Senior Innovation Manager (m/w/d) Norton Rose Fulbright LLP

About the role

This role is based in one of our German offices and reports to the Head of the Innovation, Design & Technology, with a dotted line reporting to the COO of Germany.

This role exists to drive innovation and change across our German offices and relevant practice areas, by delivering legal transformation projects that enhance the quality, efficiency and value of legal service delivery.

Whilst based in Germany, the role will work closely with other members of the IDT team to support innovation work across our other European offices, and more broadly across EMEAPAC.

To be successful in this role, candidates will need to (i) engage with lawyers to understand their needs and expectations, (ii) collaborate closely with colleagues from different functions and locations to identify synergies and implement solutions, (iii) manage project scope and timelines and manage the expectations of key stakeholders, (iv) coach and train lawyers and the teams that support them on new tools and working approaches, and (v) continuously measure and communicate the impact and benefits of what has been recommended or implemented.

About you

You have a legal background and ideally experience working in transformation, focused on innovation or technology. You are passionate about improving the delivery of legal services. You have a growth mindset and a willingness to learn new skills and adapt to changing environments. You are a team player and a networker, who can build and maintain strong relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders and can have difficult conversations when required. You are a problem solver and a creative thinker, who can generate and test ideas, and iterate based on feedback. You are a leader and a change agent, who can inspire and influence others to embrace new ways of working. You are resilient and flexible. You can cope with ambiguity and uncertainty and deliver results under pressure.

Responsibilities

Opportunity management

• Identification: Leverage technology to enhance profitability and client satisfaction, while advising lawyers on technology-driven improvements. Explore innovative service delivery models across legal services, project management, and support functions. Foster a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging self-directed initiatives.
• Execution: Implement strategies for alternative service delivery by coordinating with legal teams. Monitor and report innovation performance to senior stakeholders, manage the deployment of Innovation-as-a-Service, and lead targeted problem-solving and process optimisation workshops using the design thinking framework and approaches.

Stakeholder engagement

• Engage with partners and lawyers across the relevant practice areas to understand their business challenges, pain points and opportunities for improvement.
• Advise them on how the legal transformation function can add value and deliver better outcomes for their matters and projects.
• Identify and qualify opportunities for the legal transformation function to drive change.
• Build and present business cases and proposals for innovation and change projects, based on client and partner needs and expectations.

Project Design and delivery

• Collaborate closely with colleagues from the legal transformation function (e.g. IDT, LPM, LST and KM) and other functions to drive change across relevant practice areas.
• Use and promote the use of technology tools and platforms that support and enhance your solutions, particularly GenAI (Generative Artificial Intelligence),
• Manage project scope and timelines to ensure that project deliverables are met.
• Monitor, record, analyse and communicate project metrics and outcomes, such as efficiency gains, cost savings, quality improvements, client satisfaction

Coaching and training

• Coach and train lawyers and staff in across relevant practice areas on new tools and approaches for legal service delivery.
• Ensure that all legal training incorporates and considers the relevant tools and approaches for improved service delivery.
• Ensure that technology tools and design approaches are infused into local best practice guides, training materials, and new employee on-boarding programmes.
• Facilitate and lead problem identification, ideation and process mapping workshops for your projects and matters.
• Organise project and matter retrospectives and document lessons learned.

Knowledge sharing and industry awareness

• Maintain awareness of the latest legal innovation and technology trends and developments in the market.
• Disseminate insights and best practices within relevant practice areas and across the firm.
• Integrate with the local/regional legal technology and innovation ecosystem by attending events, presenting at conferences, delivering lectures, etc.
• Contribute to the firm's innovation and technology initiatives, particularly the digital transformation agenda.

Experience

• At least 3 years of experience working in one of the core practice areas of Corporate, Banking or Dispute Resolution as a qualified lawyer, or;
• 6 years of experience in Improvement, innovation or change projects working with lawyers.
• Deep knowledge of the legal technology market and available tools including 2+ years of working with GenAI, ideally in a role driving adoption
• Understanding of human-centred design, agile and lean methodologies for project delivery.
• Experience with presenting to large and small audiences and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Experience of working in matrix structure and managing the expectations of multiple senior stakeholders.
• Experience using statistics and data to enhance advocacy efforts and measure impact.
• Fluent in German and English.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent advocacy and presentation skills.

Have we sparked your interest?
Then we look forward to receiving your application via your Talent Rocket profile!