Download here.

Charity and Social Enterprise Department Practice Manager
Job Description
Job Title:
Practice Manager
Reports to:
Head of Department and Partnership Executive Officer (PEO)
Job purpose:
A pivotal role within the Charity & Social Enterprise Department to provide strategic and operational
management support to the partnership group with a focus on driving and optimising performance,
efficiency and profitability. Commercially aware, the role requires a strategic and analytical operator,
coupled with the skills to influence behaviour and change.
Department Strategy & Business Planning
The Business Manager role will provide first class support to the Department Manager, Sub Group
Leaders and other Partners and senior lawyers in the formulation and implementation of department
strategy and business plans, which are focused on growth, improving departmental financial
performance and market profile and are aligned with the Global and London Office Strategy.
Strategy Alignment and Implementation
The Business Managers as a community play a key part in the implementation of the Global and
London Office Strategy by working collaboratively with the Management Committee, the other
Business Managers and Business & Secretarial Services to implement the Firm strategy within their
respective departments.
Act as an ambassador for BWB’s compliance culture and standards demonstrating the highest
standards of compliance behavior and to raise awareness of regulatory requirements and compliance
policies. Provide an advisory role for regulatory aspects across the whole business, ensuring best
practice and adherence to BWB’s compliance and regulatory policies and procedures
1.
General practice management
1.1
To assist the partners and those sector group heads whose sectors are within the social
economy (‘relevant sector groups’) in the implementation of strategy and business plans in
line with the firm’s overall strategy and business plan.
1.2
Together with the department’s partners and the firm’s senior management team, to
develop a best practice approach within the department, using critical and commercial
thinking to improve the efficiency of processes and pricing, freeing up lawyers’ time to
enable them to focus on client-facing work and client business development.
1.3
To help identify business trends and make recommendations to improve business
performance.
1.4
To work with the department’s partners and team managers to assist with the smooth
running of the department.
1.5
To assist the partners in creating an environment of continuous quality improvement in the
department and to learn from, encourage and share innovation across the firm, whether it
be for client work or improved working practices.
1.6
To work with the firm’s senior management team and the department’s designated support
from central services departments to ensure that firm-wide policies and processes are
communicated effectively and implemented and adhered to within the department.
1.7
In all activities, to have close regard to the firm’s B Corporation status, its principles and the
firm and department strategies in relation to society and people.
2.
Finance
2.1
Working with the firm’s senior management team, to assist the department partners and
relevant sector group heads (and particularly the Head of Department) in preparing and
communicating annual budgets for the department and relevant sector groups.
2.2
Together with the head of department, and with other partners and relevant sector group
heads as appropriate, to manage effectively the finances of the department, seeking to
ensure the department meets agreed profit and profitability targets. This will include regular
contact with the firm’s senior management team.
2.3
To monitor performance against financial and other relevant targets and assist the Head of
Department in ensuring that targets are met.
2.4
To liaise with the Finance Director and act as the interface between the department and the
finance and accounts team.
2.5
To review pricing and profitability, monitor effective utilisation of staff and control margins
through the assessment of time and cost write-offs.
2.6
To monitor the pipeline of work, time recording and utilisation levels, billing, and debt
collection to help the department meet its income, profit and fee collection targets.
2.7
To highlight to the Head of Department and relevant partners any concerns about the above
and help those partners develop and implement action plans to address these.
2.8
To assist with preparation of fee estimates and pricing proposals.
3.
Strategy and business planning
3.1
To participate in the development and review of department and relevant sector group
strategies and business plans and to assist partners and sector group heads in monitoring
performance.
3.2
To assist the department’s leader for cross-departmental strategy in fulfilling his / her role
and in implementing cross-departmental initiatives.
3.3
To assist the head of department in co-ordinating the department’s strategy and in running
strategy away days including the preparation of material, summarising outcomes,
communicating actions and ensuring follow-up.
4.
Business development, client management and marketing
4.1
To support department partners (particularly the lead partner for business development and
marketing) and with relevant sector group heads and the firm’s BD and marketing team in
implementing the department and relevant sector group strategies.
4.2
To support the department leader for BD and marketing in fulfilling his / her role.
4.3
Working with the department’s designated BD and marketing support, to assist partners and
relevant sector group heads with major client opportunities in terms of preparation of fee
estimates and fee modelling, contributing to pitches and monitoring processes for effective
billing to clients.
5.
People
5.1
To work with department partners (particularly the lead partner for HR) and with relevant
sector group heads and the firm’s HR team in managing HR issues and implementing the
department and sector group strategies in relation to people.
5.2
To support the department leader for HR in fulfilling his / her role.
5.3
To oversee and support the work of the administrative team manager(s).
5.4
To provide support to partners in relation to the promotion process, in particular the drafting
of business cases for partner and senior associate promotions and lateral hires.
5.5
To provide assistance to the partners in relation to recruitment and performance reviews of
both professional and support staff within the department, working closely with the HR
team.
5.6
To support the partners and administrative team manager(s) in the management of
appraisals.
6.
Special projects
Together with the partners and the firm’s senior management team, to project manage new
initiatives and to represent the department on firm-wide projects and initiatives.
7.
Meetings and outcomes
To attend departmental management and strategy meetings, ensuring, in conjunction with
the Head of Department, that meetings are well organised, agendas are set, reports are
prepared and circulated in time, minutes are taken, actions are agreed and followed up, and
relevant information is communicated.
Person Specification – experience and attributes required:



The candidate will have a thorough understanding of the workings of a partnership
environment, ideally with legal firm experience or other consulting background
A strong background in finance, or with a financial qualification would be helpful
Experience of resource allocation and pricing work would be an advantage








Ability to work within and across teams, to ensure that the professional support departments
such as BD and Marketing, Finance and HR are working collaboratively and with the same
overall aims
Commitment to BWB’s principles which can be seen at www.bwbllp.com.
Ability to build supportive relationships with different groups across the firm.
Credibility, professionalism and confidence to implement best practice.
Proven “people skills” in terms of recruiting, appraising, developing and motivating staff.
Excellent communication both written and verbal.
Excellent organisational skills.
The flexibility to work outside normal office hours as may be required from time-to-time.