Head of Knowledge

The role

• To develop, lead and manage the Litigation & Regulatory Group’s International Knowledge strategy (covering initiatives directed both internally and externally) to support the Group’s overall business strategy and the firm’s overarching Knowledge approach. 
• To take overall responsibility for the quality of the Group’s legal practice and to be a role model for technical knowledge, skill, and advisory techniques in the Group, including management of multi-jurisdictional projects. 
• To drive change across the International Litigation & Regulatory Group as appropriate, including the adoption of technology as an integral part of the Knowledge offering. This will include developing the strategy for the global use of automated core Litigation & Regulatory precedents. 
• To champion the firm’s vision for Knowledge across the Group and represent the Group in the firm-wide Knowledge community.
• To provide input and expertise from a Litigation & Regulatory perspective to assist with development and delivery of firmwide Knowledge projects. 

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

Strategic leadership

• Developing and leading the Group’s international Knowledge strategy in line with the firm’s overarching Knowledge approach and initiatives, including making adaptations where necessary for the local needs of jurisdictions. 
• Implementing and managing projects to deliver the strategy. The role must lead “from the front” and play a full and active part in the substantive delivery of projects (e.g., development of know-how documents or delivery of training), especially where the person in role has relevant technical expertise.
• Building relationships and collaborating with the Group’s partners to identify where expertise lies and championing and facilitating the sharing of expertise by identifying and promoting common interests, best practice, ideas and initiatives between teams and locations.
• Working with Knowledge Partners, Champions and relevant international Knowledge team members to help them plan and deliver on the Lit & Reg Knowledge strategy for each of their jurisdictions. 
• Acting as the Group’s practice quality expert and supporting the Group partners to determine best practices for adoption by the Group to ensure the quality of the Group’s legal practice.
• Working closely with the Group’s International Business Partners to provide Knowledge input and expertise to support delivery of the Group’s strategy.

People Management

• Providing leadership, management, guidance, and appropriate supervision (including on-going training, coaching and undertaking performance reviews) to the Group’s Knowledge team so that the team embraces and demonstrates the firm’s values of being bold, collaborative, supportive, innovative and exceptional. 

Financial Management

• Managing the budget covering the areas of responsibility.

ABOUT YOU

Strategic and commercial aptitude

• Attuned to the dynamics and drivers affecting the Group’s business internationally and able to anticipate changes to the markets in which the Group operates.
• Able to translate strategy into specific plans and strong project management skills to deliver those plans.
• Understands and actively seeks the appropriate application of technology for effective knowledge sharing and efficient high quality service delivery.
• Understanding of knowledge management strategy and implementation in a professional services environment and preferably experience of high-quality implementation in a legal services organisation.

An expert facilitator

• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to connect influence and collaborate in a multi-cultural environment across multiple geographies. Proactively engages others and can lead, inspire, and motivate through building strong relationships and instilling confidence in others to encourage dissemination of best practice and new ideas.
• Experience of working in a large matrix organisation with multiple reporting lines and across multiple geographies.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills to assess competing priorities and provide structured solutions to address them. 
• Highly organised and able to co-ordinate and deliver projects across multiple teams. Demonstrate project management experience, preferably in a partnership environment.
• Team management experience, with experience of working virtual team settings and of managing teams and working effectively with others with little direct face to face interaction.

Quality oriented

• Excellent technical academic credentials and broad in-depth relevant practical experience.
• Experience of developing knowledge resources and delivering training.
• Ability to assess quality beyond own immediate technical expertise.
• Self-aware, confident, and resilient. Must be a self-starter and takes ownership for tasks, progressing them independently but seeking direction and advice as appropriate. Able to work under pressure and remain focused.
• An inclusive, values-based leader with excellent leadership skills who can create a team spirit and support the career development of everyone.

ABOUT US

DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers and business service professionals located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies.

OUR VALUES

In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

• Be Supportive – we are compassionate and inclusive, valuing diversity and acting thoughtfully
• Be Collaborative – we are proactive, passionate team players investing in our relationships
• Be Bold – we are fearless and inquisitive, challenging ourselves to think big and find creative new solutions
• Be Exceptional – we are strategic and driven, exceeding standards and expectations

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that’s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

HYBRID WORKING

We recognise that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That’s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT SCREENING

In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits and where relevant, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and work-related references.