Innovation Project Manager

Freshfields; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Freshfields is seeking an experienced Innovation Project Manager to drive the firm’s innovation agenda across global operations. Based in Manchester or Bratislava, you will lead the delivery of initiatives from concept through pilot to business-as-usual adoption, balancing ambiguity with clear governance.

You will coordinate cross-functional teams, manage risks, produce executive reporting and ensure initiatives align with strategic priorities.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering projects within innovation, technology, digital transformation or related environments.
• Strong project management expertise with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience producing business cases, project plans, governance documentation and executive reporting.
• The ability to operate effectively in fast‑changing and uncertain environments.
• Experience working within professional services, legal, financial services or other regulated environments.
• Exposure to emerging technologies such as AI, agentic AI, automation, cloud technologies or data platforms.
• Familiarity with Agile, Lean or product‑led delivery approaches.
• Experience managing proofs of concept, pilots, innovation programmes or innovation labs.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of innovation initiatives aligned to strategic business objectives.
• Manage projects through the complete lifecycle, from idea generation and proof of concept through pilot, production delivery and operational handover.
• Apply the most appropriate delivery approach, whether Agile, hybrid or waterfall, according to project needs.
• Coordinate multiple workstreams to ensure successful outcomes and delivery against agreed objectives.
• Establish robust project governance, milestones, dependencies and controls.
• Produce and maintain project plans, RAID logs, business cases, delivery artefacts and status reports.
• Work closely with Legal, Security and Procurement teams to ensure initiatives align with firm standards and risk requirements.
• Support governance forums and Go/No-Go decision-making for pilots and scaling activities.
• Monitor project performance, risks and benefits realisation throughout the delivery lifecycle.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Business case & governance docs

Executive reporting

Agile / hybrid / waterfall delivery

Ambiguity management

Job description

This role could be based in either Manchester or Bratislava

About Freshfields

Freshfields is a global law firm with a long-standing reputation for delivering outstanding client service. As technology continues to transform the legal industry, innovation is playing an increasingly important role in how we work, collaborate and deliver value.

Our Innovation team sits at the centre of that transformation, identifying opportunities, exploring emerging technologies and turning ideas into practical solutions that enhance both client and colleague experience.

We're looking for an experienced Innovation Project Manager to help drive this agenda forward.

The Opportunity

Innovation is not just about generating ideas. It is about converting those ideas into meaningful outcomes.

As an Innovation Project Manager, you will be responsible for taking innovative concepts, emerging technologies and strategic opportunities and transforming them into structured, well-governed initiatives that deliver measurable business value. In some cases, your role will be to prove an idea's potential. In others, it will be to demonstrate why it should not progress further.

Operating across business, technology and innovation teams, you will manage the full lifecycle of innovation initiatives, from concept and experimentation through proof of concept, pilot delivery, adoption and transition into business-as-usual operations.

This is a role for someone who is comfortable working in ambiguity. You'll be equally capable of facilitating creative discussions around emerging technologies as you are producing executive reporting, managing risks and ensuring projects remain aligned with business priorities.

You will act as the bridge between innovation and execution, helping the firm realise the value of its innovation investments while ensuring initiatives are delivered responsibly, securely and sustainably.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead the delivery of innovation initiatives aligned to strategic business objectives.
• Manage projects through the complete lifecycle, from idea generation and proof of concept through pilot, production delivery and operational handover.
• Apply the most appropriate delivery approach, whether Agile, hybrid or waterfall, according to project needs.
• Coordinate multiple workstreams to ensure successful outcomes and delivery against agreed objectives.

Governance & Risk Managementt

• Establish robust project governance, milestones, dependencies and controls.
• Produce and maintain project plans, RAID logs, business cases, delivery artefacts and status reports.
• Work closely with Legal, Security and Procurement teams to ensure initiatives align with firm standards and risk requirements.
• Support governance forums and Go/No-Go decision-making for pilots and scaling activities.
• Monitor project performance, risks and benefits realisation throughout the delivery lifecycle.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as the central point of coordination across Business Teams, Innovation, Technology, Legal, Procurement, Transformation and external partners.
• Translate business requirements into clearly defined project scope and measurable success criteria.
• Facilitate workshops, demonstrations, steering groups and decision-making sessions.
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders and ensure initiatives remain aligned to strategic objectives.
• Support experimentation and innovation while maintaining delivery discipline and governance.
• Coordinate pilots, testing activities and user feedback loops.
• Partner with Adoption and Communications teams to ensure successful implementation and user engagement.
• Help create the conditions for successful adoption and long-term value realisation.
• Manage relationships with third‑party suppliers, technology vendors and emerging technology partners.
• Oversee delivery commitments, timelines, commercial arrangements and performance throughout project delivery.
• Support planning for operational ownership and ongoing support arrangements following implementation.

About You

We're looking for a delivery‑focused professional who enjoys bringing structure, momentum and clarity to complex initiatives.

You will likely bring:

• Proven experience delivering projects within innovation, technology, digital transformation or related environments.
• Strong project management expertise with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience producing business cases, project plans, governance documentation and executive reporting.
• The ability to operate effectively in fast‑changing and uncertain environments.
• Experience working within professional services, legal, financial services or other regulated environments.
• Exposure to emerging technologies such as AI, agentic AI, automation, cloud technologies or data platforms.
• Familiarity with Agile, Lean or product‑led delivery approaches.
• Experience managing proofs of concept, pilots, innovation programmes or innovation labs.

Personal Attributes

You will be:

• Pragmatic and outcomes‑focused.
• Comfortable balancing experimentation with governance and control.
• Highly organised with strong prioritisation skills.
• A confident communicator who can engage effectively with senior stakeholders.
• Curious, proactive and enthusiastic about innovation and emerging technologies.
• Able to navigate ambiguity while maintaining delivery momentum.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to help shape the future of innovation at one of the world's leading law firms.

You’ll work with senior stakeholders, emerging technologies and global teams to bring innovative ideas to life and deliver meaningful business outcomes. From AI and automation to digital transformation and new ways of working, you’ll play a key role in helping Freshfields identify, test and scale the innovations that matter most.

If you enjoy combining strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement and disciplined project delivery to create real impact, we’d love to hear from you.