Market Affairs Specialist in Manchester

Weightmans is looking for a Market Affairs Specialist to help our lawyers provide added thought leadership, value and expertise to our corporate clients. Working closely with partners, lawyers and business services teams, you will use market insight, campaigns and events to support our priority sectors, strengthen our external presence and contribute to business growth. As a Market Affairs Specialist you will provide professional market affairs and legal support to a dedicated Segment within the business. Accountable to the Business Change, Knowledge & Market Affairs Director and your relevant Segment Head for:

• Proactively seeking ways to help our lawyers raise external profile / promote our expertise with General Counsel and C-Suite audiences (our client persona).
• Playing a significant role in the promotion and recognition of our legal services / expertise externally to our client persona.
• Proactively searching for ‘what’s soon’ (i.e. present day to next 12 months), ‘what’s next’ (i.e. beyond the next 12 months to 3 years) and awareness raising in its broadest sense.
• Identifying and writing articles and thought leadership reports on any pertinent changes / market awareness.
• Co-ordinating and drafting responses to consultations.
• Establishing, maintaining and developing membership and support for appropriate professional bodies, trade associations, organisations and focus groups.
• Establishing, maintaining and developing a network of contacts in the market affairs / knowledge / legal professional support community.
• Providing training and guidance in relation to all new legal and regulatory developments affecting your dedicated Segment and our client persona.
• Providing training and guidance in relation to market awareness, internally and externally.
• Segment based annual legal and market awareness training plans.
• Segment based ‘new starter’ legal and market awareness inductions.
• Working collaboratively with Data Services, Product & Innovation, New Business and Marketing to ensure that we capture the right data to allow us to manage and report on trends and work with others to analyse and derive insight from our data, our clients and our segments.
• Working closely with partners and other case handlers to identify insights and translate their expertise into structured, market facing commentary for our client persona.
• Bringing use case ideas to Product & Innovation and Business Change – e.g. how new technology / tools may be harnessed / leveraged for benefit for our clients.
• Fostering close relationships with key personnel and stakeholders.
• Working with the other PSLs, SHs, SLs, HSDs, TMs and other key stakeholders as well as the Head of Library, Research & Resources, to ensure that your Segment has the right library resources available to meet their information needs and help to monitor and review usage.
• Supporting on a wide range of projects as and when required.
• Maintaining personal professional development.

The above list is not intended to be exhaustive and you will perform other duties and have other responsibilities that fall within the wider remit of the role.

About You

The following skills and competencies are associated with successful completion of the role. They are not necessarily prerequisites for appointment, but we will support the role holders to develop in these areas:

• Degree qualified or equivalent experience.
• UK qualified lawyer and/or Segment specialist with a good academic background.
• A minimum of five years’ experience within private practice.
• Prior experience in delivering market affairs / knowledge management content to lawyers is advantageous, but not essential.
• Comprehensive current legal and market knowledge, understanding of the legal community and market.
• Proven ability to write about, present and train others in relation to legal / market developments, including case law, legislation and procedural changes.
• Ability to spot / identify issues of relevance.
• Understanding and awareness of knowledge management tools and resources.
• A solid understanding of process/continuous improvement methodology or a willingness to learn and embrace.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills.
• A high level of interpersonal skills, able to work collaboratively with a range of people to deliver results.
• Able to think laterally and capable of delivering innovative solutions.
• Conscientious approach to all work.
• Proven ability to juggle demands and resources with changing requirements and priorities.
• Good time management and prioritisation skills.
• Good IT skills.
• Be willing and able to travel to other offices as and when required.

If you meet our criteria and think this is a job where you could bring enthusiasm and commitment, then we look forward to receiving your application.

Please Note: We encourage candidates to speak to us direct/apply direct for the opportunities we have available.

Why work for us

Come and join our award-winning organisation and be part of a team where people truly matter. Weightmans is a Leading national law firm, with strong international capabilities. Weightmans has been recognised as a leading employer for the 19th consecutive year at Britain's Top Employers awards, and ranking top 10 in the list, the firm has also secured top positions in Chambers UK. Join Weightmans as we continue our journey to becoming one of UK's top 30 law firms.