My client, a leading global U.S. law firm, are seeking a Human Resources Business Partner to support the Practice Group Talent Leads across DACH with the regional's strategic direction, vision, and values in a highly matrixed organization.
FUNCTION
The Firm’s People function has responsibility for recruiting, supporting, and developing all of the Firm’s people, including our Partners, Lawyers, and Professional & Business Services, working closely with the Firm’s leadership to design and deliver the Firm’s people strategy, building on the Firm’s core commitments to collaboration, excellence, and inclusivity. The function includes:
* Talent Management
* Recruitment & Mobility
* Diversity & Inclusion
* Leadership & Learning
* Partner Services
* Total Rewards
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategy
* Work closely with Local Practice Group Heads (LPGHs) across the market grouping to align HR strategies with practice group objectives, ensuring workforce initiatives support business priorities and financial targets, including total cost to company and cost efficiency.
* Develop and implement the PG Talent Strategy across the local practice groups in the market grouping.
Pipeline Management & Promotions
* Manage talent pipelines, succession planning, and the promotion process at practice group level, in partnership with the Partner Matters Talent Director/team.
* Support and coordinate the promotion process from Associate to Local Partner/Counsel across the market grouping, working with PG Talent Leads to prepare candidate materials.
* Advise on the annual matriculation process for Associates progressing through class years.
* Facilitate discussions with PGLs to support talent mapping and pipeline planning.
* Support and coordinate the EMEA Talent Review process for the practice group.
Performance Management (Fee Earners)
* Lead, support, and coordinate Associate, Counsel, and Local Partner performance management processes, including annual evaluation and promotion cycles, moderation, and calibration meetings, for the assigned practice group in the market grouping.
* Review performance outcomes with LPGHs and work with them to identify and implement solutions for underperforming and high-potential talent.
* Coach partners on associate performance issues.
* Attend performance review meetings where required.
* Escalate high-risk cases or employee relations matters to Office Talent Leads.
Career Development (Fee Earners)
* Coordinate nominations for EMEA programs across the market grouping, assess lawyer training needs, and address them in partnership with EMEA Leadership and Learning Lead, offering individual career coaching sessions as needed.
* Coordinate nominations for internal and external programs, assess training needs, and address them in partnership with LPGHs and the Leadership and Learning team.
* Lead the regional career conversations program, focusing on high-level discussions between attorneys and firm leaders to support career progression.
* Work with Knowledge Management to ensure practice-specific training is relevant and well attended.
Reward
* Provide input into the Principal and Local Partner compensation process.
Coaching & Counselling
* Provide individual career development coaching and counselling, and support lawyers with development and business plans.
* Coach attorneys through performance challenges.
Workforce Planning
* Partner with LPGHs on team structure, capacity reviews, and utilisation planning, with particular attention to ID&E considerations.
* Support headcount right-sizing initiatives and, where relevant, consult with Office Talent Leads on redundancies.
* Drive workforce planning across the market grouping by developing and executing strategies for planning, succession, and retention.
Integration
* Act as a key liaison across the market grouping to support the integration of lateral partners, associates, and incoming first-year associates.
* Develop and coordinate a one-year integration plan for lateral partners.
* Oversee the ramp-up and ramp-down of attorneys during temporary leave or absence.
Onboarding
* Host PG orientations for lawyers across the market grouping and serve as a point of resource.
* Liaise with other functional teams to help new joiners learn firm tools, technology, operations, and strategy.
Mobility
* Contribute to strategic mobility planning at market grouping level to identify development opportunities, share capacity, and liaise with the Global Mobility Advisory Group and office-based Talent Management on mobility issues across the PG in EMEA.
Employee Relations
* Provide commercial advice and guidance to LPGHs on employee relations matters, working closely with office talent teams where needed.
Engagement
* Work closely with LPGHs to identify key themes and priorities, and develop and implement PG engagement plans across the region/market grouping.
* Follow up on engagement surveys across the practice groups, aligned with the wider EMEA approach, and partner with LPGHs on communications and medium- to long-term engagement plans.
Recruitment
* Identify staffing gaps, evaluate resourcing options, and coordinate PG onboarding and induction at market grouping level, including lateral hire integration.
* Serve as a key liaison to support the integration of lateral partners across EMEA.
Partnership with Other People Teams
* Partner closely with People Centres of Excellence to deliver results and innovative people solutions.
* Coordinate with office-based Talent Management on operational matters and employee relations, and provide HR advisory support to PGLs on people-related issues.
* Work with People and EMEA leadership teams to help shape the most effective People strategy, infrastructure, and resources for EMEA.
Talent Projects
* Collaborate on the design and implementation of global and regional talent strategies and initiatives.