Baker McKenzie

The Global Corporate Maintenance Solutions Specialist will focus on designing and implementing complex domestic and cross-border reorganizations. The role-holder will collaborate with our lead offices and Corporate Maintenance teams across the Baker McKenzie Office network, supporting key global clients as the primary contact. It is anticipated that the GCMS client portfolio will continue to grow. The Group has extensive experience in reorganizations of all types, including experts from various practice areas. As part of this Group, our Corporate Maintenance practice assists clients in meeting their annual corporate compliance obligations, such as filing statutory accounts and annual returns, as well as managing changes to legal entities, like director and auditor updates. The individual will possess a very strong work ethic, attention to detail, and a genuine interest in aiding with corporate maintenance matters and contributing to the development of the GCMS team.

Our Global Corporate Maintenance Solutions ("GCMS") service has been established as an innovative way to help clients coordinate and monitor the performance of their essential corporate maintenance obligations, and the GCMS team in Belfast has been established to carry out, track and coordinate related work efficiently and to high standards of quality and consistency.  

Main responsibilities:

• Act as a key client contact on GCMS projects
• Develop, populate and maintain project and client-specific IT platforms
• Coordinate the provision of corporate maintenance services and be responsible for technical quality. This will include working with local legal experts around the world to manage corporate maintenance deadlines such as filing annual accounts for clients' entities globally, managing large-scale multi-jurisdictional changes such as director and officer changes, developing know-how and templates in this area, advising clients on any compliance issues identified by local legal experts and working with local experts to advise the best course of action
• Project manage the onboarding process for new GCMS clients including transition planning, liaising with clients as to the delivery of internal instructions and transition plans to their internal teams and third party providers, managing the in-scope entities list, fees and budgets, documenting the invoicing schedules and fee arrangements, establishing timing for completion of the initial compliance review, setting up regular client update calls, collating contacts for preferred correspondent law firms, supervising GCMS Legal Professionals and Administrators involved in the process, managing client expectations, cementing the client relationship, and providing the GCMS team manager with regular updates in relation to the above
• Track and monitor the updating of compliance trackers, escalate any upcoming or lapsed deadlines to the GCMS Company Secretary and lead associates as appropriate
• Escalate issues to the GCMS Manager or lead associates as appropriate, with proposed solutions to those issues, and independently implement their resolution
• When required, contact correspondent law firms for fee proposals, contribute to pitches, fee proposals and client RFPs, assist with demonstrations and provide context as required during the sales process and assist the GCMS Manager in liaising with partners, business development teams and other internal contacts as to the suitability of GCMS for clients
• Work with other GCMS Specialists to prepare client invoices
• Assist GCMS Manager in preparations for quarterly/bi-annual or annual client review calls and client visits, and in answering client queries about the GCMS retainers, scope of services, and in general, to build lasting relationships with client contacts
• Identify ways to enhance and retain current GCMS client relationships
• Assist the GCMS Manager in conducting fee analysis and monitoring project and fee status
• Work with the GCMS Manager and Company Secretary to capture know-how, refine process mapping, efficiencies and best practice on an ongoing basis; facilitate embedding of new processes; refine process guidance and communicate across the network as appropriate
• Provide training and guidance to corporate maintenance teams across the network, external local counsel and clients
• Identify areas for professional development
• Assist in the orientation of new staff  and the development and supervision of GCMS Legal Professionals
• Share and contribute to the growth of the collective knowledge of the GCMS team

Skills and experience:

• A bachelor's degree (2:1 preferred)
• Advanced in Microsoft Office applications (Intermediate Excel and Word are essential)
• Strong technical skills (experience with SharePoint is an advantage)
• Previous professional services sector experience, ideally legal or as a company secretary
• A positive team member and active contributor in a team environment
• Excellent organizational, prioritization and problem-solving skills
• Confidence to liaise with people at all levels of the firm
• Exceptional attention to detail is a must
• Can manage multiple work tasks, prioritize time, meet deadlines, and propose solutions where conflicts exist

Reports to:  Associate Director, GCMS

Position Type:  Center Services

Development Framework:  Specialist

At Baker McKenzie we are different in the way we think, work and behave. With our team of 13,000 people, including over 6,500 locally admitted lawyers, in over 70 offices worldwide, we have a passionately collaborative community of 60 nationalities and are committed to world-class career development to everyone in every job at every level. Baker McKenzie can offer you both the uncompromising commitment to excellence expected of a top firm paired with a passionately global and genuinely collaborative working environment.

Working at Baker McKenzie Belfast Center:

Baker McKenzie is the world’s leading law firm with offices all over the world. Our Belfast Center is home to over 400 colleagues in both legal and professional services.

We offer one of the best workplace benefits packages in the industry, featuring comprehensive private health cover, income protection, life assurance, and a comprehensive employee assistance plan. These and a host of other benefits make us one of the most desirable companies to work for in Belfast.

Baker McKenzie is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion for all. Our unique international culture is reflected in the drawing together of a worldwide family of individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds in all of our offices. We encourage the best people - regardless of race, religion or belief if any, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or age - to fulfill their professional aspirations with us. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive and accessible experience for all candidates.