Marks & Clerk: Formalities Team Leader

Role Purpose

The Formalities Team Leader is responsible for providing administrative support to fee earners and for overseeing the electronic workflows of their respective team, ensuring workflows are correctly maintained and tasks are properly allocated. Responsibilities include providing assistance with case management and patent formalities, in order to ensure that patent applications and official actions are responded to within the statutory timescales, and troubleshooting any issues in relation to the patent process to ensure all activities are completed to time and quality standards.

Principal Responsibilities

• Allocate work to the appropriate support staff resource in the team, taking into account subject area, expertise, availability and costs
• Participate in regular meetings with fellow Team Leaders, Office Manager (OM) and Record & Systems Manager (RSM) to ensure communication and workflow standards are maintained
• Escalate any issues to OM and RSM in a timely manner and take ownership to resolve them
• Proactively review working practices and discuss with other Team Leaders, RSM and OM as appropriate, and on approval, implement changes
• Assist OM with annual appraisals of relevant team members; identify training needs and work with OM to address and resolve; support team members through relevant training such as CIPA/ITMA training
• Maintain regular communication with Partners, fee earners, and other support staff

Technical knowledge, professional qualifications and experience

The successful candidate will have:
• At least 5 years’ experience working in an IP related role
• Good knowledge of Inprotech & CPA Direct
• Experience of diary management, monitoring emails and monitoring deadlines
• Excellent IT skills – including Word & Excel
• Experience in a client facing role (desirable)

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:
• Supervisory and leadership skills
• A highly motivated and pro-active attitude
• The ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Excellent organisation and prioritisation skills
• Good communication skills - both verbal and written
• Excellent attention to detail

Remuneration and benefits

• Competitive salary dependent on qualification and experience
• 26 days annual holiday, plus statutory holidays
• Contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Private medical insurance (after 18 months)
• Permanent health insurance (after 2 years)
• Reimbursement of membership fees to professional bodies required for the role