Job Description
Birchrose Associates is working with a leading City law firm to recruit a Senior Legal Operations Manager to join its high performing team.
The Opportunity
This is a senior, embedded role sitting within the management structure of the Practice Groups. You will play a pivotal role in shaping performance, profitability, and service delivery across the group, while working closely with central business services teams.
The role offers exposure to strategic decision-making and firmwide initiatives, with responsibility for improving how the Practice Group operates day-to-day as well as delivering longer-term transformation. You will also work closely with Legal Transformation and Technology teams, including the use of data, process improvement, and AI-enabled solutions to enhance efficiency and value delivery.
Responsibilities
- Act as the operational lead for allocated Practice Groups, ensuring day-to-day efficiency and alignment with wider strategic priorities
- Partner closely with Practice Group Leaders to deliver business plans, performance targets and operational objectives
- Use data and insight on utilisation, capacity and productivity to support resourcing decisions and improve overall performance
- Spot and deliver opportunities to improve processes, remove inefficiencies and enhance the way legal work is delivered
- Champion the use of technology, automation and AI-enabled tools to streamline workflows and reduce manual intervention
- Support teams with budgeting, forecasting, pricing insight and ongoing monitoring of financial performance
- Analyse profitability and operational trends to inform commercial decisions and longer-term planning
- Oversee key resourcing activity including onboarding, leavers, work allocation and broader team coordination
- Work with HR on key people processes including promotions, salary reviews, performance management and reward cycles
- Provide day-to-day direction and oversight to embedded Legal Operations colleagues within the Practice Group
- Act as a central point of coordination between Practice Groups and business services teams including Finance, HR, BD and Technology
- Produce and coordinate management information, reporting packs and performance updates for senior stakeholders
- Contribute to Practice Group meetings, planning sessions and strategic discussions, ensuring actions are tracked and delivered
- Work with Business Development teams to support client initiatives and ensure effective use of data and insight
- Ensure adherence to internal policies, financial controls and operational governance standards
- Identify, assess and help resolve operational risks, escalating where necessary
- Support delivery of transformation projects and firmwide initiatives, ensuring successful implementation and adoption at Practice Group level
Benefits
- Senior-level role with significant strategic influence
- High visibility with Practice Group leadership and firmwide stakeholders
- Opportunity to lead operational transformation and innovation initiatives
- Exposure to cutting-edge legal technology and process improvement programmes
- Competitive package and strong career development prospects within a leading professional environment
Requirements
- Strong experience in legal operations or professional services operational roles
- Solid understanding of financial management including P&L, budgeting, and commercial drivers
- Proven experience in process improvement, change delivery, and operational transformation
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leadership
- Excellent organisational and project management capabilities
- High attention to detail with a continuous improvement mindset
- Confident communicator with strong interpersonal skills
- Experience working with data, reporting, and business performance metrics
- Familiarity with legal technology and process optimisation tools (desirable)
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