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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and grow the Legal function, managing a high-performing team and achieving revenue targets.
- Company: Join a boutique professional services firm focused on advisory, accountancy, legal, and tax services.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, performance-related bonuses, and a range of attractive benefits.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic leadership team, driving growth and making a real impact in the legal sector.
- Qualifications: 8-10 years in professional services, with experience advising fast-growth SMEs and strong leadership skills.
- Other info: Ideal for entrepreneurial self-starters who thrive in a collaborative and changing environment.
The predicted salary is between 86000 - 124000 ÂŁ per year.
This is an exciting opportunity to lead and grow the Legal function of a boutique professional services firm, delivering real value to clients, the Legal team and to the business as a whole. The firm has four core disciplines in advisory, accountancy, legal and tax, through which they deliver quality guidance and joined-up expertise.
The Director of Legal Services role is central to the success of the business and sits on the Board, reports to the Managing Director and is part of the Senior Leadership team. The Legal team currently comprises three distinct departments, each headed by a Head of Department for their different area of expertise. In order to reach their ambitious growth plans, they are looking for an experienced leader to create a cohesive, high-performing and profitable team.
- Corporate/Commercial
- Employment & Immigration
- Litigation/IP & Art Law
Your primary goal is to achieve revenue and profit targets for the Legal Department through:
- Business development: Acquiring new instructions from new and existing clients
- Leading and managing the Legal team, holding them accountable for delivering on their objectives
- Billable work: Supporting clients in their growth journeys with quality legal advice
- Productivity: Maximising the potential and productivity of the team
- Strategy & Planning: Defining and delivering departmental strategy
THE REQUIREMENT
Growth-focused: You will be someone who gets a buzz from business development, has an established network of SME contacts and experience at speaking at events. They need someone who naturally embodies their values, is comfortable representing the brand externally and is looking for a new challenge to support SMEs, the business and the team to thrive.
Quality legal expertise: Ideally you will be legally qualified and technically expert in an existing specialism (ideally Corporate or Commercial). However, your ability to diagnose clients’ requirements and apply appropriate legal and commercial solutions, delivered by you or your team, is far more important. Critically, you will have a thirst to grow and develop your department, with the capability to “rain make” through established client and SME networks. You will understand how to manage your team, the wider business, and their marketing strategy to support this activity.
Leadership: You will have experience of leading a high-functioning team and share in their belief that an open, human-centred and ambitious culture is the key to achieving great things. You will be comfortable thinking both strategically and practically, as the role will require strengths in both strategy and delivery.
Curious, Collaborative & Commercial: As a small business ourselves, we value authenticity, curiosity, collaboration and commercial thinking. You will be the main point of contact for a portfolio of their key clients and will also work closely with the other business teams to deliver the joined-up expertise that their clients look for, so a natural strength in building effective relationships will be key.
People who succeed at the firm are technically brilliant, entrepreneurial self-starters, comfortable with change and confident to capitalise on the opportunities available to drive their own growth.
REQUIRED/DESIRABLE SKILLS
- Relevant professional services experience of c8-10 yrs.
- First-hand SME experience: 5 years’ minimum experience advising fast-growth UK-based SMEs.
- Strategic thinking: Value the need for strategy and confident to course correct if needed.
- Leadership: Belief in the value of a high-performance culture and experience building one.
- Resilience: With scaling comes change so the ability to manage and enjoy change is key.
- Relationship-building: Open, effective relationships with colleagues and clients crucial.
- Communication: Strong communication skills and confident having challenging conversations.
ON OFFER
Competitive annual salary (cÂŁ100k-ÂŁ140k dependent on experience) Performance-related bonus (tbc) Plus a good range of benefits.
Director of Legal Services and Business Development employer: Martin Pooley Associates
Contact Detail:
Martin Pooley Associates Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Director of Legal Services and Business Development
✨Tip Number 1
Network actively within the legal and business development communities. Attend industry events, seminars, and workshops where you can meet potential clients and other professionals. Building relationships with SMEs will be crucial for your success in this role.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your leadership skills by engaging in discussions about team management and high-performance cultures. Be prepared to share examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past, as this will demonstrate your capability to lead the Legal team effectively.
✨Tip Number 3
Familiarise yourself with the firm's core disciplines and their approach to delivering value to clients. Understanding their unique selling points will help you articulate how you can contribute to their growth and align with their values during interviews.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your strategic thinking abilities. Think about how you would define and deliver departmental strategy, and be ready to present ideas on how to maximise productivity and achieve revenue targets for the Legal Department.
We think you need these skills to ace Director of Legal Services and Business Development
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your relevant experience in legal services and business development. Focus on your leadership roles, achievements in revenue growth, and any specific expertise in Corporate or Commercial law.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter should reflect your passion for business development and your ability to lead a high-performing team. Use specific examples from your past experiences that demonstrate your strategic thinking and relationship-building skills.
Showcase Your Network: Mention your established network of SME contacts in your application. Highlight any previous speaking engagements or events where you represented your firm, as this aligns with the firm's requirement for someone who can embody their values externally.
Demonstrate Cultural Fit: In your application, convey your alignment with the firm's values of authenticity, curiosity, collaboration, and commercial thinking. Share examples of how you've fostered a human-centred culture in your previous roles.
How to prepare for a job interview at Martin Pooley Associates
✨Showcase Your Business Development Skills
As a Director of Legal Services, your ability to drive business development is crucial. Prepare examples of how you've successfully acquired new clients or expanded existing relationships. Highlight your established network and any speaking engagements that demonstrate your expertise.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Experience
This role requires strong leadership skills. Be ready to discuss your experience in managing high-performing teams, including how you foster a collaborative culture and hold team members accountable for their objectives. Share specific instances where your leadership made a significant impact.
✨Emphasise Your Legal Expertise
While the firm values business acumen, your legal qualifications and expertise are equally important. Be prepared to discuss your specialism, particularly in Corporate or Commercial law, and how you've applied this knowledge to solve client problems effectively.
✨Prepare for Strategic Discussions
The role involves strategic thinking and planning. Think about how you've defined and delivered departmental strategies in the past. Be ready to discuss how you would approach strategy in this new role, especially in relation to achieving revenue and profit targets.
