Description
Role Purpose
To lead a best-in-class Graduate Recruitment and Development ("GR&D") team, providing first-class support to the GR&D Partner and Graduate Recruitment panels/stakeholders to deliver a full spectrum of Graduate Recruitment activities. The role holder will ensure first-class recruitment processes and candidate experience, which is designed to deliver high quality, diverse talent, and which supports the firm's Diversity and Inclusion strategy and ensures our market reputation as an employer of choice.
Main Responsibilities
The Team
- Day-to-day leadership of the Graduate Recruitment & Development team, providing direction, coaching, and development to 3 Officers, and a coordinator
- Build and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, working very closely with the Graduate Recruitment Partner, the Training Principal, and other key contacts within the business
- Lead, influence, and oversee the Firm’s Graduate Recruitment marketing, attraction, and media strategy
- Proactively lead on and manage all HR-related areas for the trainee solicitor population
- Manage strategic Graduate Recruitment projects
- Responsibility for an annual budget of over £1 million
- Maintain an understanding of trends, developments, innovation, and best practice in the Graduate Recruitment space and use them to shape strategy and inform discussion within the business
Recruitment
- Overall responsibility for the First year insight scheme, training contract, and vacation scheme recruitment processes, leading as well as delivery working closely with the GROs
- Work closely with the Graduate Recruitment Interview Panel to ensure recruitment best practice and consistent and robust decision-making
- Oversee and manage relationships with universities, liaising with career services, law faculties, and key student societies and attending events where required
- Oversee the delivery of the annual Graduate Recruitment marketing campaign
- Work closely with the Inclusion and Diversity team, manage key relationships with Diversity partner organisations, and ensure the Firm’s graduate recruitment process supports the diversity agenda
- Design and host recruitment-related presentations and training sessions
Graduate Recruitment
- Work closely with the Firm's Training Principal, Trainee Partners, Department Managers, L&L, and Graduate Recruitment & Development Officers (GRDOs) to manage and deliver the trainee development programme through to qualification
- Overseeing the GRDO on the trainee seat allocation and secondment process, taking a strategic view of the talent pipeline into key groups.
- Work closely with the Trainee Solicitors and Training Principal to manage the qualification process, discussing trainee performance and qualification decisions with Partners, Department Heads, and the Management Committee
- Proactively manage trainee performance issues and provide pastoral care to the trainee population throughout their training contract
- Overseeing and managing the team to deliver all trainee development processes (e.g. trainee evaluation process) and ensuring regulatory compliance and best practice
Candidate Management
- Responsible for screening applications, reviewing video interviews, and acting as a Group Assessor, ensuring that screening processes follow internal guidelines and hiring decisions are made and communicated in a professional and timely manner
Other Responsibilities
- Ensure that all recruitment processes and communications support the Firm’s brand and that the Firm provides a world-class candidate experience throughout the recruitment and selection process
- Ensure that recruitment activities and initiatives support and are aligned with the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) strategy of the Firm and that D&I is embedded in all processes. Support the implementation of innovative strategies to attract diverse candidates
- Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders including Graduate Recruitment Partner, Graduate Recruitment Panel, Trainees, Associates, and key business services teams
- Actively participate in assigned recruitment work-stream and sub-streams as required
- Lead/participate minimum of one FY recruiting project as it relates to a designated recruitment work-stream and sub-streams and participate in ad-hoc recruitment projects as and when required
- Provide support, as and when required, to the Recruitment Leadership Team and work collaboratively as part of a regional Recruitment team, assisting other offices on recruitment activity and projects
- Participate in various recruiter organisations to increase personal networking, knowledge sharing, and promotion of the Firm
- Attend ad-hoc events and presentations, as necessary
Travel Requirements
UK Travel only
About The Team
Function
The People function (Human Resources & Development) in London consists of the following teams:
- Talent Management
- Diversity & CSR
- Leadership & Learning
- Careers, Performance and Reward
- Recruitment & Mobility
This role will report to the Associate Director of Recruitment, EMEA+.
