Senior Innovation Manager

ROLE OVERVIEW //

We are offering a fantastic opportunity for a professional, engaging individual to join us as Senior Innovation Manager, as part of our London-based Innovation team within the Commercial department.

The Innovation team directly supports the firmwide Innovation Committee (made up of partners and directors) and is responsible for introducing and promoting the appropriate use of legal technology. The team drives the adoption of legal technology, develops and delivers the firm’s innovation strategy, and strengthens client relationships through tailored innovation programmes. It also ensures that our lawyers are equipped with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to deliver high-quality, efficient legal advice.

The role will suit someone with proven experience working in innovation or legal technology at a city or large law firm. This dynamic role offers a valuable opportunity for an experienced professional with a proven interest in legal technology and innovation to deepen their expertise and make a strategic contribution within a well-established, fast-evolving department

The role is critical to many of the team’s broad range of new and exciting projects. The role will report to the Head of Innovation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES //

The key responsibilities of this role are set out below and there may be others which are not listed. You may be required on occasion to work outside our normal working hours of 9:30am to 5:30pm.

Supporting and working with the Head of Innovation on all aspects of the firm’s strategic Innovation agenda and activities, including:

AI and Legal tech

• Supporting delivery of the firm’s legal technology and AI strategy, in support of and alignment with the firm’s overall strategic aims, to include:
• maintaining and promoting the firm’s legal tech toolkit and legal tech projects, including market research and analysis, vendor relationships, onboarding, communications, promotion, training and support.
• leading on the adoption of generative AI tools, particularly conducting the assessment of generative AI tools for their suitability for use at the firm, creating the generative AI adoption plan across the business, delivering training, defining success metrics and developing communications plans.
• staying abreast of emerging technologies, trends and best practices in legal innovation including by attending demos and conferences.
• building and maintaining strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including technology vendors, legal tech communities, and industry bodies.
• Developing and delivering the firm’s flagship legal tech incubator: the Collaborate legal tech programme.

Project management

• Managing multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to budget constraints.
• Monitoring project progress and providing regular updates to stakeholders.

Stakeholder engagement

• Cultivating relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including the firm’s partners and clients, the firm’s legal practice and other Business Services teams.
• Supporting and developing opportunities for collaboration and other cross-team initiatives between Legal Ops teams (including Innovation, Pricing & Analytics and Legal Project Management), Commercial teams and other Business Services teams.

Client engagement

• Developing and delivering the team’s client facing initiatives, including the flagship programme: the Client Innovation Network.
• Developing and maintaining relationships with clients, dealing with queries on an ad hoc basis, identifying opportunities to add clients to the Client Innovation Network and other work leads as appropriate.

Culture and adoption

• Promoting a culture of innovation and continuous improvement across the firm including by running the firm’s internal Innovation network.
• Working with groups and departments across the firm to identify champions who can support the integration of new solutions.

Training

• Delivering training to a range of audiences such as work experience students, new joiners, trainees, newly qualified associates etc. on a range of innovation related topics including AI, legal tech, design thinking, legal process design etc.
• Working closely with the firm’s L&D team on the design of the innovation related training delivered to future trainees.

Recruitment assistance

• Working closely with the firm’s Early Careers team to refine the messaging to future trainees and solicitor apprentices.
• Running the firm’s Innovation Competition for students and promoting the competition through the design of social media campaigns and the delivery of webinars.

Team

• Managing and developing members of the team including an Innovation Manager and Innovation Executive.
• Creating a collaborative environment that encourages creativity and professional growth.
• Setting performance goals, conducting regular reviews, and providing feedback to team members.

CANDIDATE PROFILE //

Candidates for this position must:

• Have 5+ years’ experience working in a professional services environment, ideally a law firm, with a good understanding of legal workflows.
• Proven experience in legal service innovation, delivery of legal technology projects, process improvement, and delivery of client initiatives.
• Proven knowledge of AI, machine learning, and other emerging technologies relevant to the legal sector.
• Have strong digital and technology skills including familiarity with Power BI and Power Automate.
• Have strong interpersonal, presentation and communication skills and the ability to work well within a team.
• Demonstrate attention to detail and high standards of quality, professionalism and client service.
• Evidence strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to multi-task, keep calm under pressure and work to tight deadlines whilst remaining proactive and flexible.
• Be collaborative and supportive of the business, the team and its initiatives.
• Be adaptable and open to change and show willingness and confidence to challenge and make suggestions for change where appropriate.
• Maintain a high level of professionalism and integrity, displaying a high standard of professional ethics.

We welcome applications irrespective of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, belief or marital status.