Disputes Manager

Salary (external only):
Base salary: £61,622pa to c.£77,028pa depending on skills and experience. In addition, we offer flexible benefits fund of 20% which is paid on top base salary and is fully pensionable, as well as a range of competitive benefits - check them out in the Benefits section on our website.

HS2 Ltd endeavours to ensure everyone working for us and with us feels included, thrives and achieves their full potential. In practice, this means we are positive and inclusive about making adjustments, providing flexible working, encouraging our staff networks to flourish and providing personal and professional development opportunities.

As a Disputes Manager at HS2 you will have accountability for devising strategies for tribunal cases identifying those to settle and those we may wish to refer. The role will work with our Strategic Suppliers to undertake risk/cost assessments of their cases, identify those to be proactively managed and liaise with Legal to establish an agreed approach to each case.

As required the role may also involve the active negotiation of complex, high risk and contentious property acquisitions either approaching, or already in active dispute resolution procedures. The role includes advice on setting strategy in new, novel and contentious areas of compulsory purchase.

• Actively promote and embed Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all your work, and support and comply with all organisational initiatives, policies and procedures on EDI.
• Accountable for devising strategies for tribunal cases, co-ordinating input from all relevant expert parties and managing a tracker of all existing tribunal cases and potential cases across blight determination, blight compensation, 'Compulsory Purchase Order' compensation and 'Material Detriment', plotting key dates, case officer, lawyers, experts and counsel together with an accountability 'RACI' matrix.
• Ascertain DfT delegations with regards to 'Sealed offers' and 'Material Detriment' approvals. Deliver 'Sealed Offers' and 'Calder Bank Offers' with Case officers where appropriate in live and potential cases.
• Work with strategic suppliers to undertake risk / cost matrix of their cases to identify hotspots which need to be managed proactively.
• Work with legal to establish home team of Counsel, including the identification and instruction of experts across various disciplines that can be procured easily and quickly and undertake 'lessons learned' in Tribunal cases.
• Leads on the design of 'strategy for individual tribunal' cases including identifying those cases to settle and those we may want to refer, acknowledging the repercussive nature of those strategies for both HS2 Ltd and compulsory purchase practice.
• Implement Improvements in ADR policy and provide advice to all team members.
• Seek to share expertise and knowledge on strategies and compulsory purchase practice with Case Managers, Acquisitions Leads and Senior Property Acquisition Managers
• Contribute to the monthly reporting pack and report costs and opportunities to Head of Acquisitions and the Land and Property Director on a quarterly basis
• Adhere to HS2 Ltd's Health and Safety policies.

Skills:

• Relationship management with the ability to adopt different styles with different stakeholders, influencing decisions and negotiating outcomes where necessary
• Communication skills - including the ability to draft concisely, clearly and persuasively and present strategies and solutions through papers, reports and presentations, understanding when politics are at play and work towards achieving the best outcome for Land and Property, the Claimant and Affected Parties, for HS2 Ltd and ultimately the tax-payer
• Ability to gather and synthesise information, identifying options and applying sound judgement based on logic and reason, making use of a variety of analytical approaches to provide relevant information to suppliers, stakeholders and decision makers using key facts and data.
• Advisory skills - including the ability to deliver independent expert evidence

Knowledge:

• Chartered Surveyor (or equivalent)
• Understanding of the Land and Property Industry, policy and…