Head of Change and Transformation in London

Bird & Bird are looking for a Head of Change & Transformation to join the firm's senior leadership community at an exciting and pivotal moment in their strategic development. The role will take ownership of the firm's strategic change portfolio and mobilise, lead and deliver significant, complex global transformation programmes that span operating model redesign, process improvement, technology transformation and new ways of working. This is a high-profile, 'hands-on' global role with direct access to firm leadership and the opportunity to shape the way Bird & Bird operates, competes and grows. The team, led by the firm's Chief Operating Officer, is at the forefront of delivering on Bird & Bird's exciting global transformation agenda. The Head of Change & Transformation will work alongside C-suite colleagues as well as the Head of Strategic Initiatives and Senior Business Services and Practice Group Leaders across the firm's global network. Alongside executing on major change programmes, the role carries a genuine opportunity to play a role in developing a world-class strategy and transformation team at one of the world's leading international law firms.

Key Responsibilities

• The Head of Change & Transformation will be responsible for delivering the most transformational changes for the firm, managing the firm's strategic change portfolio and developing, leading and managing a growing team of project and change professionals.
• Your responsibilities will include:
• Provide end-to-end management of significant, complex global transformation programmes from initial scoping, business case development and mobilisation through to delivery, transition to business as usual and benefits realisation.
• Draw together and lead the right mix of internal subject matter experts, functional leaders and external advisors (where appropriate) to deliver on strategic change and transformation programmes.
• Develop detailed, realistic project plans and integrated programme schedules; support resource planning across workstreams to ensure the right people and capacity are in place at the right time.
• Proactively identify, manage and escalate risks and issues, maintaining robust risk registers and ensuring mitigating actions are owned, tracked and resolved in a timely manner.
• Define and deliver change strategies and appropriate change interventions to drive full global adoption across all transformation programmes; in doing so, ensure communications and training plans are embedded into every major programme.
• Drive a culture of delivery excellence across all programmes, instilling rigour, pace and accountability whilst remaining pragmatic and adaptive to the evolving needs of the firm.

Portfolio Management

• Manage the firm's strategic portfolio, giving leaders a clear view of priorities, investment choices, progress and impact across the firm.
• Partner with the COO and senior leaders to set the transformation roadmap and governance; prioritising what we fund, what we stop, and what success looks like.
• Run a light-touch portfolio governance cadence (plans, benefits, risks, dependencies) that enables confident investment decisions and on-time delivery.
• Surface risks, issues and budget pressures early, bringing clear options and recommendations to the Leadership Team to steer investment and remove blockers.

Team leadership & management

• Provide leadership and management support to the Change & Transformation team, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Set clear objectives, priorities and development plans for direct reports, conducting regular one-to-ones, performance reviews and coaching conversations to support individual growth and team effectiveness.
• Manage team resourcing, capacity and workload effectively, balancing the demands of the live portfolio against the need to invest in team capability, wellbeing and professional development.
• Foster strong cross-functional relationships across Business Services and the broader firm, positioning the transformation team as a trusted, enabling function rather than a project management overhead.

What you'll bring

• Significant experience leading and delivering complex, large-scale transformation programmes in a professional services and/or legal environment.
• Demonstrable experience managing a strategic change portfolio across multiple concurrent programmes in a global, matrixed organisation.
• Strong track record across the full transformation spectrum including operating model, organisational design, process improvement, technology-led change and cultural / behavioural change.
• Excellent full life-cycle project management skills, including the ability to plan, organise and prioritise multiple workstreams simultaneously.
• Experience of managing and building relationships with internal stakeholders, business services teams and external software and service providers; a supportive collaborator.
• Experience working in or alongside partnership structures, with an understanding of the governance, culture and dynamics involved.
• Excellent influencing, communication and facilitation skills; able to engage and influence partners, C-suite and business services colleagues with confidence and credibility.
• Proven ability to build and lead high-performing teams, including in environments where the function is being established or grown.
• High emotional intelligence and political awareness; able to navigate ambiguity and complexity in a demanding professional environment.

What's in it for you

We provide comprehensive support for our colleagues' health and wellbeing, including private medical cover, life assurance, critical illness cover, and regular health assessments. In addition, we offer a range of lifestyle benefits designed to help our team live their best lives, such as a cycle to work scheme, access to online GP appointments, discounted gym memberships, and an electric vehicle scheme.

If you require any assistance, please email us at talentacquisitionlondon@twobirds.com. To apply, click on the 'apply' button to submit your details. Bird & Bird opens up a world of possible for lawyers and professionals everywhere. Working for a leading international law firm like Bird & Bird means working alongside people who are truly collegiate in the way they work with everyone. We work as one global team, with over 70% of work involving people from across the firm. And that's only increasing! It's this common purpose and shared approach that makes for a more productive and collaborative place to work. Your firm. Your future.

If you want to find out more, visit www.twobirds.com. As a disability and neurodiversity inclusive employer we want to ensure that you have a barrier-free recruitment experience at Bird & Bird. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please provide details to your recruitment contact who will be in touch to discuss any details provided and understand more about your individual adjustment needs.