Practice Manager, Australia, Digital Legal Delivery

**About Herbert Smith Freehills**

As one of the world’s leading law firms, we advise many of the largest and most ambitious organisations across all major regions of the globe. With over 5,000 people, including 3,100 lawyers and over 2,000 business services professionals, operating from our global network of offices across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America, Herbert Smith Freehills is at the heart of the new global business landscape providing premium quality, full-service legal advice.

We recognise that the success of our business and our clients relies on the skills, knowledge and ideas of all our people. Our environment is one in which high performance is expected, in return, we will provide you with rewards and opportunities tailored to your personal and professional goals.

**The Opportunity**

**Practice Manager, Australia, Digital Legal Delivery**

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced person to join our Digital Legal Delivery (**Digital**) team in Australia in the Practice Manager role. This role can be based in any of our Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth offices.

In this pivotal role, you will help drive Digital’s strategic business objectives and provide both day-to-day operational and strategic support. As the Practice Manager, you will lead the execution of strategic goals and priorities to foster growth and development within the Digital Practice Group.

You will collaborate with Digital stakeholders to ensure alignment across diverse functions within the Practice Group and work broadly across the firm to elevate the profile of the Practice Group. Additionally, you will facilitate the implementation of key strategic initiatives involving Digital.

**Some of the key responsibilities for this role include the following**:
**Strategy and Governance**
- Supporting leadership in development and implementation of strategic plans to drive growth and improve profitability.
- Ownership of leadership sessions/offsites and practice group conferences including agenda, preparation, communication, delivery, and follow up.
- Ownership of leadership meetings (eg, Digital Global Executive, Digital Regional Executive; Working Groups; Management team meetings), including setting agendas, chairing meetings, and driving actions.
- Reporting as required, including bi-monthly Managing Partner Reporting, and reports and presentations to firm-wide governance forums, including the Australian Regional Executive or Asian Executive Committee.
- Leading on special projects including team, work type or product reviews; go to market concepts; new technology or services on behalf of the Digital leadership.
- Producing compelling and effective governance papers and business cases (eg for the approval of strategic projects or recruitment).
- Leading on firm processes as required, including partner promotions, leadership and talent, lateral recruitment, onboarding.
- Leading on the continuous improvement of relevant business processes.

**Communications**
- Responsibility for strategy, drafting and execution of all internal communications, including Digital APAC Townhalls, Digital AU Newsletters, and special communications (eg end of year messages).
- Ensuring appropriate coverage for Digital on firm wide channels by driving engagement with the internal communications team regarding the intranet, regional and global communications.
- Overseeing the development, implementation and ongoing management of an external communications plan for Digital, in conjunction with the External Communications and Business Development teams. This may include award submissions, media enquiries, media releases, conferences and speaking opportunities, social media (LinkedIn), and the HSF website.
- Identifying opportunities for Digital to contribute to thought leadership initiatives.

**Financial Management**
- Maintaining visibility and understanding of the overall Budget and financial performance of Digital to facilitate input into strategic projects and direction.
- Supporting the proper administration of financial controls and approvals and driving good financial hygiene.

**Relationship Building and Connectivity**
- Liaising with colleagues across Digital, ensuring efforts are both efficient and strategically aligned.
- Developing strong, credible and trusted relationships with key stakeholders in Business Services and other Practice Groups and influencing where required.
- Representing Digital both internally and externally, acting as an ambassador to build the Practice Group's profile.
- Leading on connectivity and knowledge building initiatives within Digital.

**Learning and Development**
- Liaising with Learning and Development colleagues, with ownership of Digital specific L&D program, addressing skill and knowledge gaps across the group.

**To be successful in this role you will have**:

- Relevant tertiary qualification.
- Experience in working with senior stakeholders in a professional services environment