Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals.

Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years.

As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be. Our footprint is extensive and committed across the world’s largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs.

At our best tackling complexity and navigating change, we work alongside you on demanding litigation, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private market transactions. We are recognised as leading in these areas.

We are immersed in the sectors and challenges that impact you. We are recognised as standing apart in energy, infrastructure and resources. And we’re focused on areas of growth that affect every business across the world.

All of this is achieved by supporting the growth of our people, who help us deliver on our ambition – which is to help you achieve yours.

Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer: Your goals. Our ambition

The Opportunity

Primary objectives

• Deliver expert work allocation advice to the practice group. Balancing the needs of our clients, business, and the career aspirations and wellbeing of our people. 

• As an integral member of a globally networked Resource Management function support the mobility of people or work across our global firm

• Where resource management is new to the practice group, proactively support the change management and embedding of the function to ensure key performance indicators are met and return on investment delivered.

Key responsibilities

• Provide expert knowledge and advice on work allocation balancing the profitability needs of the business and the career aspirations and wellbeing of our people.

• Solve complex work allocation problems and anticipate business challenges that might arise, advising a range of stakeholders on solutions and preventative measures.

• Develop a good understanding of alternative talent pools available to resolve resource shortfalls e.g. HSF Kramer's Digital Legal Delivery team or external Alternative Legal Service providers.

• As part of a highly networked global Resource Management community maintain a broad appreciation of supply and demand needs across the global firm driving mobility wherever possible.

• Support the firm to deliver its work allocation "deal" as outlined in the firms employee value proposition (life @ HSF Kramer).

• Build relationships with Associates and Trainees to develop a clear sense of individual career objectives and discuss any issues relating to capacity and utilisation.

• Build trusted relationships with Partners and alleviate the day to day burden of resourcing giving them time back to focus on client work and winning in the market. 

• Optimise allocation of work by continuously monitoring current and anticipated pipeline levels, helping to smooth utilisation levels where required.

• Prepare and provide regular management information to partners and share insights on utilisation levels, critical resourcing challenges and any potential wellbeing issues.

• Work with Partners and HR business Partners to understand professional aspirations which can be factored into resourcing decisions. 

• Understands the KPIs across a balanced scorecard and the options available to influence business outcomes through effective work allocation.

• Actively participates in driving the Resource Management strategy to help the firm to achieve its overall objectives.

• Proactively drive the adoption of the work allocation technology, tools and processes as the work allocation function grows.  Ensure they are maintained and accurate.

Key performance indicators

• Aim to smooth utilisation rates across the Practice Group, addressing long hours to support sustainable working.

• In consultation with the partners and through a deep understanding of the fungibility of talent efficiently resource matters and client secondments with the required mix of both experience and skill set. 

• Alleviate a significant burden from the partners by providing robust insights.

• Maintain high level oversight of capacity and utilisation levels globally ensuring the ability to respond to resource requests quickly as part of a highly networked global Resource Management function.

• Propose engagement teams which are carefully constructed to improve margin and facilitate career aspirations to aid development and retention.  Ensure teams reflect the diverse nature of our clients.

Qualifications, skills and experience

• Demonstrate experience in building strategic relationships at all levels.

• Outstanding communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.

• Demonstrate the ability to influence culture change.

• Ability to understand and analyse utilisation data and practice-specific work types to make resourcing decisions based on data and Partner and staff preferences.

• Ability to act quickly under tight deadlines.

• Proactive and adaptable, able to demonstrate initiative.

• Strong commercial and client focus.

• Ability to understand key business drivers including the impact that utilisation and leverage has on profitability.

• Ability to present summaries of the benefits of the work allocation function and data tools to other parts of the business, including senior stakeholders.

• Prior experience in Resource Management, ideally within a large professional services or legal environment.

• Excellent IT skills/experience working with resource management software highly desirable.

• Experience working in the legal sector highly desirable but not essential.

• An innovative mindset, curious about AI and emerging technologies.

Team

Location

Contract type

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values—Human, Bold, and Outstanding.