Job description

We are currently recruiting for a Senior IT Business Relationship Manager to join our IT team in London.  The Senior IT Business Relationship Manager (SBRM) provides a trusted link between IT and the legal practice areas and business support departments in the Allen & Overy (A&O) London office. The SBRM understands the firm strategy and feeds into the IT strategy and the working practices of their customers. They are accountable for ensuring that their stakeholders derive the maximum benefit from the IT department and its technology. The role involves building and maintaining relationships, surfacing and managing business demand, communicating with key stakeholders, advising on and raising awareness of IT projects and improving IT processes for the benefit of the global A&O network. It supports business change as part of the execution of new or improved working practices, increasing and championing tech adoption across the firm.

The role contributes to the management forums in the supported departments and plays a business-facing role supporting the IT leadership team in their interaction with key stakeholders.

Importantly, this role will also be expected to fully support and drive continuous improvement within the IT Business Relationship Management team to improve the role clarity and focus.

Role and responsibilities

The SBRM is responsible for:

• Working with partners and other lawyers, the LegalTech team and support staff (sometimes including their clients) to identify opportunities for providing better services to clients, and increased revenue earning opportunities for A&O. Working with IT to develop products and services to realise these opportunities
• Acting as a sounding board for senior stakeholders to discuss opportunities for service improvements.
• Remaining constantly aware of A&O’s business strategy and strategic drivers, specifically the relevant practice/support department requirements, and supporting the global IT function in the delivery of these.
• Understanding A&O's Advanced Delivery strategy and service offering and supporting the Advanced Delivery Practice Leads in promoting it to our customer base.
• Keeping IT staff aware of the drivers and requirements of the business.
• Continuously assessing and reviewing the use of IT services within the practice areas/departments/offices, identifying any shortfalls and/or opportunities for improvement and potential need for new services.
• Working closely with the Technology Delivery team and following their defined processes to surface and manage business demand to support the initiation of new work requests, IT Board proposals, benefits reviews, etc.
• Agreeing with IT the delivery of these improved or new services and actively supporting their effective introduction.
• Where required, facilitating the delivery of training programmes to encourage more productive use of products and services.
• Working closely with IT London and IT Service Management and following their defined processes to resolve any persistent and/or significant problems being experienced with IT services.
• Acting as the Senior Supplier for the delivery of projects and take an active and in project governance.
• Assisting the project sponsor in ensuring that project benefits are defined and realised.
• Guiding the communications strategy and approach for projects.
• Providing support on global initiatives as required and keeping touch with regional IT peers.
• Maintaining a broad awareness of current technology and business trends, products and services.
• Organising and facilitating technology related workshops and other events for internal and client audiences.
• Accepting responsibility, as part of the Duty BRM rota, as a point of escalation for major incidents and executive/managerial decisions on behalf of IT.

Key requirements

• Collaborative team player.
• Experience of organising and facilitating workshops or similar events.
• Formal communication and presentation experience.
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal and influencing skills - with partners, key associates, senior support staff and IT colleagues, including a willingness to probe and ask questions in order to learn more about the partnership and its individual departments.
• Experience in selling concepts and presenting up to Head level.
• A proactive approach, creativity, tenacity and energy.
• High attention to detail and strong client focus.
• Politically astute – can make tough decisions and follow through; anticipates future areas of risk for the practice and takes appropriate action to address these.
• Strong business network and evidence of motivation and ability to build and grow network.
• High level of personal credibility, impact and influence with proven ability to work effectively and persuasively at senior levels.
• Substantial relevant experience within a professional services organisation or in the sector, where the individual frequently worked with senior management.
• Deep understanding of how a transactional lawyer operates on a day-to-day basis.
• Business awareness and commercial acumen including a practical understanding of law firm economics and the levers of matter profitability.
• Proven skills/experience in taking ownership/responsibility for customers projects and driving these projects forward.
• A proactive “self-starter” with a proven ability to seek out work and opportunities for business engagement.
• Maintain a broad knowledge of IT, LegalTech, a knack for explaining technology in understandable/"layman" terms, and demonstrate a particular interest in technology, including how it can be applied to realise business opportunities.
• Highly developed personal and team organisational skills.
• Proven skills in managing and completing small to large tasks, including the demonstration of a structured approach in the provision of stakeholder engagement.

Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of Allen & Overy’s recruitment team who will work with you to provide any reasonable adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

At Allen & Overy, we recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing an onsite gym, wellbeing centre and GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, season ticket loans and online discounts and lifestyle management services.

Allen & Overy recognises the value of flexible working and embraces hybrid working, allowing our people to work from home up to 40% of their working time. We do however remain committed to working together in person for the remaining 60% of time so that we can learn, grow and succeed together. If you would like additional flexibility we will of course consider this in line with business needs.


Additional information - Externa

Allen & Overy is a leading global law firm operating in over thirty countries. We work on some of the most challenging and important deals and have built a reputation for delivering exceptional legal solutions that help our clients grow, innovate and thrive. The legal industry is changing, and we're committed to leading that change, putting our people first, embracing new ways of thinking and integrating technology into our everyday work. Our business teams work hand-in-hand with our lawyers, Consultants and other specialist teams, and are ambitious, driven and leaders in their field.

With us, you will constantly be learning and growing. We invest in you by offering exceptional professional and personal development – providing training, mentoring and practical support. We offer rewarding careers that are built around your strengths and designed to ensure you can achieve your personal and professional goals, recognising that those may look different for everyone.

We have a powerful commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We’re determined to play our part in advancing a workplace where progress is made by harnessing our differences – whatever defines you, we ask you to bring your whole self to work.

What truly defines a career at Allen & Overy? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. We provide challenge, support and a place for you to belong. And together we excel, working on meaningful projects of global significance.