Head of Pricing

Slaughter and May; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Slaughter and May is seeking an experienced Head of Pricing to lead London’s pricing function and shape the firm’s pricing strategy. You will provide commercial leadership on client and matter pricing, ensuring decisions support client value and profitability.

Reporting to the CFO, you will govern pricing, rate strategy, and the development of pricing capability across the practice. The role requires advising Partners on complex pricing matters, overseeing pricing governance, and driving

Qualifications

• Significant senior pricing experience in a professional services environment.
• Deep understanding of pricing, rate management and matter economics.

Responsibilities

• Lead pricing activities and develop firmwide pricing strategy aligned with commercial objectives.
• Advise senior leadership on rate strategy, fee structures and profitability of matters.
• Oversee matter scoping, budgeting, fee monitoring and post-matter reviews.
• Own the firm's approach to alternative fee arrangements and pricing models.
• Lead pricing governance, rate setting and annual rate reviews.
• Champion pricing excellence and develop standards, tools and playbooks.

Skills

Pricing leadership

Pricing governance

Rate strategy

Financial modelling

Alternative fee arrangements

AI in pricing

Team leadership

Stakeholder management

Job description

We are recruiting for an experienced Head of Pricing to lead the firm's pricing function in our London office. The role will shape and deliver the firm's pricing strategy, provide commercial leadership on client and matter pricing and ensure pricing decisions support client value and sustainable profitability.

Reporting into the Chief Financial Officer, the Head of Pricing will act as a trusted adviser to senior leadership and Partners, and will lead on pricing governance, rate strategy, alternative fee arrangements and the continued development of pricing capability across the firm.

Key responsibilities

The key responsibilities of this role are set out below and there may be others which are not listed. You may be required on occasion to work outside our normal working hours of 9:30am to 5:30pm.

Pricing strategy and leadership

• Lead pricing activities, overseeing the development of firmwide pricing strategy aligned with the firm's commercial objectives, client strategy and market positioning.
• Act as the firm's senior pricing adviser, providing clear recommendations and constructive challenge where appropriate to senior leadership and Partners.

Partner, client and matter pricing

• Lead pricing support for significant client opportunities, panel appointments and complex or sensitive pitches and matters.
• Advise Partners on rate strategy, fee structures, matter profitability, value propositions and negotiation approaches, including discussions with clients and procurement teams.
• Ensure key pricing decisions are supported by robust financial modelling, market context and risk assessment.
• Oversee approaches to matter scoping, budgeting, fee monitoring and post-matter review to improve pricing outcomes.

Alternative fee arrangements

• Own the firm's approach to alternative fee arrangements and innovative pricing models, including fixed fees, retainers, subscriptions, success fees and risk-sharing arrangements.
• Ensure alternative fee arrangements are commercially robust, appropriately scoped, approved and monitored, and align client and firm objectives.

Rate strategy and pricing governance

• Lead rate setting, annual rate reviews and the management of client-specific and standard rates, taking account of market conditions, profitability and firm strategy.
• Lead the firm's pricing governance framework.
• Maintain pricing policies, approval authorities and escalation processes, and prepare clear recommendations for senior leadership and the Board.
• Work with the wider Finance department, Client and Markets and other teams to coordinate pricing governance with related firmwide processes.

Pricing centre of excellence

• Champion pricing excellence and a strong commercial mindset among Partners, lawyers and business services teams.
• Develop consistent pricing standards, methodologies, guidance, tools, templates, playbooks and best-practice materials.

Team leadership and strategy

• Lead and develop the Pricing team, setting clear direction, maintaining consistency of approach and high standards of delivery and service.
• Set the pricing strategy, shaping direction and influencing key initiatives in line with firm priorities.
• Shape and deliver the team’s strategy for utilising AI to improve automation and efficiency.

Candidate profile

Candidates for this position must have:

Pricing expertise

• Significant senior-level pricing experience; comparable experience in a law firm or complex professional services environment.
• Deep understanding of legal services pricing, rate management, matter economics, profitability and alternative fee arrangements.
• A strong track record of advising Partners and senior leaders on complex, high-value or strategically important pricing matters.

Strategic and commercial capability

• Strong strategic thinking and commercial judgement, with the ability to balance profitability, competitiveness, client value, risk and long-term relationships.
• A detailed understanding of the economic and market drivers affecting international law firms and their clients.

Leadership and influence

• Exceptional communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills, with the credibility to advise and constructively challenge senior leadership and Partners.
• Proven experience of leading, managing and developing a high-performing pricing or commercial team.
• The ability to build consensus across a partnership and work collaboratively with stakeholders who may have differing priorities.

Professional and technical skills

• Advanced financial analysis and modelling capability, with the ability to turn complex information into clear recommendations for non-financial audiences.
• Strong project and programme management skills and the ability to manage competing demands under pressure.
• Experience developing pricing frameworks, methodologies and training for senior audiences.
• Experience using AI-enabled tools to enhance performance and team effectiveness.

We are committed to ensuring that our recruitment processes are barrier-free and as inclusive as possible for everyone. This includes making adjustments for people who have a disability or long-term condition. If you have any questions or require any adjustments to be made to one or both of the application or interview processes, please contact the Recruitment Team.

We are a Disability Confident Committed employer and will offer an interview to applicants with a disability or long-term condition who best meet the minimum or essential criteria for our Business Services roles. If you would like to apply through the Disability Confident 'Offer An Interview' commitment, please apply via our online application form and not via LinkedIn. You are disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities. For more information about the Disability Confident scheme, please see the government website here.

We welcome applications irrespective of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, belief or marital status.