The direct reports for this role are the following:
- Graduate Recruitment & Development Officer x 2
- Graduate Recruitment Officer
- Graduate Recruitment & Development Coordinator
The key relationships of of this role will be with the following:
- Recruitment Leadership, including Director of Recruitment, EMEA/+
- Recruitment Managers in EMEA+
- Graduate Recruitment Training Principal
- Graduate Recruitment Partner
- Trainee Partners
- Trainee Solicitors
- Careers Service contacts
- On campus Brand Ambassadors
- External publication contacts
- HR Business Partners
About The Candidate
Technical Skills, Qualifications and Experience
- Experience in managing a Graduate Recruitment team, preferably within a legal environment. Able to demonstrate excellent relationship management skills and a sound understanding of recruitment best practice as well as the wider graduate recruitment market. This role will involve providing subject matter expertise and delivering on strategic projects whilst also requiring someone who can operate effectively at a tactical level. A strong and effective people manager is required.
- Understanding the business - Makes a significant contribution to and supports change from a functional and wider business perspective in the area of graduate recruitment and development. Demonstrates commercial awareness and a focus on value-adding and driving higher performance. Able to respond to changing business needs quickly in a sometimes challenging environment.
- Demonstrating process / technical expertise - Leads projects to deliver new process innovations, regional integration, and systems implementation. Undertakes benchmarking and other evaluation methods in determining best practice. Ensures the delivery of a high-quality service in own area of expertise.
- Managing change - Skilful workshop leader/facilitator. Contributes to scoping and leading change projects across Baker McKenzie.
- Establishing and displaying personal credibility - Is credible in a range of complex advisory and problem-solving situations. Resolves conflict and differences through the application of interpersonal skills. Demonstrates high personal awareness. Establishes and maintains strong relationships with key stakeholders within the business.
- Respects and enjoys the diversity of cultural, social, and academic backgrounds found in the Firm
- First-class written and oral communication and interpersonal skills
- Able to demonstrate sound judgement and ability to work independently
- Strong organisational skills and ability to meet deadlines and multi-task in a matrix, fast-paced, professional services environment
- Conscientious, flexible, and with excellent attention to detail
- Strong client service and delivery mindset
- Ability to maintain a calm, professional manner at all times, even when under pressure, acting as an ambassador for the Function and the Firm
- Ability to work collaboratively and to build effective networks across all levels of the business
Personal Qualities
These personal qualities represent the shared characteristics of high performers across Baker McKenzie, regardless of job level and location.
Know How
- Demonstrates the ability to identify the real issue, and to anticipate requirements and potential consequences; distills a range of possibilities by thinking in a considered, prudent manner
- Has the capacity to take on new ideas and develop knowledge and think holistically about business and address media, analyst, employee, and client audiences
- Able to move through a variety of tasks requiring different approaches, knowledge, and expertise, with the agility of mind and capacity for analysis and synthesis
Dedication
- Driven by a strong personal sense of integrity and upholds exemplary quality standards
- Prepares thoroughly, takes responsibility, uses initiative and is self reliant to ensure work progresses to the fullest extent possible
- Hardworking and diligent with a keen understanding of client demands
- Demonstrates composure when dealing with difficult situations
Personal Impact
- Uses complex, coordinated influencing/negotiation strategies, adapted to people, organizations, and/or the situation, e.g. networks
- Leverages direct reports to facilitate increased collaboration across the organization
- Builds partnerships based on a common agreement that acknowledges individual differences but creates a new commonality beyond root belief large-scale
- Creates a positive impression at all times; develops relationships through collaboration and reciprocity
- Negotiates to achieve mutually satisfactory outcomes; shows good judgment on when to stand strong and when to compromise
- Invests in, nurtures, and builds a network of productive relationships
Humanity
- Respectful to others, regardless of their position, and earns the respect of others by being transparent
- Has care and concern for others and a genuine interest in others as people
- Treats delicate or confidential issues with grace and discretion.
