Senior Manager, Client Solutions

Job Description

MLS Senior Manager, Client Solutions/Solutions Architect

Birmingham, London or Manchester

Role Overview

Vario is a market leading alternative legal services provider within the law firm, Pinsent Masons. It is unique in the legal sector. Vario is a practice group within Pinsent Masons which incorporates; Flexible Services, Consulting and Technology, Legal Project Management and Managed Legal Services (‘MLS’).

Our Managed Legal Services (‘MLS’) team is transitioning from \’start-up\’ to a scale-up alternative legal services business. The MLS team is split between Birmingham, London, Manchester, Glasgow and Amsterdam. The MLS team helps clients enhance the performance of their in-house teams through efficient resourcing solutions.

Working with the wider MLS team, this role will support the ongoing design and delivery of the sales and business development strategies for the MLS business which will result in increased growth and revenue. We use a combination of lawyers, other professionals, processes, and technology to deliver outcomes for clients faster and smarter than traditional law. MLS has the benefit of 1,000+ legal professionals with diverse skillsets, experiences and working profiles to enable us to design and deliver the best solutions to a client’s legal challenge, enhanced by the use of technology.

This role will work collaboratively with all members of MLS, including the Delivery and Client Account Management teams, in the design of MLS client solutions. Responsibilities will include:

• Designing/modelling of specific client solutions, including resource modelling, pricing, profitability calculations and proposal development.
• Identifying opportunities for new products and solutions and leading on their development.
• Playing a lead role with MLS’s largest clients, supporting and advising on designated “must win” pursuits/opportunities.
• Implementing an internal engagement strategy with senior stakeholders accountable for significant clients and providing education on the value MLS can bring.
• Working with Client Account Management teams to identify growth opportunities and create strategic client relationships.
• Aligning MLS activities with the firmwide client relationship programme and ensure that MLS are leveraging the benefits of our deep and embedded client relationships.
• Creating and promoting collateral/marketing materials to demonstrate client benefit.
• Working in a truly international way to bring global Vario colleagues together and ensure we present a cohesive and coherent message to clients.
• Stay close to ALSP market developments and contribute to discussions about MLS best practice.

Our standard working hours are 9.30am-5.30pm, however, we are happy to consider flexible working requests.

Please note that the internal title of this role will be ‘Solutions Architect’ but it is a business development-focussed role.

Candidate Overview

We are looking for candidates who ideally hold the following skills and experience:

• Significant business development and/or solutions experience.
• Experience of working in a professional services or alternative legal services environment.
• Significant managed legal services experience.
• Strong track record in growing existing and new business.
• Demonstrable experience of adding value to client solutions and driving growth.
• Strong commercial awareness and numeracy skills, with the ability to price work and calculate profitability.
• Ability to bring clarity and express requirements/solutions coherently.
• Ability to build rapport and strong working relationships and to challenge and influence business stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to give a substantiated, measured opinion to facilitate progress.
• Ability to focus on and respond to the bigger strategic picture.

What can we offer you?

• Tailored career development and support within our award-winning team
• Agile working (the opportunity to work from home, subject to diary commitments)
• Carers’ leave (up to five paid days’ leave towards caring responsibilities)
• 25 days’ annual leave entitlement and the opportunity to purchase or roll over 5 days
• Contributory pension of up to 5%
• Death in service cover (4 x base salary)
• Eligibility to apply for an interest free season ticket loan, an interest free gym membership loan and/or an interest free rental deposit loan
• Cycle to work scheme

What happens next?

Once your application has been submitted and reviewed, our Recruitment team will share the outcome with you by email.

We typically hold two interview stages per vacancy providing the opportunity to meet two members of the hiring team at each stage. The first stage is typically conducted virtually and the second stage typically in person at the office in which the role would be based. However, we strive to remain flexible depending on the requirements of the role or the candidate.

Our strength lies in our differences.

We are a Disability Confident and top Stonewall employer, a Valuable 500 member, a founding member of the Mindful Business Charter, signatory of the Race at Work Charter and a proud partner of Neurodiversity in Law. We encourage and value different ideas and styles of thinking. It’s with different perspectives that we’ll find solutions to our clients’ most complex challenges. It’s how we’ll deliver outstanding results today, and tomorrow.

We want everybody attending an interview to be comfortable and able to fully demonstrate their experience and talents.

Our in-house recruiter, Bhavika Upton, would be happy to have an informal chat about this role, provide this job advert or our application form in an alternative format, and/or discuss any reasonable adjustments to be made either during the recruitment process or after offer stage. You can contact Bhavika by emailing

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