Practice Support Manager

Practice Group / Department:

Job Description

We're Norton Rose Fulbright - a global law firm with over 50 offices and 7,000 employees worldwide. We provide the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. At Norton Rose Fulbright, our strategy and our culture are closely entwined. We know that our expansion will mean little unless it is underpinned by truly global collaboration and we understand that pioneering work only takes place when our people have room to move and think beyond boundaries. As well as the relevant skills and experience, we're looking for people who are innovative, commercial and value the work that they do. 

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Practice Support Manager to join our London office on a 12-month fixed-term contract. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing support within their respective teams, being aligned to practice groups and business services support teams (Practice Support Executives (“PSE”), Administration, Document Production etc.) ensuring support is being provided at the highest level.

Key Responsibilities

Management and Strategic Responsibilities:

• Oversee PSE support delivery and ensure high performance standards.
• Collaborate with the Head of Practice Support on new initiatives.
• Utilize data to understand support, resource, and recruitment needs.
• Proactively pilot new technology and innovative work methods.
• Encourage continuous development of structures and processes.
• Engage in business development initiatives with Practice Group and legal Team Leaders.

Team Management and Development:

• Lead recruitment processes for new support joiners.
• Utilize BigHand reporting for insights and improvements.
• Promote best practices and ensure high-quality standards.
• Ensure team members attend relevant training and apply new knowledge.
• Conduct performance reviews, set SMART objectives, and monitor progress.
• Identify and address skill gaps and training needs.
• Handle capability issues and employee relation matters in conjunction with HR.
• Provide PSE support when necessary.

General Approach:

• Ensure technical skills and knowledge meet team requirements.
• Serve as the go-to contact for knowledge and information.
• Lead a motivated support team delivering high-quality services.
• Develop strong communication links with fee earners and partners.
• Exercise confidentiality, discretion, and personal sensitivity.
• Support and build collaborative working relationships within and beyond the team.
• Commit to upskilling teams through regular training sessions.
• Provide real-time developmental feedback to staff.

Person Specification

Skills and Experience:

• Proven line management experience across different teams.
• Strong adaptive management and leadership skills.
• Experience in performance and salary review processes.
• Embrace and promote the use of technology.
• Experienced in implementing initiatives and securing its success across teams
• Experienced in supporting PSE development and supporting new ways of working
• Confident in dealing with difficult / challenging conversations
• Ideally from a legal background with similar experience

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

To attract the best people, we strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to work, have a sense of belonging, and realize their full career potential. 
Our new enabled work model allows our people to have more flexibility in the way they choose to work from both the office and a remote location, while continuing to deliver the highest standards of service. We offer a range of family friendly and inclusive employment policies and provide access to programmes and services aimed at nurturing our people’s health and overall wellbeing. Find more about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion here.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams. We strive to create an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you require any tailored adjustments or accommodations, please let us know here.