Why Join Us?
Baker McKenzie is a truly global law firm. Founded in 1949, we advise many of the world's most dynamic and successful business organisations through our 13,200 people in 74 offices in 45 countries. Yet big does not mean impersonal. We work hard to ensure that everyone knows their role and has the support they need to perform it to the highest standard. Our culture encourages this - how we work, think and behave in a collaborative and fulfilling way.
In London you will be part of a 1,000 person office, which is also our largest office globally. Originally opened in 1961, Baker McKenzie London is well established in the UK as a leading international law firm and is regularly involved in some of the country's most high-profile legal matters. We can offer you the work, pride and experience of being part of a leading law firm but in a local office environment that is hardworking, friendly and supportive.
The strength of the firm and our culture is evidenced by a number of recent awards, including:
- Thomson Reuters (formerly Acritas' Sharplegal) Global Elite Law Firm Brand Index, 2010- 2022 - ranked 1st
- The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 2021-2022: currently ranked 52nd
- Thomson Reuters ranked the Firm No. 1 for cross-border deals for the last 12 years. More than 70% of our deals are cross-border.
- For the 14th consecutive year, the Firm was ranked first for deals with emerging market involvement, by both number of announced and completed deals.
- Law360 ranked the Firm as one of the 400 Largest US Law Firms in in its annual survey in 2020.
- Identified as one of the Hall of Fame for best law firms for women by Working Mother magazine, 2011-2021.
- Received a a Gold Award in Stonewall's Global Workplace Equality Index of Top Global Employers for LGBTQ+ Inclusion.
- Ranked as one of the Top 20 Employers in the 2023 Social Mobility Employer Index.
- Received Double Certification for earning top marks in the 2022 Corporate Equality Index and Equidad MX of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
- Winner of the Europe Mentorship Programme - International Firm award in the Euromoney Women in Business Law Europe Awards 2021
- Winner of the Gender Diversity International Firm, Talent Management International Firm, and Work-Life Balance International Firm awards in the Euromoney Women in Business Law Asia Awards 2021
Have a look at our YouTube channel to find out more about us!
To Apply
At Baker McKenzie we welcome direct applications.
Please click on the Apply icon to start the online application process for this role. We will then be in touch with you once we have reviewed your application.
For more information about this position or to discuss any adjustments you may require during the process please contact in confidence, David Roberts, Recruitment Manager, on +44 2070 72 5752 or David.Roberts@bakermckenzie.com
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NO AGENCIES PLEASE
Please note Baker McKenzie does not accept unsolicited CVs. Please click here for details of our Agency Policy and commitment to sourcing directly.
Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity
As the first truly global law firm, diversity and inclusion are foundational to our culture and strategic vision. We are a Firm of individuals from across the globe with different backgrounds, ideas, and points of view who collegially work together to solve complex problems and design practical solutions for our clients. Our multiple perspectives come from many sources, including the diverse ethnicity, culture, gender, nationality, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, parental status, education, social background and life experience of our people.
Our global strategy is focused on our people, our culture, our clients and the communities where we operate. In 2019 we enacted ambitious new targets related to gender, racial and ethnic diversity at the Firm. These targets are viewed as a floor, not a ceiling, to advancing underrepresented groups, and they are backed by a variety of strategic initiatives aimed at achieving our goals. Our strategic vision is supported in London by six active employee led networks which champion diversity, lead on a number of internal campaigns and deliver a range of activity to celebrate differences in identity, inclusion, and key dates throughout the year including: LGBT+ History Month, International Women's Day, International Trans Day of Visibility, Mental Health Awareness Week, Pride, Black History Month, Social Mobility Week, International Day of Disabled Persons and many more!
Baker McKenzie London has been accredited by Disability Confident, joining over 18,000 organisations that have signed up to help change behaviours and cultures in businesses, networks and communities and reap the benefits of inclusive recruitment practices.