Employment Partner

Yolk Recruitment; Painswick; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private Healthcare

Flexible working arrangements

Long-term career progression

Job summary

Yolk Recruitment is seeking a Head of Employment to lead and shape the firm’s Employment practice, driving strategy, growth, and client relationships from a central leadership position.

The role focuses on building a high-performing team, shaping the department’s future, and collaborating with senior leadership to enhance service delivery and market positioning.

Qualifications

• Significant experience practising Employment law in England & Wales.
• Experience leading, managing or developing a team.
• Track record of developing client relationships and/or winning new work.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to drive growth.

Responsibilities

• Developing and implementing a clear strategy for the Employment department.
• Identifying opportunities to grow the firm's Employment offering.
• Supporting recruitment, development and retention of Employment lawyers.
• Providing leadership, direction and mentoring to the wider team.
• Building relationships with key clients, referrers and professional contacts.
• Collaborating across the firm to shape service delivery and market strategy.
• Driving business development and market profile-building.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Client relationship management

Mentoring

Commercial awareness

Education

Qualified solicitor (England & Wales)

Job description

Partner/Head of Employment - Strategic Leadership

Location: South West England - office location flexible

Salary: Open and negotiable for the right candidate

Level: Head of Department / Senior Leadership

A growing and ambitious law firm is looking to appoint a Head of Employment- Partner to take strategic responsibility for the continued development of its Employment practice.

This is a leadership appointment designed for an experienced Employment lawyer who is interested in building and shaping a department, rather than simply increasing their own fee-earning caseload.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to influence the direction of the Employment offering, develop the team, strengthen client relationships and identify opportunities for sustainable growth across the business.

This could suit an established Head of Employment, senior Employment Partner or experienced Employment lawyer who is ready to move into a broader strategic leadership position.

The Role

The role will sit at the centre of the firm's Employment strategy, with responsibility for developing the practice and helping define its future direction.

• Developing and implementing a clear strategy for the Employment department.
• Identifying opportunities to grow the firm's Employment offering.
• Supporting the recruitment, development and retention of Employment lawyers.
• Providing leadership, direction and mentoring to the wider team.
• Building strong relationships with key clients, referrers and professional contacts.
• Identifying opportunities for cross-referral and collaboration across the wider firm.
• Supporting business development and profile-raising activity.
• Monitoring market developments and identifying areas for future growth.
• Helping shape the department's processes, structure and service offering.
• Working closely with the firm's senior leadership team on wider strategic initiatives.
• Maintaining a strong focus on client experience and commercial performance.

The Type of Person We're Looking For

This role is less about the size of an individual's personal billing and more about their ability to lead, develop and grow a successful Employment practice.

• Significant experience practising Employment law in England & Wales.
• A strong understanding of the Employment market and client requirements.
• Previous experience of leading, managing or developing a team.
• A track record of developing client relationships and/or winning new work.
• Strong commercial awareness.
• The ability to identify and execute opportunities for growth.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• A collaborative leadership style.
• The confidence to influence at senior level.
• A genuine interest in mentoring and developing other lawyers.
• The ability to balance strategic thinking with a practical understanding of the legal market.

A following, established client base would be welcomed, but the key consideration is your ability to build and develop a department, rather than simply your current personal billings.

Why This Role?

This is an opportunity to take ownership of an Employment practice within a firm that is continuing to grow and evolve.

Rather than stepping into a purely fee-earning position, you will have genuine scope to influence:

• The future structure of the Employment team.
• Recruitment and talent development.
• Client and market strategy.
• Business development.
• Service delivery.
• The firm's wider Employment proposition.

You will work closely with senior leadership and have the autonomy to bring ideas, challenge existing approaches and help shape the next stage of the department.

What's on Offer

• Salary package open and negotiable for the right individual.
• Senior strategic position with genuine influence.
• Opportunity to shape and grow an Employment practice.
• Leadership responsibility without a role centred solely around personal billing.
• Support from an established wider legal business.
• Opportunities for business development and market profile-building.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Strong scope for long-term career progression.
• Private Healthcare

Yolk Recruitment is an equal opportunities employer and embraces diversity in our workforce. We employ the best people for the job at hand and actively encourage applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, age, race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, educational background, parental status, gender identity or any other protected characteristic.