Strategy and Business Operations Manager

Caselton Clark; Northern Midlands; On-site; AUD 174,000 - 232,000; Full time

Job summary

Caselton Clark is seeking a Strategic and Business Operations Manager in Birmingham, UK, to guide operational strategy across paralegal and business support teams. The role reports to Equity Partner and Trade Mark Attorney and oversees a 35+ team, shaping structures and driving performance.

The role focuses on governance, service delivery and stakeholder engagement, with responsibility for workforce planning, transformation, and continuous improvement initiatives across the firm.

Qualifications

• Significant senior operational leadership experience in professional services.
• Coaching, performance management and employee relations expertise.
• Track record in transformation, business planning and strategic workforce design.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary teams across paralegal and administration functions.
• Drive operational excellence, process efficiency and AI adoption.
• Develop short-, medium-, and long-term workforce strategies to support growth.
• Engage with Partners and Department Heads to align priorities with firm goals.
• Maintain governance controls and high service standards across support functions.

Skills

Senior leadership

Performance management

Organisational change

Data-driven decisions

IP industry knowledge

Job description

Role: Strategic and Business Operations Manager

Location: Birmingham, UK

Role Type: Full-time, Permanent

About the Firm

Our client is one of the UK’s largest and most highly regarded Intellectual Property firms, delivering specialist legal services tailored to the unique needs of a diverse client base.

The Role

A leadership opportunity has arisen for a Strategic and Business Operations Manager to provide overarching strategic and operational direction across the firm’s Patent Paralegal, Trade Mark Paralegal, and Business Support Administration functions.

Reporting directly to the Equity Partner and Trade Mark Attorney, this senior role carries direct line management responsibility for a multidisciplinary team of over 35 reports. The remit focuses on shaping team structures, driving operational excellence, and acting as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• People Leadership & Development: Lead, coach, and manage a large multidisciplinary team of paralegals and administrators, driving engagement, performance management, and talent development.
• Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement: Review and optimise team structures, workflows, and working practices, championing innovation and process efficiency (including AI adoption).
• Strategic Workforce Planning: Design and deliver short-, medium-, and long-term workforce strategies, utilising management information and workflow data to align resources with future business growth.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build trusted relationships with Partners, Department Heads, and Team Managers to align operational priorities with firm objectives.
• Governance & Service Delivery: Maintain robust operational controls and ensure high service standards across all support functions.

Key Skills & Experience

• Significant senior operational leadership experience within a professional services environment, managing multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong coaching, performance management, and employee relations expertise.
• Demonstrable track record in organisational change, transformation, and business planning.
• Strong commercial acumen and analytical capability, with confidence using performance and workflow data to inform decision-making.
• Knowledge of the Intellectual Property profession (Patent and Trade Mark processes) and familiarity with systems such as Inprotech or iManage would be highly advantageous.
• Relevant management or leadership qualifications are preferred.