Baker McKenzie

The Resource Manager will manage all aspects of resourcing across the department to support the achievement of business objectives, balancing client requirements with individual career development and aspirations.

The role-holder will take full end-to-end accountability for resource management, combining the development and delivery of new initiatives with hands-on ownership of day-to-day resourcing activities at a detailed operational level.

Working closely with Department Managers, Practice Group Leaders, other Resource Managers and the Business Manager, the role-holder will support the firm’s commitment to high organizational performance and a diverse and inclusive culture. They will report directly to the Senior Business Manager and provide resourcing support across the entire department.

This is a highly people-focused role, underpinned by strong, effective working relationships with colleagues at all levels throughout the department.

Main responsibilties:

Work Allocation

• Build and maintain detailed knowledge of the Practice Group’s work, workflows, client demands, and resourcing requirements
• Liaise with Partners and Associates to understand client needs and wider business priorities to enable effective and timely resourcing decisions
• Develop a strong understanding of individual skills, experience, development needs, and personal and professional aspirations, and apply this insight to work allocation decisions
• Act as the central point of accountability for all work allocation across the department on behalf of the Partners
• Allocate work fairly, consistently, and transparently, ensuring alignment with the firm’s diversity and inclusion objectives
• Apply commercial judgment to work allocation, promoting appropriate leverage, efficient staffing models, and alternative delivery options including the use of low-cost centers
• Develop, manage, and continuously improve work allocation tools and processes to support effective resourcing
• Forecast individual and team activity by analysing resourcing and time recording data, identifying discrepancies, and escalating issues where required

Productivity And Resource Planning

• Monitor chargeable hours, utilisation, and capacity by individual, grade, and team, and work with individuals to improve productivity where required
• Identify and escalate potential under-utilisation or over-utilisation risks to Partners and management, recommending corrective actions
• Manage and promote compliance with the department’s timesheet policies by encouraging best practice, raising awareness, and delivering training
• Coordinate absences including holidays, special leave, and unpaid leave, working with Talent and other stakeholders to ensure resourcing continuity
• Support initial ATP requests by working with Talent and Business Development stakeholders to develop preliminary business cases before escalation to the Business Manager
• Coordinate non-billable commitments with Partners and relevant stakeholders to ensure appropriate visibility and resourcing balance
• Support joiner, leaver, and returner processes by facilitating onboarding, workload transition, and work reallocation
• Assess and plan future resourcing requirements in conjunction with the Business Manager, using projected workflows and wider business needs
• Produce and analyse business forecasts including chargeable hours, utilisation, and headcount against budget, and drive actions to support performance outcomes
• Ensure utilisation and performance drivers are accurately reflected in the firm’s performance management processes, working closely with HR and other stakeholders

Operational Leadership And Continuous Improvement

• Act as a visible and accessible presence across the department, providing a real-time and accurate view of capacity, demand, and activity
• Serve as the go-to subject matter expert for work allocation, resourcing systems, tools, and processes
• Produce accurate, timely, and commercially focused management information for the department, highlighting trends, risks, and opportunities
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation in resourcing practices to support departmental and firm-wide performance objectives
• Collaborate with Finance, Talent, Business Development, and other key functions to support business performance and recruitment-related business cases
• Design and implement scalable, transferable, and efficient systems, tools, and processes that can be adopted across the department and wider office
• Promote and champion workforce mobilisation across the region to optimise resourcing flexibility
• Share knowledge, insights, and best practice across the department and the wider business

Skills and experience:

Essential

• Extensive experience with established resource management across one or more professional services organisations 
• Comfortable launching a new role and service, drawing on best practice and operating without existing structure
• Motivated by the day to day 'doing' of resource management, covering all levels of detail, and making a continuous positive difference to the business performance
• An interest in innovation, and exploiting technology to keep the focus on leading the field, not following 
• Respects and enjoys the diversity of cultural, social and academic backgrounds found in the Firm

Desired

• Prior experience in a resource management, manpower/workforce planning or similar role is critical - ideally within a large professional or corporate environment
• Outstanding stakeholder engagement skills at all levels, the ability to build relationships quickly and flex approach to be credible to a variety of audiences
• Strong influencing skills at all levels
• Good problem solver and decision maker - exercises good judgement, knows when to flag issues and when to deal with independently.
• Ability to work with tight deadlines in a fast moving environment - balancing competing demands
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Confident and resilient to deal with challenges - experience of conflict resolution
• Commercial and risk focussed with good operational business acumen 
• Trusted advisor who provides balanced, pragmatic advice around manpower planning and resource management to the business 
• Proactive with a positive, flexible, assertive attitude 
• Strong IT skills – including data analytics in excel. Experience of working with resource management/manpower planning software would be advantageous

Location: London, Belfast Centre or Paris

Reports to: Senior Resource Manager

Travel requirements: Subject to demand and team requirements

Position type: Regional

Development framework:  Manager

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.

To Apply: At Baker McKenzie, we welcome direct applications.

Please click on the Apply icon to start the online application process for this role. We will then be in touch with you once we have reviewed your application. If you are unable to apply online, please contact the Recruitment Team on either 020 7919 1000 or Recruitment.London@bakermckenzie.com.

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No agencies please - Please note Baker McKenzie does not accept unsolicited CVs. Please click here for details of our Agency Policy and commitment to sourcing directly.

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.