Director of Knowledge and Development
UK Visa Sponsorship Analytics
Analytics are greyed out due to low classification confidence (39.0%).
Occupation Type
Functional managers and directors not elsewhere classified.
Occupation Code Skill LevelHigher Skilled
Sponsorship Salary Threshold
£74,700
(£38.31 per hour)
Occupation rate applies
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Description
About Us
Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client.
We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face.
Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do. RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 6th best law firm to work at in 2026.
With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 42% of our partnership.
The team you will join
Reporting to the Chief People Officer, this role leads the strategic development and operational delivery of the firm’s knowledge management, learning & development, and IT training functions. It acts as a key enabler of the firm’s long-te
Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client.
We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face.
Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do. RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 6th best law firm to work at in 2026.
With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 42% of our partnership.
The team you will join
Reporting to the Chief People Officer, this role leads the strategic development and operational delivery of the firm’s knowledge management, learning & development, and IT training functions. It acts as a key enabler of the firm’s long-te
rm strategy, shaping the capabilities, behaviours, and ways of working required to deliver legal excellence, scalable growth, and sustained competitive advantage in a legal sector being reshaped by digital transformation, AI-enabled tools, data-driven working, and evolving client expectations. The role will have overall responsibility for the Knowledge Management and Learning & Development teams, each led by a Head of responsible for daytoday delivery.
The Knowledge Management function comprises Professional Support Lawyers embedded within practice areas, alongside firmwide responsibility for the development and delivery of legal knowledge. The team plays a critical role in enabling legal excellence, risk management, efficiency, and consistency by making knowledge reusable, accessible, and aligned to the firm’s strategic priorities.
Learning & Development comprises a multidisciplinary team supporting leadership, professional, technical, and IT training across a geographically dispersed workforce. The function enables firm-wide capability uplift, cultural alignment, and enhanced performance through strategically aligned learning solutions.
The work you will be doing
Strategic Leadership
The Knowledge Management function comprises Professional Support Lawyers embedded within practice areas, alongside firmwide responsibility for the development and delivery of legal knowledge. The team plays a critical role in enabling legal excellence, risk management, efficiency, and consistency by making knowledge reusable, accessible, and aligned to the firm’s strategic priorities.
Learning & Development comprises a multidisciplinary team supporting leadership, professional, technical, and IT training across a geographically dispersed workforce. The function enables firm-wide capability uplift, cultural alignment, and enhanced performance through strategically aligned learning solutions.
The work you will be doing
Strategic Leadership
- Define and lead an integrated, firm-wide Knowledge and Development strategy that underpins legal excellence, client service, operational efficiency, and long-term business performance.
- Act as a strategic partner to senior leadership, shaping capability priorities that support the firm’s strategy, growth ambitions, and future service models.
- Champion a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and knowledge sharing across legal and business services teams.
- Ensure knowledge, learning, and capability investment is aligned with resource planning, regulatory requirements, and evolving client needs.
- Oversee the combined Knowledge and Development budget, ensuring resources are deployed effectively and deliver measurable value.
- Establish clear measures of impact, demonstrating how knowledge and development initiatives contribute to performance, efficiency, risk management, and client outcomes.
- Provide strategic leadership to the Professional Support Lawyer community, ensuring knowledge activity is aligned with firm-wide priorities and practice group strategies.
- Set strategic priorities for legal and professional development aligned to the firm’s strategy, values, and future capability needs.
- Provide direction for the design and delivery of impactful learning interventions, including leadership development, coaching, mentoring, digital learning, and on-the-job development.
- Lead the continuous evolution of -career pathways to ensure rapid integration, capability building, and cultural alignment.
- Shape firm-wide talent and capability frameworks that support career progression, performance, and retention across legal and business services roles.
- Provide strategic leadership on capability and change associated with new systems, digital platforms, and AI-enabled tools.
- Ensure technology training is tightly aligned to business priorities, user needs, and adoption outcomes.
- Drive behavioural change and capability uplift to ensure technology investments deliver measurable improvements in productivity, quality, and client experience.
- Build strong, trusted relationships with the senior leadership team, Partners and senior leaders to identify strategic knowledge and capability priorities.
- Act as a strategic advisor on legal talent, organisational learning, and knowledge strategy.
- Represent the firm externally across legal, knowledge, and learning networks, reinforcing the firm’s reputation for innovation and excellence.
What we are looking for
The ideal candidate will have:
- Experience designing and leading sophisticated knowledge and development strategies within legal or professional services environments.
Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model where our colleagues enjoy a mix of home and office working. This role attracts a split of 60% office days and 40% working from home days per week.
We welcome applications from people looking for flexible, agile, and part-time roles and we are happy to explore your preferred working patterns as part of your application.
Benefits
As a Director at Birketts, you will be eligible to receive a wide range of benefits:
Inclusivity and Culture
At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth.
Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation.
- 30 days holiday (FTE) plus Bank Holidays
- Car parking expenses
- Long Service holiday award - 1 extra week every 10 years continuous service
- Private Healthcare with BUPA (offered after probation is passed)
- Annual health assessment
- Scottish Widows Pension Scheme (5% employer / 5% Employee)
- Staff Profit Share and Individual Performance Bonus Scheme
- Salary sacrifice (Pensions, Staff Profit Share)
- Life Assurance - 4 x salary / Permanent Health Insurance
- Paid CSR Day
- Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave
- Subsidised gym membership
- Electric car scheme
- Dress for your Day Policy
Inclusivity and Culture
At Birketts, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth.
Birketts is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or sexual orientation.
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We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.
We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.