Business Manager, Corporate

---

Job description

Job Overview

The Business Manager role is critical to the success of the practice area. Alongside the Practice Area Manager and Practice Area Leaders ('PALs'), it drives the financial and operational performance, drives best practice in the resourcing processes of across the practice and connects the strategic agenda with operational delivery.

Who you will work with

The role will support the PAM in the overall operational management of the London Corporate Practice will work closely with the Legal Support Manager, Resource Manager, Legal Technology Manager and the Financial and Business Process Analyst. The Business Manager will also work closely with the Business Development and HR Functions.
The Business Manager will be a key member of the Corporate Operations Group and wider teams across the organization.

What you will be responsible for

The remit of the Business Manager is to support the PAM in the overall operational management of the London Corporate Practice, ensuring Firm-wide initiatives are adopted and the practice area strategic programme is implemented.

A crucial feature is the role-holder will be able to communicate at all levels and across functions. The Business Manager will be able to understand the nuances of different business models across the practice and will have the knowledge, people skills and awareness to drive the strategic agenda smoothly.

What you will do

The Business Manager will be expected to act as a trusted advisor to the Practice Area Management Team, comprising of the Practice Area Leaders (PALs), Practice Area Manager and other Partners (as appropriate), providing advice and guidance

The Business Manager will be expected to provide a quality support service and rapid response to complex queries.

The key responsibilities and objectives of the role are detailed below:

Supporting strategic Implementation

Project managing a variety of projects including the strategy implementation programme for the practice and other key initiatives.

Working with other business professional areas to enable change across the practice.

Practice Area and Operational Management

Assisting to the PAM in providing direction and guidance to senior stakeholders within the practice area, ensuring that key stakeholders are provided with relevant information required for the management off the business.

Working with the PAM to promote and liaise with the Best Delivery team (which includes Legal Project Managers, Continuous Improvement and Legal Tech Delivery), to ensure that we adopt and embed best practice within the practice area.

Promoting the use of in-house and low-cost resource options where viable, to reduce cost and improve client efficiencies.

In close conjunction with the PAM, coordinate practice area, partner meetings and retreats, and where appropriate assisting with preparing agendas, materials, minutes and progressing agreed actions

Assisting in business continuity and risk management processes are in place.

Working with the PAM to support the Global PAL and other global initiatives.

Pro-actively identifying and solving problems and being able to learn a wide range of disciplines to drive general management agenda.

Other relevant project support and representation as required.

Resource Management

Optimising and supporting the work allocation process and working with the resource manager to ensure the deployment of lawyers maximises profitability and supports personal development and we are effectively triaging best delivery and our Newcastle office.

Providing analysis, process improvement and advice about resource management to improve the Work Allocation function within Corporate.

Financial Management

Supporting the PAM and working with the Financial Analyst in the financial management of the Practice.

Managing the timeline for the budget and forecasting process to support the PAM and Financial analyst.

Driving efficiencies through the pricing to cash process cycle

Holding financial performance discussions with group heads and partners.

Understand and communicate the nuance of differing business models between product lines to key stakeholders.

Working with Pricing and Best delivery to drive profitability reviews with the Partners.

Leading on discreet financial improvement programmes

Educating the practice on financials through various means, e.g. sharing knowledge through meetings, presentations, papers and proposals.

Ad-hoc financial modelling

Your career experience so far

Ideally your experience will have been gained in a large commercial environment, ideally Professional Services.

You will have a consulting, project management, financial or business analysis background and be able to demonstrate business awareness with a good understanding of financial and performance metrics. An accounting qualification is preferred.

You will be confident and willing to engage with all levels of staff.

You will have excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to influence at all levels and explain technical issues in terms that are appropriate to the intended audience.

You will be an accurate worker with high attention to detail, and excellent organisational skills.

You will be proactive and be able to drive new initiatives you have implemented.

You will have the ability to work under pressure and to deadlines.

You will have excellent IT skills including a thorough working knowledge of Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook and a facility for on-line research.

You will be required to develop a good understanding of the culture and workings of the practice area.

It is desirable that you will be educated to degree level or equivalent and a finance or project management qualification would be advantageous.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:

Proven relationship management skills with the ability to influence decisions & outcomes at a senior level.

Project management experience.

Commercially minded with good business acumen.

Ability to take effective decisions using sound judgement.

Strong problem solving and conflict resolution experience.

Proven ability to build and maintain strong internal and external working relationships.

A strong team player and collaborator.

Good analytical skills with ability to manipulate complex data into comprehensive format.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Good IT skills including Excel.

How we will support you

From your first day with us, you will have varied opportunities to continuously grow and development your skills and knowledge. From formal training, informal coaching and mentoring through to skills-based and technical training and on the job learning.

About the Firm

Whatever your area of expertise, you will find a range of career opportunities at Clifford Chance. And wherever you're heading, Clifford Chance is where you can be true to your ambitions.

Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures and languages. In a world where commercial success increasingly relies on globalisation, we offer clients a truly international perspective, and we offer our people a rewarding and stimulating career. We're proud of our approachable, friendly and team-based way of working. Highly professional and self-assured, with an entrepreneurial streak, our people are more than happy to share their expertise and knowledge.

The London Corporate practice is established as one of the leading practices in London. Our lawyers advise clients on their strategic and challenging transactions across all major markets and in many cases with multi-jurisdictional dimensions.

Equal opportunities

At Clifford Chance we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society.

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age. This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer and every other aspect of employment.

Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm. Find out more here.

Competitive Salary and discretionary bonus, plus a range of exceptional benefits including pension, private medical cover, life insurance and income replacement insurance.

#LI-WRAP #LI-POST #IND1