Innovation Manager

A leading global law firm, operating with a strong international presence across more than 20 countries. It is recognized for its expertise in complex corporate transactions, high-value finance work, and cross-border legal matters. The firm serves a diverse clientele that includes multinational corporations, financial institutions, and government entities.

The organisation is going through a major transformation programme of work to increase the commercialisation of the business through advancing their technology and data decision making processes.

This newly created role sits at the intersection of business and technology, acting as a critical bridge between the Business Development & Marketing (BDM) function and the technology and data teams. The role will play a leadership position in shaping how strategic commercial outcomes are translated into effective technology solutions.

This person will need to understand both the strategic objectives of the business and how to architect and manage a tech stack that exceeds those requirements. They will be expected to lead from the front, challenge assumptions, and ensure alignment between business strategy and technology execution.

A key part of the remit is building a collaborative, cross-functional team culture, and being accountable for the overarching technology strategy. This isn’t just about capturing business requirements—it’s about helping teams articulate where they want to go, conducting market research into emerging tools and technologies, and working closely with procurement and IT to evaluate new platforms.

Innovation will be a key focus. This person will be responsible for creating and nurturing the environment for innovation—facilitating sessions, scanning the market for trends, and encouraging new ways of thinking and working across BDM. They must be able to think holistically about how to evolve and differentiate the function through smarter, future-forward use of technology.

The ideal background would be a programme manager or transformation lead with experience in large-scale CRM or ERP rollouts, who has worked closely with tech teams without being a deep technical expert themselves.

• Programme Leadership: Lead multi-disciplinary technology programmes, ensuring that they are delivered on time, within scope, and on budget. Drive the strategic vision for key technology initiatives and collaborate with senior stakeholders to define clear goals.
• Stakeholder Management: Work closely with cross-functional teams including Legal, IT, Operations, Business Development & Marketing to ensure programme objectives align with business needs. Build strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders, including vendors and technology partners.
• Project Delivery: Oversee the execution of technology projects, ensuring proper resourcing, risk management, and effective change management processes. Track programme progress, report on key milestones, and resolve issues that may arise during delivery.
• Process Improvement: Continuously evaluate and enhance programme delivery processes to ensure best practices in project management, technology implementation, and client service delivery. Foster a culture of innovation by identifying opportunities for automation and digital transformation within the firm.
• Budget and Resource Management: Manage programme budgets, resource allocation, and project timelines, ensuring that deliverables are met while adhering to financial and resource constraints.
• Quality Assurance & Compliance: Ensure all technology solutions meet the highest standards of quality and regulatory compliance, particularly in relation to data security, client confidentiality, and legal industry requirements.

• Proven Track Record: Extensive experience managing complex technology programmes with a focus on driving Innovation.
• Leadership: Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, guide, and develop cross-functional teams in a collaborative, high-performance environment.
• Project Management Expertise: Demonstrated expertise in programme and project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall, PRINCE2). Relevant certifications (e.g., PMP, Scrum Master) are desirable.
• Technical Acumen: In-depth understanding of technology, data management, cloud solutions, and software development lifecycle.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage and influence senior stakeholders and external vendors.
• Problem-Solving: Ability to anticipate challenges and devise creative solutions in a fast-paced and ever-evolving environment.
• Legal Industry Knowledge (desirable): Familiarity with the legal sector, legal workflows, and regulatory frameworks, particularly related to data protection, client confidentiality, and compliance.