as partners, case handlers, and other teams, to ensure seamless coordination and timely completion of incoming prospective client enquiries and case management. Build strong relationships across Medical Negligence and with the other teams. Act as a point of escalation for complex or sensitive matters, ensuring issues are resolved in a timely and appropriate way.

Leadership

Leading and managing a team, providing guidance and support in amending and sending documentation and conducting oral explanation calls with prospective clients.
Monitoring and evaluating individual team member performance, providing regular feedback, coaching, and mentoring to team members to support their professional development.
Creating and maintaining an engaging and inclusive environment where team members feel they can perform to the best of their abilities and grow their careers with Irwin Mitchell.

Training

Identify and coordinate the provision of training and guidance to team members on processes, legal and regulatory developments, process changes and firm-specific policies and procedures.

Workflow and service delivery

Responsible for managing, delivering, and improving all operational activity within the team including – pipeline management, work prioritisation, work allocation, service levels, productivity, and quality.
Understand the work and workflows and work to remove blockages/ issues that prevent team members being able to do their work effectively and deliver what matters to prospective clients and case handlers. These could cover a range of root causes including process design, systems issues, training and support, communication etc.

Continuous Improvement and change

Lead and drive initiatives aimed at improving prospective client experience, aligned to key strategic priorities. Supporting the development and implementation of new systems, technologies, and tools to enhance the team's capabilities and performance

Relationship building

Collaborating with internal stakeholders, such as partners, case handlers, and other teams, to ensure seamless coordination and timely completion of incoming prospective client enquiries and case management. Build strong relationships across Medical Negligence and with the other teams. Act as a point of escalation for complex or sensitive matters, ensuring issues are resolved in a timely and appropriate way.

About You

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with team members and stakeholders at all levels.
Strong coaching abilities, with the capacity to inspire and develop team members.
Exceptional organisational and decision-making skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
A good understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks related to medical negligence.
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain a positive and inclusive team culture, fostering collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Professional and ethical approach to work, ensuring confidentiality and integrity in all team-related activities.
Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to think critically and make sound decisions.
Service delivery and operational management – knowledge and experience of managing high volumes of work through a fast-moving pipeline and meeting speed, quality, and regulatory requirements.
A proactive and adaptable approach, with the ability to navigate and manage change in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.

Our Benefits - What We Can Offer You

25 days holidays as standard plus bank holidays - You can ‘buy’ up to 35hrs of extra holiday too.
Generous and flexible pension schemes.
Volunteering days – Two days of volunteering every year for a cause of your choice (fully paid)
Westfield Health membership, offering refunds on medical services alongside our Aviva Digital GP services.

We also offer a wide range of well-being initiatives to encourage positive mental health both in and out of the workplace and to make sure you’re fully supported.  This includes our Flexible by Choice programme which gives our colleagues more choice over a hybrid way of working subject to role, team and client requirements.

We have been ranked in the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing for Large Organisations for 2024!

Our responsible business programmes are fundamental to who we are and our purpose. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace where our colleagues can flourish, and we have established a number of inclusion network groups across our business to support this aim. 

Our commitment to Social Responsibility, community investment activity and tackling climate change is a fundamental part of who we are. It’s made up of four strands: Our People, Our Community, Our Environment and Our Pro Bono.

Additional Information

As part of the Irwin Mitchell Group’s on-boarding process all successful applicants are required to complete the group’s employment screening process. This process helps to ensure that all new employees meet our standards in relation to honesty and integrity therefore protecting the interests of the Group, colleagues, clients, partners and other stakeholders.

We carry out pre employment screening to establish your eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record and financial checks with our trusted 3rd parties.

The employment screening process will fully comply with Data Protection and other applicable laws.

Irwin Mitchell LLP is an equal opportunity employer.