Associate Director- Dispute Intelligence (Maternity Cover)

We are looking for an Associate Director in our dedicated global dispute intelligence practice based in London to work as maternity cover from August 2026 to August 2027. This is a leadership role, and the successful candidate will have responsibility for growing and developing the practice in close collaboration with the head of the team and colleagues across different regions and service lines.

Role’s core responsibilities

• Managing and growing new and existing client relationships, with a focus on winning high‑value, repeat mandates from law firms, in‑house legal counsel and litigation funders.
• Playing a leading role in developing our dispute support strategy alongside senior colleagues.
• Overseeing the delivery of complex litigation and dispute support projects, in Europe and globally.
• Ensuring best in class execution and innovation around open‑source research, source enquiries, and analysis.
• Managing high‑performing project teams, while maintaining inclusive and collaborative team culture.

Role tasks and responsibilities

• Client management and business development
• Identify and secure new client relationships through pro‑active business development efforts with the support of senior business leaders, with a focus on commercial litigators, arbitration practitioners, in‑house counsel and litigation funders.
• Grow existing relationships with clients that are regular consumers of our investigation services.
• Represent Control Risks at dispute‑related events, in coordination with the head of dispute support, and broader regional management.
• Collaborate with other business intelligence leaders across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas on global business development initiatives, including webinars, thought leadership and targeted client outreach.
• Identify additional sources of income and brand profile building for Control Risks in disputes and litigation support.
• Case work
• Oversee the delivery of complex, multi‑jurisdictional projects in and beyond EMEA, with a focus on asset tracing and investigations in support of litigation and arbitration.
• Manage the dispute support team’s output to ensure that high standards of quality and client relevance are consistently met.
• Collaborate with peers in other practice lines to ensure our research is innovative, responsive and of high quality, identifying where technology could be best applied for research efficiencies or improvements in delivery.
• Constantly improve and develop our source network, including ensuring compliance with company‑wide policies and awareness of risk in the team.
• Pre‑empt and manage risk issues associated with our clients and case management, and mentor others in the practice on these considerations.
• Team management and culture
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative environment in culturally and linguistically diverse project teams, drawing in the right resources across the Intelligence & Investigations practice on a case‑by‑case basis.
• Manage direct reports and mentor other team members, ensuring the development of their investigative and client‑management skills across the lifecycle of a project, from pitching to delivery to feedback.
• Deliver and periodically review disputes and litigation support training.
• Identify and make recommendations for how to address any improvements in our internal skills and capabilities.
• Ensure that the team’s legal and compliance requirements are understood and adhered to, including the implementation of associated training.

Candidates invited to interview will demonstrate evidence of holding a leadership role in a team delivering disputes and investigations work. They will have:

• A track record of delivering complex dispute and litigation support services, including experience of asset tracing, human intelligence and OSINT investigations across multiple jurisdictions.
• The ability to write and present concisely and convincingly.
• A demonstrable record of winning mandates and growing client relationships over several years in the disputes and investigations sector.
• Experience of leadership and teamwork, and developing and retaining high‑performing project team members.
• A firm understanding of the application of legal and compliance issues, and reputational and ethical considerations, affecting the business intelligence and investigations industry.
• Personal career growth within a global intelligence/investigations firm.

Compensation and benefits

Control Risks offers a competitively positioned compensation and benefits package that is transparent and summarised in the full job offer. We operate a discretionary global bonus scheme that incentivises, and rewards individuals based on company and individual performance. Control Risks supports hybrid working arrangements, wherever possible, that emphasise the value of in‑person time together - in the office and with our clients - while continuing to support flexible and remote working.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us and are fully committed to equal treatment, free from discrimination, of all candidates throughout our recruitment process. Control Risks is committed to a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status. If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made in order to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your needs.