Head of Legal Services

Job overview

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced legal professional to take on the pivotal role of Head of Legal Services at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust. This senior leadership role is a key part of our transformation journey and presents a unique opportunity to lead and shape the delivery of legal services across a large, complex, and high-performing acute Trust. As our principal legal subject matter expert, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across all legal domains, including clinical negligence, non-clinical claims, Coroner’s inquests, judicial reviews, procurement law, risk management and manage the Trust Legal Tendering processYou will work closely with the Executive Team to develop and deliver a forward-thinking legal strategy that ensures the Trust meets its legal obligations while enabling the delivery of outstanding care.

What We’re Looking For

We are seeking a qualified solicitor or barrister with:

• Extensive specialist legal knowledge, ideally within healthcare or public sector law.
• Proven experience of leading a legal team in a large and complex organisation.
• Excellent negotiation, influencing, and analytical skills.
• A strong understanding of NHS governance, risk, and compliance frameworks.
• The ability to work collaboratively across clinical, commercial, and corporate settings.

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the Legal Services function across the Trust, aligning legal support with corporate strategy.
• Manage and procure all external legal services across the Trust, ensuring high-quality, cost-effective service delivery.
• Provide expert legal advice on high-risk matters, including complex litigation, inquests, and statutory inquiries.
• Act as the Trust’s relationship manager with NHS Resolution, external legal providers, and HM Coroner’s Office.
• Oversee all medico-legal and non-clinical claims, identifying issues early to mitigate risks and costs.
• Develop and lead improvement initiatives, using data and research to continuously improve legal services.
• Support and line manage senior legal team members, fostering a high-performing and cohesive team culture.
• Hold joint budget responsibility for Legal Services with the Deputy Chief Nurse and Chief of Nursing and Midwifery.
• Ensure all legal operations comply with relevant legislation, regulatory frameworks, and procurement requirements.
• Facilitate the process of the Trust Legal Tendering process