Early Talent Development Team Lead – 6 Months Fixed Term Contract

Who we are

We are one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.

Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating - full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.

You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.

Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.

Start date for this role is as soon as possible.

The role

You will work closely with the Senior HR Business Partner - GFM to ensure a best-in-class service is delivered to the Trainees and key stakeholders throughout the entire lifecycle of the Training Contract.

Who you will work with

You will work closely with the Senior HR Business Partner – GFM and with a range of stakeholders throughout the firm such as Partners, the wider HR Business Partnering team and the Early Talent Partner sponsors. You will also manage key supplier relationships.

What you will be responsible for

You will oversee and manage all aspects of HR related people activities on a day-to-day basis, with regard to the firm's Trainee Lawyer population.

Duties to include but not exclusive to:

Recruitment and Resourcing

• Works closely with the Trainee Partners, Resource Managers and HR Business Partnering team to identify Trainee resource needs.
• Oversees the seat allocation process to effectively allocate Trainee resource across the business in line with utilisation and resource need.
• Works with the Early Talent Acquisition team to develop the appropriate resourcing strategy and bring in the talent required across all groups.
• Monitors Trainee utilisation levels to assist in Trainee resource allocation.

Cohort Lead

• Provides support and is the primary contact for SQE and allocated Trainee cohorts.
• Undertakes 1-2-1s with Trainees within allocated cohorts to discuss and advise on performance, development, seat and qualification preferences.

Team oversight

• Has day to day management and oversight of all key process and cyclical activity.
• Acts as an escalation point for the Early Talent Development team.

Secondments

• Works closely with Partners, the HRBPs and the Global Mobility team, to ensure client and international secondments are processed in accordance with policy and the relevant support and guidance is provided to the Trainee.

Performance Management

• Is responsible for the successful running of the appraisal and feedback processes for Trainees.
• Works closely with supervisors and Partners to define and address overall performance issues or gaps impacting the success of business performance.

Development and Training

• Has oversight of the suite of pre-training contract presentations.
• Liaises with Education Managers in relation to practice area induction and group training.
• Manages (and delivers on an ad hoc basis as required) supervisor training interventions and resources.
• Works with the Academy team to drive relevant learning and development initiatives for Trainees.
• Provides development and coaching support (or facilitates coaching) to ensure Trainees are achieving their full potential.

Projects

• Maintains awareness of specific practice area and firm-wide business strategy including financial and business development goals and subsequent ongoing performance against this strategy.
• Supports, and where appropriate, leads the development and implementation of early talent projects.

Supplier Management

• Manages the relationship with the chosen education provider.
• Manages key supplier relationships, including contract and service renewal and delivery of key projects.

Budgets & Headcount Management

• Supports the Senior HR Business Partner - GFM with budgeting and headcount planning processes.

Inclusion and Diversity

• Works with Partners and HR teams on specific goals and specific initiatives to increase inclusion and the retention and promotion of underrepresented groups and ensure equality for all.

Employee Relations

• Works closely with the Employee Relations team and the HRBPs and advises on any employee relations issues arising (including but not limited to grievance, disciplinary, and sickness absence cases).
• Ensures the communication and implementation of employee relations policies in practice areas e.g. absence management, disciplinary and dispute resolution.
• Undertakes face to face exit interviews with leavers, end of training contract surveys and other feedback gathering as required and provides feedback and guidance to the relevant Partners and business leaders on our current employment proposition and practices.
• Is recognised as a trusted advisor and coaches the relevant teams on all early talent / people-related issues and more widely.
  
  

Your experience

Experience:

• You will have relevant experience working in HR, ideally as an Early Talent Development Manager or HR Business Partner.
• You will have proven experience managing early talent programs, including development and performance management processes.
• You will have experience building strong relationships with senior stakeholders and acting as a trusted advisor on talent-related issues.
• You will have gained experience from a large and complex organisation (legal or professional services), and you will have a good understanding of a Partnership Culture.

Skills:

• Strong intellectual and analytical skills with the flexibility to manage detail as well as think conceptually and creatively.
• Flexible and effective communications skills. An ability to influence and form good relationships at all levels across an organisation. An ability to present and engage with audiences of different sizes and levels of seniority with confidence.
• The ability to cope with a varied and dynamic workload and a good attention to detail.
• A high level of confidentiality and the ability to deal with conflict situations and handle a variety of potentially sensitive issues.
• Commercial awareness and a reputation for excellent client service.
• A collaborative working style.

Knowledge:

• Broad knowledge of HR best practice.
• Employee relations expertise would be an advantage.

Qualifications:

• Ideally, you will have formal HR qualifications or equivalent experience e.g. CIPD, coaching, mediation.

How we will support you

From your first day with us, you will have varied opportunities to continuously grow and development your skills and knowledge. From formal training, informal coaching and mentoring through to skills-based and technical training and on the job learning

Hybrid working

This role follows our 'balanced' hybrid working approach and as long as business needs allow, you will be supported to work in a hybrid way with the expectation of working from the office for a minimum of 50% of your time.

What we offer including our broad range of benefits and working environment

When you join Clifford Chance, you will have access to a broad range of benefits to support you across many aspects of your personal and professional life including financial, wellbeing, lifestyle, and family friendly benefits. For more information on what we offer specifically in the UK, please visit our What We Offer page on our career site.

Equal opportunities statement

At Clifford Chance, we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society.

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age. This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer and every other aspect of employment.

We have a variety of flourishing employee networks. These networks are a place for colleagues to share experiences and advocate for change wherever they see an opportunity for improvement.

Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm.

Find out more about our inclusive culture here.