Business Manager in City of London

Our client is a leading professional services firm recognised for partnering with some of the world’s most innovative organisations. They bring together talented, intellectually curious people who thrive on collaboration and enjoy solving complex challenges.

This is a key strategic and operational position within the firm, supporting senior leadership to set direction, drive performance and optimise the smooth running of a large practice group. The Business Manager acts as a trusted adviser to partners, contributing insight, structure and commercial rigour to ensure the group delivers against its strategic goals.

The role bridges strategy and operations, requiring strong relationship-building skills and the ability to coordinate stakeholders across Business Services, including Finance, HR and BD. You will lead and support initiatives that underpin the firm’s growth agenda while ensuring day-to-day processes run efficiently and consistently.

Key Responsibilities will include:

• Strategic Planning & Execution
  • Lead the project management of the firm’s three-year business planning cycle, including annual objective reviews.
  • Coordinate data, insight and stakeholder input to support strategic decision-making.
  • Provide analysis and guidance to partners on financial performance, people agenda and growth opportunities.
  • Ensure Business Services leaders are fully integrated into planning discussions, leveraging their expertise to shape strategic priorities.
  • Track and drive delivery of business plan objectives, partnering closely with central teams.
  • Prepare materials and insight for quarterly business plan reviews, ensuring performance and progress are clearly communicated.
  • Contribute to — and where needed, lead — firm-wide strategic projects with impact on practice operations.
• Practice Management
  • Work closely with Practice Group Leaders to implement firmwide initiatives within the group, ensuring alignment and smooth adoption.
  • Produce high-quality reports and materials for practice meetings.
  • Coordinate annual and cyclical processes such as pay reviews, promotions and performance submissions.
  • Manage ad hoc reporting and analysis requests, collaborating with Business Services experts.
  • Support communication and embedding of new policies across the practice group.
  • Champion best-practice operations and act as the key point of contact for business and practice management queries.
  • Help promote and reinforce the firm’s culture and values within the practice.

Person Profile

• Prior experience in a professional services or legal partnership environment.
• Experience in a practice management, business management or operational leadership role.
• Strong commercial awareness across Finance, HR, BD and operational disciplines.
• Exceptional organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver under pressure.
• A proactive, confident communicator with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Calm, pragmatic and solutions-focused, with strong attention to detail.
• Able to build strong relationships across all levels and operate as a trusted adviser.
• A self-starter with the ability to work independently and hit the ground running.
• Project management experience is desirable.

Equal Opportunities

As a responsible business, it is important that we represent the diversity of our people, our clients and our communities. We believe that the firms that thrive are those with the most diverse team; that’s why we work so hard to source the best talent from the broadest pool possible. As an equal opportunities employer we strive to accommodate anyone who may have specific needs. If you require reasonable adjustments to be made during the selection process, please talk to a member of the recruitment team so that any required adjustments can be made in advance.