Job info	Job info details
Job title	Claims Handler
Strategic team/Directorate	Corporate Services
Service	Legal Services
Business unit	Legal Services
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Senior Solicitor – Licensing, Litigation, and Insurance
Accountable to (line manager)	Senior Solicitor – Licensing, Litigation, and Insurance
Salary grade	H
JE ref	CORP001

1. Key purpose of job

• To have full responsibility for a case load primarily of civil litigation matters centred upon the defence of public and employers’ liability claims.
• To support and assist in the day-to-day operation of the claims handling function.
• To provide claims and risk management advice and recommendations to Council departments.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• The provision of an efficient and effective in-house claims handling function where the Council’s interests are protected and claims are robustly defended, where possible.
• The delivery of high-quality legal advice and risk management services to Council officers, and Members, in a way that furthers and promotes good customer care within Legal Services.
• The provision of legal services work as required, undertaken with appropriate supervision and professional support. 

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
• To undertake civil claims investigations and case work, and to provide technical and high-quality professional responses to claimants and / or their nominated or legal representatives.
• To provide advice within the specialist area of claims handling / civil liability.
• To be responsible for the accurate recording of details of claims brought against the Council on LACH’s or any replacement database, and the setting of appropriate financial reserves.
• To develop and maintain a good working relationship with client departments, insurers, and external solicitors, ensuring that the Council’s position is protected.
• To provide advice and services in relation to other areas of local government as required by the Senior Solicitor of the Licensing, Litigation, and Insurance Team.
• To have knowledge of the law, practice, and current issues within the specialist areas upon which the post holder advises on.
• To liaise with the Insurance Manager to determine policy coverage.
• To provide training within the specialist areas as required to client departments.
• To assist the team in the preparation of cases to go before the Court, including advocacy on routine matters commensurate to the grade and level of the post.
• To have a working knowledge of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998 and keep up to date with all material changes.
• To be knowledgeable and up to date on the general law relating to local government functions, including freedom of information and data protection. 

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• The post-holder is required to provide informal support and supervision to junior members of the team and business support officers. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• The post holder operates in an environment governed by the need to meet deadlines (including those externally imposed) in a context of changing priorities. 
• The post holder is required to be able to travel to site visits, Court hearings and meetings and record data as required. 
• The post holder is likely to handle cases of a sensitive and emotive nature concerning matters which may have caused persons distress and upset. 

7. Physical demands of the post

• The post holder may very occasionally be required to transfer heavy documentation, e.g., claims files, deed packets, Court bundles off site with appropriate manual handling equipment provided to enable safe working.
• The post holder is required to travel to site visits, where necessary. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• The post holder will have access to a laptop computer and other agile working equipment. 
• The post holder is required to ensure the security of confidential and sensitive material when transporting and using files and computers when homeworking, travelling and working away from the office. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

External: 

• Members of the public, other local authorities, partners and external bodies, government departments, other professionals (legal and others i.e., medical experts), Courts and tribunals, insurance companies, loss adjusters, and their representatives.

Internal: 

• Team members, officers, senior officers, and Members at all levels within the Council.

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.

Other Information

• All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children’s Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
• The post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
• You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Claims Handler
Strategic team/Directorate	Corporate Services
Service	Legal Services
Business unit	Legal Services

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Ability to give clear and accurate legal advice to client departments to ensure that they may effectively consider risk and statutory obligations in their decision making.
• To be analytical, investigative, and possess effective decision-making skills to enable accurate and reasoned determinations of legal liability.
• Well-developed interpersonal skills sufficient to influence, persuade and negotiate financial settlements in a sensitive professional way.
• Ability to conduct legal research autonomously and confidently interpret statutes, regulations, and other legal resources to determine legal liability and quantum.
• Adept at communicating with a variety of different audiences.
• Effective presentation skills sufficient to provide training to client departments in the area in which the post holder advises.
• Ability to work on own initiative, to prioritise work and manage time effectively, to meet deadlines across the work of the team and as may be imposed by the Court.
• Ability to build and maintain positive working relationships especially in a team environment.
• Ability to establish trust and confidence with those persons the postholder is required to work with, influence, support and advise.
• Effective ICT skills and experience with various software packages, sufficient to analyse information, produce reports and other documents.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

• Ability to adapt to new areas of work.
• Familiarity with LACH’s software. 

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• A high-level knowledge of the law of tort and the ‘six pack’ health & safety regulations. 
• Basic knowledge of contract law. 
• A detailed understanding of County Court civil claims procedures and the Civil Procedure Rules 1998.
• Working knowledge of local authority functions and services.
• Clear understanding of the principles of risk management. 
• Basic knowledge of GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018 and access to information legislation. 

Desirable knowledge

• Working knowledge of insurance principles.
• Knowledge and understanding of the online Claims Portal. 

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Minimum of 3 years suitable and relevant claims handling experience.
• Ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision.
• Ability to handle a full and varied caseload, to include complex matters. 

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of working for, or with, the public sector. 

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Educated to A Level standard or equivalent. 
• CILEX qualification level 3, or recognised claims handling qualifications from an approved body i.e., Chartered Insurance Institute, Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters, or equivalent. 

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• CILEX, CII or CILA. 

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West in order to carry out duties. 
• Ability to accommodate occasional/permanent homeworking.