Job Vacancies at Baker McKenzie

Responsibilities:

• Advise and support the Associate Director of Business Management and the Practice Group Leader on strategic, business, and operational matters across the EMEA+ Alliance.
• Develop, update, and monitor the business plan of the practice and help set and manage the budget proactively to ensure effective implementation of the Firm strategy
• Drive improvements in operational and financial performance by monitoring and analyzing key performance indicators at practice and service line levels, ensuring alignment with planned targets (including cost management, working capital, staffing, and margin contribution)
• Ensure cross-practice and cross-functional initiatives implementation at the Practice Group level and coordinate resources from other Business Professional functions supporting the same
• Practice Group to ensure proper coverage and effective strategy execution
• Formulate and operationalize strategic initiatives leveraging our geographic, industry, and client reach, with a clear view of building market presence and generating revenue
• Capture efficiency and innovation opportunities for the main service lines by leading and participating in initiatives, aligned within the global practice and with other Practice Groups
• Ensure appropriate resourcing model, headcount planning, staffing, and talent pipeline (including training and performance management) leveraging support from, and in coordination with, other Business Professional functions
• Coordinate interactions with Industry Groups making sure that go-to-market and service delivery is appropriate for clients in those sectors
• Monitor and ensure effective implementation of client and business development plans leveraging support from other Business Professional functions
• Coordinate internal Practice Group engagement activities and meetings fostering positive and open communication
• Leverage services provided by shared service centers and specialist functions within the Business Professional organization to drive excellence and efficiency
• Lead and participate in projects for the practice

Skills and Experience:

• Relevant undergraduate degree required 
• Good professional management experience in a global setting, ideally in a professional services environment
• Proficiency in law firm operations, legal accounting, and finance
• Proficiency in using MS Office applications, including PowerPoint and advanced functions of Excel
• An understanding of the elements of law firm profitability at practice group, service line, client, matter, and attorney level
• Strong business sense and good judgment in problem-solving
• Excellent oral and written communication skills. Effective communication at all organizational levels
• Experience with business management, including an understanding of the challenges of operating in different markets regionally
• Ability to manage multiple complex operations with continual attention to detail (including accuracy with numbers)
• Experience conducting complex qualitative and quantitative analyses, interpreting results, and suggesting action plans
• Experience coordinating people in different locations and cultures
• Ability to work effectively in informal teams and collaborate cross-practice and cross-function in a global organization

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Responsibilities:

• Advising clients on a wide range of matters, with a particular focus on merger control work and the opportunity to be involved in compliance and market investigations work. Associates work in a collegiate environment, for a range of partners, and can expect a good variety of work.
• Developing relationships with clients including gaining a good knowledge of the client’s businesses, economic drivers, market and sector requirements in order to ensure advice is relevant and commercial.
• Associates are given regular and direct contact with clients, with a culture based on associates being given the level of responsibility they are ready for, rather than a PQE based method of work allocation.
• Engaging in business development activities and being active in the promotion of the firm and seeking opportunities for new work.
• Working as part of a team including assisting with the supervision of junior lawyers’ work, and taking an active part in sharing knowledge and experience with the team.
• There are regular opportunities for secondments with clients. Posting to other offices under the firm's associate transfer programme is also a possibility.

Job Holder Requirements

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate all or the majority of the following:

• A qualified lawyer with excellent academics credentials
• Experience in the Competition department of a leading South African firm
• First rate technical skills needed to support the client work of the department
• Commerciality and demonstrable business development experience
• Excellent written communication and drafting skills
• Initiative and proactivity
• Maturity and gravitas
• Strong service orientation - a "client first" culture
• Ability to develop strong relationships with clients and to take responsibility for this relationship
• High work standards
• Flexible work practices
• Outstanding communication skills and the ability to adapt style as required
• Ability to work well in both a team and individually
• A keenness to learn