Job description

Join our dynamic team as a Project Manager, responsible for driving the full lifecycle of high-impact projects within Legal Technology. Take charge of small to medium-scale projects, working in a collaborative and innovative environment.

Our Legal Tech team builds on our longstanding reputation for leading the market, uniting our expertise in technological innovation, delivery and operation as A&O’s legal tech engine. We bring to life the art of the possible, and solve client and lawyer challenges with the inventive use of technologies.

As part of the firm’s broader Information Technology offering, the Legal Tech Group has a responsibility to provide flexible, scalable and creative tech-enabled solutions across our offices and practice groups. It is committed to easing and championing tech adoption across the firm and throughout the industry, turning ideas into fully-realised products, and working directly with clients to exploit the vast array of opportunities that technology can bring to their operations. 

Role and responsibilities

Key Relationships

• Working in product teams using agile methodologies to deliver improved products, processes, services and technologies that meet A&O standards and business requirements.
• Reviewing, maintaining ad planning the on-going development of the solution roadmap.
• Collaborate with vendors/suppliers to ensure successful delivery of solutions that satisfy business requirements.
• Co-operate with other IT teams to ensure the successful on-boarding and transition of new/amended services into business as usual (BAU) support.
• Work alongside Engagement Managers and Business Analysts to engage project/programme sponsors/stakeholders, and ensure the thorough and accurate capture of their business requirements.

Business change analysis

• With input from Business Analysts, ensure business cases quantify potential business benefits.
• Work with the business to ensure they consider the impact of, and are responsible for defining, training requirements, moreover manage the delivery of the training itself.
• Work with project sponsors to ensure the benefits identified in business cases have been updated throughout the project lifecycle, especially where changes have been made.
• Work with the business and Programme Leads, to ensure there are processes in place to track and measure business benefits (which were identified in the business case) following implementation of the project.

Projects & Programmes

• Accept responsibility for the definition, documentation and satisfactory completion of medium to large-scale projects (in terms of size and complexity).
• Implement, participate in and manage effective governance, as per the A&O project framework.
• Assume responsibility for the day-to-day delivery of multiple projects simultaneously
• Provide effective leadership and direction to project teams.
• Clearly define roles and responsibilities for all those involved in the project.
• Prepare realistic project and quality plans, and track activities against those plans. Provide accurate reports to stakeholders, as appropriate.
• Work with Programme Leads and Analysts to ensure plans are up-to-date at all times. Similarly, ensure requests for resources are submitted in a timely fashion.
• Ensure projects are delivered to agreed quality assurance standards.
• Review project progress, and effectively manage any changing requirements, dependencies, milestones, risks, issues and/or priorities.
• Ensure that project deliverables are completed in a timely manner and to planned cost and resource budgets, securing approval from the appropriate persons/bodies.
• Ensure that projects are formally closed and subsequently reviewed. Record all lessons learned.
• Conduct risk assessments, identifying mitigating actions and providing recommendations to the appropriate project governance bodies.
• Escalate any issues to the Programme Manager, or to the appropriate project governance body.

Key Skills and Experience

• Proven Project Management experience with a very good track record of delivering projects on time, to budget and to agreed quality standards.
• Knowledge and experience of project management methodologies
• Knowledge of Agile terminology and methodologies.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, both orally and written.
• Strong experience in leading, managing and motivating medium to large-sized teams
• Very good reporting, project planning and stakeholder management skills at all levels.
• Experience with Microsoft Project (or similar tools) to produce plans for programmes of work and individual projects.
• Ability to work under pressure, successfully prioritising work without compromising quality.
• Good knowledge of different software development methodologies e.g. waterfall, agile etc.
• Familiar with risk management techniques; risk identification, analysis, estimation and mitigation.
• Familiar with IT architecture, design, development methods, operational service & support.
• An enthusiasm and passion for technology. The ability to promote technology within the firm, using business-friendly language, seeking opportunities with tangible business benefits.
• Highly self-motivated, a self-starter who will undertake all activities to the highest professional standards.
• Commercial acumen, including an understanding of the overall picture of IT service costs and how IT adds value to the business.
• Knowledge of the IT market and trends.

Desirable

• Experience of managing projects in the legal sector
• Project Management Professional (PMP).
• Degree qualified – preferred.
• Agile PM Practitioner or Agile Prince2 Practitioner certified
• Agile – SCRUM.
• Experience working within Rapid Application Development or Agile environments.
• Knowledge and experience of ITIL processes.

* Work outside normal office hours, including on-call, weekend, evening work and international travel will be expected, as required by individual projects and activities.

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 - External

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.