Senior Manager - Legal Operations

Job description

Who are we? Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 24,000 employees spanning over 56 countries. People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden. What we’re looking for Our Legal function acts as a trusted, pragmatic partner to the business, empowering our people to shape solutions, manage legal risk proactively and build a great global business of which our colleagues, clients and partners are proud. More than 100 colleagues advise across regions and divisions, helping Howden navigate complexity, make informed decisions and continue moving forward at pace. The Senior Manager, Legal Operations will act as a strategic partner and trusted deputy to the Group Head of Legal Operations, co-owning the development, maturity and optimisation of Howden's Legal Operations function. Reporting to the Group Head of Legal Operations and deputising for them across key programmes, this role will lead and deliver a broad range of strategic and operational initiatives across panel management, legal technology, data and reporting, pricing strategy, tender management, process improvement and AI innovation. Working closely with legal, business, technology and external stakeholders, the successful candidate will bring structure, pace and practical implementation support to key legal operations programmes. The role would suit someone comfortable working across both strategic and hands on delivery, with the ability to manage relationships, improve processes, use data effectively and champion technology enabled ways of working. Please note that this is a permanent, full-time role based in our Central London office. Following a hybrid work pattern, you are expected to be onsite 2-3 days per week on average. What you’ll be doing Lead and deliver strategic legal operations initiatives across panel management, legal technology, reporting, process improvement and innovation. Act as a trusted advisor and sounding board to the Group Head of Legal Operations, deputising on key decisions, escalations and programmes in their absence. Represent Legal Operations in senior leadership and governance forums, contributing to function strategy and decision-making. Oversee legal panel governance activities, maintaining visibility of performance, pricing arrangements, service delivery and value creation opportunities. Develop and enhance panel management frameworks, reporting processes, governance materials and relationship management practices. Own the development and execution of panel pricing strategy, working with the Group Head of Legal Operations to negotiate commercial terms with panel firms, informed by data analysis, benchmarking and commercial insight. Lead end-to-end tender strategy and governance, shaping evaluation criteria, coordinating stakeholders and submissions, and driving final recommendations. Design, build and maintain dashboards, management information and reporting tools that provide actionable operational insights. Drive the implementation, adoption and optimisation of legal technology solutions across the legal function. Improve workflows, templates, forms and automations to increase efficiency and enhance user experience. Identify, evaluate and drive the adoption of AI-enabled solutions, automation opportunities and emerging legal technologies. Manage projects from planning through delivery, ensuring timelines, risks, dependencies and stakeholder expectations are effectively controlled. Collaborate with legal, business, technology and external stakeholders to deliver operational excellence and sustainable improvements. Promote a data-driven approach to decision-making, using reporting and performance metrics to support continuous improvement. What qualifications we’re looking for Significant experience (10+ years) within an in-house legal function or law firm in a Legal Operations, Legal Project Management, or Legal Transformation role is essential. Experience gained within Consulting, Professional Services, or Business Operations environments would be advantageous, but does not replace the requirement for direct legal-sector experience. Experience leading or supporting operational improvement, transformation or change initiatives. Strong stakeholder management experience with the ability to engage, influence and build credibility with senior legal and business leaders, including General Counsel and senior leadership forums. Demonstrable experience creating dashboards, management information, reporting frameworks and operational insights. Strong analytical capability with experience interpreting and presenting data to support decision-making. Experience implementing or supporting technology solutions and improving operational workflows. Commercial understanding of supplier management, panel governance, pricing models or tender processes. Experience managing multiple workstreams and delivering projects in a fast-paced environment. Relevant degree or equivalent professional experience. Project Management qualification desirable, such as PRINCE2, APM, Agile or equivalent. Power BI, data analytics or legal technology certifications desirable. Genuine curiosity and hands-on experience with AI tools, with the ability to design and build workflows or agents that create efficiencies in documentation and reporting. Knowledge of legal technology platforms for matter management and e-billing desirable. Strong written and verbal English communication skills, with excellent numerical and analytical capability. What do we offer in return? A career that you define. At Howden, we value diversity – there is no one Howden type. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us: Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new We support each other in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges We are determined to make a positive difference at work and beyond Reasonable adjustments We're committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs. Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours* or hybrid working*. If you're excited by this role but have some doubts about whether it’s the right fit for you, send us your application – if your profile fits the role’s criteria, we will be in touch to assist in helping to get you set up with any reasonable adjustments you may require. *Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more. Permanent