Learning & Development Manager

Watson Farley & Williams was established in London in 1982 and is an international law firm dedicated to client care, legal excellence and investment in its people.  The firm has offices in Athens, Bangkok, Dubai, London, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Madrid, Milan, Munich, New York, Paris, Rome and Singapore.

The firm has seen rapid expansion in size and geography.  Having started as a maritime law firm, in which it remains pre-eminent, the firm is today recognised for its specialist focus on five core sectors: Energy & Infrastructure, Maritime, Natural Resources, Real Estate and Transport in which it provides a full suite of services including finance, corporate, dispute resolution, tax, employment and regulatory.

This role provides a great opportunity for someone to step-up to a more senior role, or for an experienced L&D professional to take on a new challenge and get involved in a wide variety of exciting projects in this growing and well regarded team. Some travel will be involved, initially in Europe.

The L&D Manager (LDM) is responsible for all Associate, Trainee, and Business Services learning and development globally, as well as overseeing the firm’s Mentoring schemes. A key element to the role over the next 2-3 years will be leading the firm’s preparations for the new SQE.

Reporting to the Global Head of Learning & Development, the LDM will have a high degree of autonomy and scope to develop and improve existing programmes, as well as evolving and creating new solutions, such as mobile learning.

The LDM will source the best external providers as well as delivering training and (ideally) coaching themselves. They will also have joint responsibility for the day-to-day management of the L&D Co-ordinator and L&D Assistant.

• Run and develop the firm’s Associate career development programmes

• Manage the firm’s SRA compliance through the CCR (Continuing Competence Regime)

• Manage PSC/law school relationship and oversee planning for the new SQE (with support from the Global Head of Learning & Development)

• Develop and run Trainee skills programmes

• Co-ordinate and develop our Legal/Sector training offering globally (with PSLs)

• Run, develop and improve global Business Services Development Programmes

• Oversee global Mentoring and Buddy Schemes

• Develop and design e-learning and other online and mobile solutions (alongside whole team)

• Deliver training, principally in European offices

• (subject to experience - Executive Coaching for Senior Associates and Business Services Managers)

Associate Career Development Programmes

The LDM will have primary responsibility for organising, running and developing our two core Associate career development programmes:

• WFW University – junior and mid-level associates, to help them become the best lawyers they can and introduce them to key business skills.

• WFW MBA – mid-level associates, partnering with a leading Business School, to help them become business professionals, with a deeper understanding of the corporate and commercial world.

Management of CCR

The LDM will be responsible for the firm’s CCR compliance for all England & Wales solicitors globally. This currently involves an online Quarterly Reflection Log for all associates, and individual CCR Reports for partners. We would like to refine and improve this process and make more effective use of our LMS and available technology.

SQE and Trainee Skills

The LDM will take the lead in making preparation for the transition to the new SQE for our future lawyers. This will involve liaising with internal stakeholders, managing and evaluating external providers, co-ordinating with the SRA, and potentially developing consortia relationships with other firms.

Legal and Sector Training

Our London PSLs currently drive legal and sector-specific training. The LDM will work with the Global Head of Learning & Development to consolidate existing training and develop the offering, in particular to International offices. This will involve exploring technology options as well as helping offices source local trainers where necessary (e.g. Hong Kong law, French law).

Business Services Development Programmes

The L&D Co-ordinator leads on the current programme for Business Services staff globally and we are keen for this to continue. The LDM will support the L&D Co-ordinator by building relationships with Business Services Directors, working cohesively to set the overall strategy for future development of the programme, delivering sessions, and working on the roll-out into international offices.

Mentoring & Buddy Schemes

We currently run formal Mentoring Schemes in several of our London practice groups, and discrete Buddy Schemes, e.g. for pre-maternity leave fee earners and new lateral hire partners. The LDM will lead the expansion of these schemes to all our offices, enhance and develop them.

E-Learning & LMS

The LDM will work with the L&D team to explore ways to use technology more effectively, in particular through our LMS, currently provided by Cornerstone. The LDM will also lead on enhancing our use of e-learning and mobile learning, including developing our in-house e-learning design capability.

Delivery & Coaching

The LDM will develop, design and deliver skills training to all levels of the firm, both in the UK and oversees. They may also offer 1-2-1 and Group coaching, in particular to Associates and Business Services staff and assist in the development of a firm in-house coaching capability in the medium-long term.

• Minimum 7 years’ experience as an L&D professional in a corporate or commercial environment

• Experience of working in a professional services firm (L&D or otherwise)

• Highly effective skills facilitator and trainer

• Able to initiate, develop and design engaging and interactive skills training sessions

• Confidence in dealing with senior internal clients and external providers

• Recent experience of working with an LMS, preferably Cornerstone

• Well organised and pro-active with a keen eye for detail and completer/finisher

• Creative thinker, able to see problems from different angles and suggest alternative solutions

• Self-starting with high energy levels and stamina

• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills

• Experience of working in a law firm L&D (or Business Development) environment (or ex-lawyer)

• Qualified Executive/Business Coach

• Ability to challenge the status quo, influence others and to think laterally when faced with work challenges

• Degree and professional qualification (e.g. CIPD) desirable but not essential (including former qualification as a lawyer).

At Watson Farley & Williams we value diversity and promote a culture of respect for each individual. We encourage workforce diversity at all levels and in all aspects from recruitment and selection to appraisal and promotion. All decisions relating to employment practice will be objective and based on merit and ability.