Practice Group Support Manager - London

We are Eversheds Sutherland, a global law firm, with more than 5,000 people across over 30 countries. We’re full-service with deep niche and sector experience. Whatever challenge, wherever in the world, we’re equipped and ready to meet it. We live our values, we’re purposeful and purpose-led. So although the world is fast-moving and rapidly changing, we see it as a place where everyone can thrive. We’re ambitious for our clients, our communities – and for you. Whether you’re starting out on your career or well established, whether you’re a lawyer or in business services. If you’re looking for what’s next, we are too.

What to expect

For business professionals, our environment is highly collaborative with value being placed on diversity of ideas, skills and mindsets. Not least yours. It’s energetic, fast-moving and there’s always something new to get involved in. You will get exposure across geographies and the firm as a whole. The future is a place of opportunity. Focusing on your success and for what’s next, will ensure you thrive too.

Our Practice Group – Company Commercial

Our global group advises clients on a wide range of projects, from the most strategic, right through to day-to-day commercial agreements and regulatory change projects for corporate and institutional clients. Our work includes:

• large and complex M&A deals

• tax structuring

• trade and EU law

• corporate finance arrangements

• intellectual property, including trademarks and patents

• data and technology regulation

• investigations by competition authorities

• corporate restructuring and insolvency

• financial service regulation

• stock market listings

The Role

As a Practice Group Support Manager at Eversheds Sutherland, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring stakeholders receive a professional, efficient and proactive PA and administrative service. You will lead and manage diverse support teams/P.A's up to 16 people with strategic vision, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability and continuous improvement. Your senior role involves engaging and building trust with stakeholders at all levels, driving effective communication and relationship management and aligning with the wider business strategy. You will drive initiatives for growth and collaboration within the team, enabling our people to excel in their roles and adapt to the dynamic needs of the firm.

You will ensure the efficient use of resources and contribute to the firm’s financial management through effective budget and cost-saving initiatives. Additionally, you will champion process improvements and the adoption of innovative technologies, ensuring operational efficiency and seamless adaptation to evolving business requirements. Your leadership will be instrumental in creating a dynamic, supportive work environment that aligns with Eversheds Sutherland’s values and strategic objectives.

Key responsibilities

• Stakeholder communication: regular, high-level communication and liaison with stakeholders. Building robust relationships, addressing team or individual issues, providing strategic solutions. Attend and contribute to regular Partner and fee-earner team meetings to update on Practice Group support key focus areas and drive client service excellence.

• Mentor and support PAs / TAs in their development, aiding in strategic decision-making and identifying effective solutions. Effectively delegate to develop and motivate others, providing stretch opportunities.

• Workload management: oversee the distribution of workloads within the support team, ensuring client service excellence for both internal and external clients. Manage re-allocation of support and source capacity from local and national support teams, regularly reviewing and addressing the support structure with the Senior Practice Group Support Manager.

• Comprehensive performance management: consistently manage all support team check-ins through preparation, leading meetings and ensuring development plans, areas of focus and specific training needs are identified and implemented. Provide regular constructive feedback. Address underperformance in behaviours, values and performance, liaising with the Senior Practice Group Support Manager and ER as required.

• Attendance and leave management: monitor holiday and sickness records, escalating significant issues to the Senior Practice Group Support Manager and ER. Conduct return-to-work meetings, keeping key stakeholders informed. Effectively manage and lead a hybrid team, ensuring sufficient office coverage and following up on non-attendance.

• Recruitment and retention: manage the support staff recruitment, establishing genuine recruitment needs, drafting robust business cases and liaising with the Senior Practice Group Support Manager and the Recruitment team. Lead the interview process. Ensure the retention of key talent within the team.

• Onboarding and induction: ensure new joiners have all necessary arrangements in place, including IT setup, team introductions and procedural guidance. Allocate a “buddy,” follow the probation procedure, addressing training needs and skills gaps.

• Financial management: understand and apply Eversheds Sutherland’s financial housekeeping principles and procedures, ensuring compliance with all policies and guidelines. Interpret and analyse financial information relevant to the team. Maintain and manage the overtime process for the team, ensuring correct authorisation.

• Resource review: review support services capacity to monitor trends, challenge working practices and address concerns promptly with the Senior Practice Group Support Manager and stakeholders.

• Embrace and champion any changes as directed by the Firm’s management and IO teams, acting as a positive force and change agent within the team.

• Continuously seek opportunities to embrace technologies that improve our ways of working and drive efficiency in day-to-day tasks. Promotion of available technology, encouraging adoption and training. Conduct regular spot checks on quality and turnaround times

Skills and experience

• Extensive experience in managing teams and committed to delivering an outstanding level of client service excellence.

• Highly motivated with the ability to inspire and energise team members, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration.

• Stakeholder management: manage and nurture high-level stakeholder relationships.

• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.

• Exhibits a high level of initiative and a proactive approach to challenges, driving continuous improvement.

• Results-oriented: demonstrates tenacity and strategic thinking.

• Technically fluent, driving digital transformation.

• Strategic project planning.

• Strong personal brand, role model and mentor.

What’s in it for you?

At Eversheds Sutherland, we provide benefits focused on looking after you: your development, your performance, your financial future and your health, as well as providing the opportunity to make a contribution to the world.

• We’re fair, transparent and equitable

• We share in the success of the firm, reward alignment to our values, going above and beyond and your individual performance

• We support flexible ways of working through our remote working policy and commitment to flexible, agile and hybrid ways of working

• We support your health and performance through our dental, healthcare and wellness support

• We support everything you are and all you bring through our powerful commitment to diversity and inclusion

• We provide a platform for your career, whatever your ambitions through our structured professional and personal training, mentoring and development programs

• We provide experience and opportunity through international and cross-function exposure

• We provide an opportunity to give back through our pro bono work and community engagement

• We help you plan ahead through retirement planning, insurance and assurance

Diversity & Inclusion

At Eversheds Sutherland, “Inclusive” is a core business value. We bring together different skillsets, global mindsets and approaches. We foster diversity of thought and the freedom to put ideas into action. We have an inherent respect for the individual. We have a strong belief in collaboration and teamwork. Sharing ideas, asking questions, solving challenges and meeting our clients’ goals: together.

We want all our people to thrive at work and reach their full potential and we work hard to continue to build a diverse and inclusive culture, monitor and report on our progress and impact, and develop our approach. This is reflected in our policies, systems and processes, and in our work with diversity membership organisations.

Many of our people work flexibly in some way and we are open to considering how we can accommodate flexible working arrangements alongside role requirements. If this is important to you, please talk to us about it during the recruitment process.

We want you to perform at your best during our recruitment process. If there is any adjustment or support you need, please contact us so we can discuss how we can best assist you.

For you,

For your success.

And what's next.