Senior Practice Group Support Manager

Eversheds Sutherland; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fair & transparent practices

Flexible hybrid work policy

Dental & healthcare support

Diversity & inclusion focus

Career development programs

International exposure

Pro bono/community work

Retirement planning

Job summary

Eversheds Sutherland is seeking an experienced Senior Practice Group Support Manager to provide strategic leadership to the Practice Group Support function, translating business priorities into effective solutions and driving measurable improvements.

You will lead a team, influence senior stakeholders, and bring innovation, technology and AI into ways of working, aiming to deliver high-quality, commercially focused services across the firm.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to influence and harness talent across support services and fee-earner community globally.
• Evidence of driving significant change in a partnership through diplomacy, listening and influencing skills.
• Experience with technology, automation and AI to improve service delivery, effectiveness and efficiency.
• Ability to present with clarity, energy, confidence and enthusiasm.
• Well-developed commercial acumen contributing to the wider business strategy.
• Geographically mobile and capable of travel as required.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and influence a team of Practice Group Support Managers to deliver high performance.
• Drive and implement key support team strategies with measurable delivery.
• Influence and project manage key business strategies and initiatives.
• Collaborate with HR, Finance and other functions to provide seamless end-to-end service.
• Deputise for International Head of Support Services when required.
• Engage senior stakeholders to drive change in the support function.
• Challenge and redesign team structures to improve efficiency and service.
• Shape capabilities to meet changing business expectations.
• Use technology, automation and AI to enhance services.
• Monitor and report opportunities and projects within agreed timescales.

Skills

Influence across support

Change leadership

Tech, automation & AI

Stakeholder engagement

Commercial acumen

People management

Project management

Change management

Travel readiness

Job description

We are looking for an experienced Senior Practice Group Support Manager to provide strategic leadership to the Practice Group Support function and ensure it delivers high-quality, commercially focused services that meet the evolving needs of the business. Leading a team of Practice Group Support Managers and working with senior stakeholders, you will translate business priorities into effective support solutions, drive consistent service delivery and identify opportunities to improve performance, efficiency and value. A key focus of the role will be to bring innovation, technology, automation and AI expertise to challenge established ways of working and help redesign how Practice Group Support teams deliver their services to the business. You will combine strategic thinking, commercial judgement and strong change leadership to shape the future operating model, build capability and deliver measurable improvements in service quality, effectiveness and efficiency. The successful candidate will be a credible and collaborative leader who can influence at all levels, create momentum for change and demonstrate the firm's values in everything they do.

• Lead, coach and influence a team of Practice Group Support Managers resulting in a high performing team.
• Drive and implement key support team related strategies and initiatives ensuring delivery success measures are in place and met.
• Influence and project manage key business strategies and initiatives.
• Work collaboratively with other key International business services (eg HR, Finance) functions to provide a seamless quality end to end service to the business.
• Deputise (ad hoc) for the International Head of Support Services, acting as an advocate for the support team function at an international level.
• Act as a senior manager to key stakeholders at a strategic level, being a key influencer particularly in relation to change in the support team function
• Challenge and change team structures and the wider operating model to improve efficiency, effectiveness and overall team performance, resulting in optimum performance and service to the lawyers.
• Shape the capabilities of the support team function to meet with the changing expectations and demands of the business.
• Use technology, automation and AI to redesign and improve support services, processes and ways of working, delivering measurable improvements in effectiveness, efficiency and service quality.
• Monitor, measure and report on Practice Group Support team opportunities and projects within agreed formats and timescales.

Skills and Experience

We'd love to hear from candidates with the following skills and experience:

• Proven ability to influence and harness the talent and resources across support team services and the fee-earner community on a global basis to achieve long-term business objectives.
• Evidence of driving significant change in a partnership through well-developed diplomacy, listening and influencing skills. Evidence of ability to build strong internal relationships at the highest level in order to implement strategic change.
• Demonstrable experience of working with technology, automation and AI, including identifying and implementing opportunities to improve service delivery, effectiveness and efficiency.
• Ability to present with clarity, energy, confidence and enthusiasm.
• Well-developed commercial acumen, with the ability to contribute to the wider business strategy.
• A range of influencing skills, personal impact and communication skills that will ensure success and command instant credibility at all levels of the firm.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision, in an autonomous and independent way.
• Competent in the use of information systems and possesses sound project management skills.
• Ability to challenge constructively combined with high levels of resilience.
• A lively, energetic and strong personality with ambition and a practical can-do mentality.
• Exposure to organisational development and change management.
• Track record of coaching, motivating and influencing at a senior level using a pragmatic approach.
• Geographically mobile.

What's in it for you?

At Eversheds Sutherland, we provide benefits focused on looking after you: your development, your performance, your financial future and your health, as well as providing the opportunity to make a contribution to the world.

• We're fair, transparent and equitable
• We share in the success of the firm, reward alignment to our values, going above and beyond and your individual performance
• We support flexible ways of working through our remote working policy and commitment to flexible, agile and hybrid ways of working
• We support your health and performance through our dental, healthcare and wellness support
• We support everything you are and all you bring through our powerful commitment to diversity and inclusion
• We provide a platform for your career, whatever your ambitions through our structured professional and personal training, mentoring and development programs
• We provide experience and opportunity through international and cross-function exposure
• We provide an opportunity to give back through our pro bono work and community engagement
• We help you plan ahead through retirement planning, insurance and assurance