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HR or Learning and Development Advisor / Consultant – Major UK and International Law firm – to £50,000 to £55,000

HR or Learning and Development Advisor / Consultant or Business Partner – Paralegal Academy Lead – Manchester

HR or L&D Advisor or Business Partner – A new and exciting role has arisen at an operational level within this leading international law firm. Based in Manchester, you will partner with the Business and HR teams, specifically with Recruitment, Learning & Development, HR Operations and the Early Careers team, as well as Partners and other senior stakeholders.

The key aim of the role is helping to build a high-performing Paralegal capability through the newly created Paralegal Academy. The Paralegal Academy has a crucial role in focusing on the recruitment, training, development and retention of talented Paralegals who help support fee earning lawyers within the firm.

Overview

• Job title: Paralegal Academy Lead
• Location: Manchester
• Salary: £50,000 – £55,000
• Reports to: COO
• Previous experience: Experience in HR or a Learning & Development or recruitment capacity preferably within a professional services firm such as a law firm or accountancy firm. Team leading experience and excellent communication skills also key. We will also consider experienced Paralegals or Legal Executives or Solicitors with proven operational experience and a genuine appreciation of HR and L&D.

Paralegal Academy Lead – the role in context

This role of ‘Paralegal Academy Lead’ was created to help build and further develop the Paralegal Academy. Paralegals are unqualified lawyers who may be fee earners or who may assist more experienced fee earners in their work as well as performing other functions throughout the organisation. They are an integral part of the firm in helping it to deliver legal services to its clients, but also in providing a continual critical source of talent which can be developed.

The firm nurtures hundreds of Paralegals across its various specialisms and practice groups. In a nutshell the main function of the Paralegal Academy Lead is to:

• Create a supportive and learning-driven community for the firm’s Paralegals to grow and flourish;
• Help support the creation of a high-performance culture;
• Keep a reliable overview of Paralegal performance;
• Identify areas of underperformance and help find solutions to them;
• Identify future talent;
• Identify and assess any resource requirements;
• Help continually improve the Paralegal Academy offering.

key accountabilities and responsibilities

The successful candidate will oversee all aspects of the Paralegal Academy. This is a multi-faceted role which will encapsulate a number of functions including:

• Partnering with the Business and HR teams as well as other key stakeholders such as Partners and Directors;
• Developing effective retention strategies to help retain and develop the firm’s Paralegals;
• Developing strategies to attract and retain talent from less represented groups within the firm;
• Monitoring attrition including evaluating and analysing reasons for leaving, to improve retention;
• Working with the Early Careers Recruitment team including attending open evenings and recruitment events;
• Developing technical training with Training Managers and Career Development team;
• Working with HR Operations regarding performance, conduct and wellbeing;
• Encouraging culture of feedback with senior stakeholders regarding performance and benefits of Paralegal Academy.

Ideal candidates

This role is open to a broad range of candidates:

• You may have proven experience in HR and / or Learning and Development. For instance, you may be an experienced HR or L&D Advisor / Consultant or Business Partner.
• Equally, you may have experience in recruitment and be looking to gain access into more of an HR or L&D role.
• We will also consider applications from experienced Paralegals Legal Executives or Solicitors who have operational experience and wish to gain more exposure to HR or L&D.

Next steps

This is an excellent role, offering the opportunity to take responsibility for, and have real impact in, the growth and development of the Paralegal Academy which, in turn, will deliver significant positive outcomes for the firm.

If you are interested in finding out more, please don’t hesitate to apply with an up-to-date CV or get in touch for more details.