To lead, motivate and engage a team of Costs Lawyers; mentoring and supporting the team members in the progression of their cases; supporting the delivery of client SLAs, KPIs and MI requirements; facilitating the proactive resolution of costs on a range of Complex Injury claims whilst attaining objectives and targets. The Costs Team Leader should be able to establish strong working relationships within the Costs team; the wider Keoghs business; and with our clients through use of excellent oral skills and succinct written communications. Support and mentoring with the Costs Team Leader’s Personal Development Plan will be provided to enable development in role and career progression. The Head of Costs is Howard Dean; Technical Director is Elaine Pitt; and Business Unit Director is Amanda Nuttall.This role is in the Complex Injury Costs team. The Costs Team Leader will be supported by Lead Lawyer, Yvonne Booth. Key Responsibilities You will be responsible for your own small caseload, progressing each file from receipt of papers from the Complex Injury team to resolution of costs. In addition, as team leader, a key part of the role is the leadership, motivation, engagement and technical development of your team members. The role will include: Planning and distributing workload across the team, paying appropriate attention to individual team member’s current capability, to ensure the timely and profitable completion of cases Measuring and reporting on a weekly and monthly basis the financial and performance MI for the team against agreed targets and KPIs ·Conducting team meetings, including disseminating information from operational leadership or departmental meetings to the team and seeking feedback and views from team members Mentoring team members with their technical development through the Costs team’s technical framework, providing supervisory support and regular feedback in 1-2-1 meetings to enable them to attain appropriate financial authority levels and progress in role Consideration and implementation of strategies for effective and robust claims handling against specific claimant firms and CHOs to be able to successfully challenge costs claimed. Meeting with the Director of Costs and Technical Director to articulate challenges faced, highlighting relevant successes. Continuously improving the quality of work in the team, conducting audits, providing feedback to team members and drafting and implementing improvement plans where necessary. Providing updates and implementing Keoghs policies, procedures and local initiatives, including actions arising from audits, to effectively inform and engage team members to perform to agreed standards Reviewing processes to continuously improve current operating practices or to address specific client requirements Compliance with benchmarks set by Keoghs and by clients whilst driving settlements and ensuring quality of delivery to enable retention on insurer client panels To ensure effective delegation of work to junior team members and paralegals; ensuring more senior team members are fully engaged in the development and technical progression of junior team members; with the Team Leader maintaining oversight to ensure the delegation of work to maximise profitability Effectively deal with complaints through agreed handling processes Work with the Business Unit Director to manage team members according to the firm’s policies and employment laws, ensuring HR procedures are followed To ensure compliance with the SRA Standards & Regulations Skills, Knowledge and Expertise 2 years’ experience as a minimum in a similar costs draftsperson / negotiator role, either for claimant or defendant, handling own caseload of high value costs claim Degree and/or LPC and/or ALCD Knowledge of current cost case law and insurance litigation practice and process Experience of the Detailed Assessment process including preparing Bills, Schedules of Costs, Budgets, Points of Dispute and considering replies Previous experience of client liaison -taking instructions and providing advice both verbally and in writing Previous experience leading, managing or mentoring others in a team Ability to upskill and provide constructive feedback to others Ability to plan and prioritise workloads and to remain calm under pressure Good telephone negotiation skills Ability to use own initiative and make decisions Ability to review and summarise MI to identify performance trends Excellent listening and verbal communication skills Ability to act as part of a team Proficient IT skills in Microsoft packages Personal Effectiveness Team commitment: Values others perspective Resilience: Demonstrates self-control Passion for growth and improvement:Systematically improves performance Embracing Change:Responds positively to change Business Focus Client Care:Works to add value for the client Decision Making:Operates within formal authority Negotiation, Influence and Persuasion Commercial Insight:Considers some commercial implications Monitors own performance against objectives set by Team Leader Benefits Davies Incentive Plan 25 days holiday per year which increases with level of service (opportunity to buy & sell 3 days) Family Cover Private Medical Insurance (Bupa) - will automatically be at single cover level but can opt into family option within first month of joining. Simply Health Care Cash Plan WeCare – 24/7 online GP, mental health support and virtual wellbeing covering a whole host of topics to do with health, mental health, wellbeing & healthy living and financial & legal wellbeing Death in Service Critical Illness Cover PHI/Income Protection (Private health insurance) Pension Contribution based 5% Employee / 3% Employer Employee Resource Groups Employee Volunteering Programme Cycle to Work Scheme* Tech Scheme* Season Ticket Loan* Gym Flex* Access to Online Discount Sites Discounted Gourmet Society Membership Discounted Tickets for Merlin Attractions nationwide Discounts at local retail outlets * after successfully completing probation