Regional Practice Associate Director, One Europe, RE and TPE

Who we are

We are one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.

Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating - full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.

You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.

Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.

The role

The Regional Practice Associate Director role, alongside its respective Practice Area Leaders, drives and implements practice strategy, connecting the strategic agenda with operational delivery. It leads, coaches and influences a variety of fee earning and Business Professional stakeholders at all levels to drive performance. It champions commercial discipline within the Partner community by driving practice financial health and commercial performance.

One Europe represents 79% of the combined Real Estate ("RE") and Tax, Pensions and Employment ("TPE") Partner population. The Regional Practice Associate Director provides support to the Global and Europe Practice Director role to develop and implement the global practice strategy across this material proportion of the portfolio. The role will lead on Partner-facing activity across a number of financial and operational topics to achieve the practice's strategic and financial goals.

Job purpose

To work alongside the Global and One Europe Practice Director and the Global Practice Area Leaders for RE and TPE, who also lead on One Europe, to drive and implement practice strategy in One Europe. Responsible for directing, influencing and aligning key business professional teams to support the delivery of practice priorities in an integrated way. Responsible for driving practice financial health working closely with the Partner community.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Implementation

• Lead the development of One Europe-focussed implementation plans for the regional strategy, in support of the Global and One Europe Practice Director
• Provide direction and coordination to the Business Professionals teams supporting the practice area in the region, ensuring that their objectives and activities are aligned with the wider Firm objectives
• Lead ad-hoc strategic projects to drive process and efficiency improvements

Financial Management

• Manage the One Europe business planning process, budget and forecasts for all aspects of the practice P&L relating to gross profit, working closely with the respective RCFO and RCOO.
• Monitor performance across One Europe against the agreed targets, flagging risks and opportunities to practice leadership. Develop action plans to support individual Partners to improve commercial performance
• Champion commercial discipline within the Partner community by driving awareness of practice financials and profitability drivers. Collaborate with Finance to support the delivery of Commercial Awareness Framework interventions into the practice, delivering practice-specific training as required
• Hold visibility of overall working capital position for the practice working closely with Finance. Collaborate with Finance on key risk areas and work with Partners on the resolution of escalated issues
• Collaborate with Commercial Advisory (Finance) to connect pricing expertise to Partners, providing input and advice as required. Implement the regional pricing governance matrix, e.g. approving write offs

Practice Area and Operational Management

For One Europe, support the Global and One Europe Practice Director to:

• Develop the business case for new fee earners (including lateral hires), aligned to strategy and affordability parameters
• Prepare candidate slate, nomination forms and submissions for non-equity partner and equity partner promotions, working in collaboration with HR
• Develop Partner retirement and succession plans, in consultation with HR
• Support the G/RPALs with the development of unit and bonus proposals during the annual and biennial review processes
• Promote the engagement of matter delivery support teams (e.g. Legal Project Management, Legal Tech Transformation, Delivery Centres) to encourage adoption of best practice within the practice
• Ensure that appropriate business continuity and practice-specific risk management processes are in place
• Coordinate practice area partner meetings and retreats
• Fulfil role in travel and expenses authority matrix.

Your experience

• Ideally your experience will have been gained in a large commercial environment, ideally Professional Services. 
• You will have a consulting, project management, financial or business analysis background and be able to demonstrate business awareness with a good understanding of financial and performance metrics. An accounting qualification is preferred.
• You will be confident and willing to engage with all levels of staff.
• You will have excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to influence at all levels and explain technical issues in terms that are appropriate to the intended audience.
• You will be an accurate worker with high attention to detail, and excellent organisational skills.
• You will be proactive and be able to drive new initiatives you have implemented.
• You will have the ability to work under pressure and to deadlines.
• You will have excellent IT skills including a thorough working knowledge of Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook and a facility for on-line research.
• You will be required to develop a good understanding of the culture and workings of the practice area.
• It is desirable that you will be educated to degree level or equivalent and a finance or project management qualification would be advantageous. 

Equal opportunities statement

At Clifford Chance, we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society.

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age.  This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer and every other aspect of employment.

We have a variety of flourishing employee networks. These networks are a place for colleagues to share experiences and advocate for change wherever they see an opportunity for improvement.

Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm. 

Find out more about our inclusive culture here

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