Resource Manager

The Resource Manager is a key member of Business Transactions Group ('BTG'), responsible for managing and optimising the allocation of client work across lawyer teams to ensure matters are staffed effectively, profitably and fairly. This standalone role within BTG suits someone who is keen to establish and implement a professional, transparent approach to resource management, managing capacity data efficiently and using insights to support delivery success, career development, fair and inclusive work planning and allocation and a positive team culture.

Working closely with Partners, Service Line Leaders, Delivery Leads, Project Managers, Practice Leads and team members, you will act as a trusted advisor on resourcing. Build strong, trust‑based relationships and use your gravitas and understanding of the work to make informed resourcing decisions that balance client needs, individual workloads, skills, interests and development goals. Over time, the role is expected to evolve and expand to support resource allocation across all service lines.

The BTG is a core part of Osborne Clarke, accounting for around a third of our business. It brings together three service lines: Corporate, Commercial and our Financial Institutions Group.

Key Responsibilities:

• Work allocation and utilisation: Allocate client work across BTG to ensure effective staffing, fair workloads, and optimised productivity and profitability. Maintain an up‑to‑date view of lawyers’ skills, interests, experience and utilisation to provide swift, options‑based resourcing recommendations. Monitor hours, utilisation and pipeline to identify over‑ and under‑utilisation, flag issues early and recommend solutions, including alternative resourcing options (e.g. LPMs, OC Solutions, technology, contractors).
• Capacity planning and workflow management: Monitor resource requirements and anticipate busy/quiet periods across individuals, service lines and locations. Support forward planning by working with BTG leadership on client demand, pipeline and priorities, proactively resolving resourcing conflicts and escalating only where necessary. Manage holiday and leave requests from a resourcing perspective, especially around peak periods, balancing client delivery with wellbeing and work‑life balance.
• Supporting career development and team culture: Build trusted relationships with lawyers at all levels and locations to understand workload, skills and career aspirations (with regular travel across offices). Align work opportunities with development goals and support secondments and stretch roles in collaboration with HR, Knowledge and other teams. Promote a positive, inclusive culture through fair, transparent work allocation and open dialogue about capacity, while maintaining an objective, business‑focused approach.
• Data, systems and continuous improvement: Use and help optimise resourcing tools and systems (e.g. Retain or similar), ensuring accurate, timely and useful data. Analyse resourcing and performance data to identify trends, risks and opportunities, and present clear insights and recommendations to BTG leadership and other stakeholders. Contribute to best practice and process improvements in resource management, including use of new technology and alignment with approaches in other practice groups.
• Stakeholder engagement and influence: Build strong, trust‑based relationships with Partners, Service Line Leaders, Delivery Leads, Project Managers, Practice Leads and Business Services teams. Act as a visible, credible point of contact for resourcing within BTG, confidently influencing and, where needed, challenging senior stakeholders in the interests of client delivery, fair allocation and wellbeing. Manage expectations across multiple stakeholders and locations, handling competing priorities professionally and transparently.

Skills And Experience:

• Experience in a similar resource management/work allocation role within a law firm.
• Experience introducing or working with structured work allocation systems and processes.
• Experience of building or helping to build a resource management capability or team.
• Aptitude to quickly learn the nature of the client‑facing services provided across BTG and considerations for resourcing these.
• Strong commercial and business awareness, including how resourcing decisions impact profitability, client satisfaction and team performance.
• Knowledge of IT tools and systems used for work allocation (e.g. Retain or equivalent), and confidence in adopting new technology.
• Strong ability to analyse resourcing and performance data and present insights clearly to senior stakeholders.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including experience dealing with senior people (e.g. Partners, Practice Leads) and delivering change.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to make and stand by difficult resourcing decisions, manage stakeholder expectations, and explain those decisions clearly and sensitively.
• Proven experience working autonomously with minimal direction; responsiveness is critical to the role.
• Ability to handle multiple and sometimes conflicting priorities and deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Professional presence, confidence and ability to build credibility quickly when dealing with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to influence, negotiate and handle challenging conversations constructively, including communicating non‑negotiable resourcing decisions, while remaining impartial and fair.
• Ability to build strong, trust‑based working relationships at all levels, investing time to understand individuals and teams.
• A collaborative and approachable style, working as a key member of BTG and the wider management team.
• Commitment to fair, transparent work allocation that supports diversity, inclusion, wellbeing and high performance.
• Ability to balance business needs with individual development goals and personal circumstances.
• Strong critical thinking skills, able to assess complex resourcing scenarios at pace and find pragmatic solutions.
• Innovative mindset, open to change and continuous improvement; able to identify and implement creative resourcing solutions.
• A good team player, comfortable working cross‑functionally and sharing best practice.
• Resilient under pressure, remaining calm and professional when priorities conflict or change at short notice.

Salary And Benefits: We offer competitive salaries and generous benefits. We value the health and wellbeing of our people and our wide range of initiatives and benefits support this.