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Form of work
SalaryWhat we will offer
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We will offer you a place where you can be yourself and where there are no limits on what you can achieve. With us, you can take ownership of your career and have honest conversations throughout. You would join an ambitious firm with a clear strategy for profitable growth where you can get early responsibility and early involvement in growing the business. Here you can expect a competitive and fair reward as well as recognition based on all round performance. This forms part of our internal promise to you, The Deal, between the firm and its employees.
Team Structure
The HR, L&D and D&I department comprises 51 people globally and is responsible for the effective management of all matters concerning the attraction, engagement, development, progression and retention of our people. We play a key role in creating a diverse and inclusive environment where all of our people can do their best work and realise their full potential to the benefit of the firm and themselves. We are involved in a wide range of activities including:
- Implementing the firm's people and talent strategy
- Recruitment of partners and employees, including future (trainee) talent recruitment
- Talent and career management
- Reward strategy and salary review
- Supporting the performance management process
Main Responsibilities
The Future Talent team is responsible for all attraction and recruitment of Future Talent, and the development of all colleagues on early career programmes (trainee solicitors, apprentices, work placement students/interns, scholars). This role will report to the Global Head of Talent Acquisition, with line management responsibility for three team members.
This is a 12-month fixed term contract covering maternity leave.
- Responsible for the recruitment and development of our Future Talent/early careers (trainee solicitors, apprentices, work placement students/interns, scholars), including international trainee recruitment and secondments.
- Managing the Future Talent recruitment cycle (from screening applications and interviewing to overseeing and participating in the assessment centres, placement schemes and open days.
- Managing all marketing (website, social media and our presence at universities and events on campus).
- Being a subject matter expert on the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) and the firm's approach to this.
- Ensuring that the recruitment process is inclusive by finding ways to attract diverse talent and/or removing barriers for underrepresented groups.
- Responsible for the development and management of our Future Talent.
- Overseeing the onboarding, induction and integration of the trainee solicitors and apprentices into the business and their development throughout their period of training, including seat allocation, qualification, resolving employee relations issues, delivery of some 1:1 coaching, and organising events.
- Managing the Stephenson Harwood Charitable Foundation, which is the entity that supports our scholarship programme.
Stakeholders relationships and people development
- Building and maintaining strong and trusted relationships with Future Talents partners, key stake holders in the business, and the HR and L&D team across our network.
- Being a key influencer and champion of Future Talent/early carer recruitment and development, inclusion and the wider HR function.
- Managing the Future Talent team and providing support, coaching and training ensuring consistent high-quality standards are maintained and to share best practice.
- Sharing knowledge and developing appropriate training for the Future Talent or wider HR teams.
- Ensuring high quality standard, commercial and proactive service delivery at all times.
- Championing/promoting other areas of the People and Talent function: D&I and social impact, L&D, reward, HR advisory and the key people topics.
Continuous improvement
- Consistently look at ways to improve efficiency and embed continuous improvement.
- Leading on a number of projects and contributing to others.
- Ensuring knowhow and documentation is up to date and available to facilitate knowledge sharing, efficiency and that team members are self-sufficient in day-to-day operations.
- Responsible for overseeing appropriate documentation is in place and consistent with the advisory team processes and activities.
Most of our roles are hybrid, meaning that colleagues benefit from working in our office and remotely. We are happy to discuss this and other flexible working arrangements with you as part of the application and interview process.
Attributes/Skills Required
- The successful candidate will have a commercial approach, be comfortable in a matrix organisation and partnership model.
- Ideally will have knowledge and experience of the SQE.
- Is an experienced HR professional with prior work experience at a senior manager or manager level within a professional services environment. They will have dealt with the Future Talent life cycle with a commercial and pragmatic approach and have extensive experience in implementing modern and simple approaches.
- The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong coaching and influencing style with the skills to foster true strategic business partner relationships. They will have strong people skills with experience of managing and developing teams.
- They will have experience of supporting teams through change, understand the complexities that employee relations work brings and be able to bring teams together.
This job description is indicative only and does not represent an exhaustive list of responsibilities. The firm reserves the right to alter or change the responsibilities at any time, in line with the firm's strategy and business needs.
We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to having a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, culture or any other protected characteristics. We aim to create a culture where everyone can be themselves and is valued for their strengths and unique perspectives.
About the Firm
With 8 offices worldwide and with our headquarters based in London, Stephenson Harwood is a law firm where our people are committed to achieving the goals of our clients - listed and private companies, institutions, and individuals across the globe. Our mix of expertise and culture results in a combination of deep local insight and the capability to provide a seamless international service.
Our experience encompasses corporate, commercial litigation and arbitration, employment, pensions and private wealth, finance, marine and international trade, and real estate and projects.
We assemble teams of bright thinkers to match our clients' needs and give the right advice from the right person at the right time. Dedicating the highest calibre of legal talent to overcome the most complex issues, we deliver pragmatic, expert advice that is set squarely in the real world.
We understand the power of diversity in delivering that high calibre advice to our clients. We want to attract diverse talent and we particularly encourage applications from underrepresented demographics.
Our values:
Individuality - We encourage creativity and develop talent
Commitment - To be the best and deliver the highest standard
Teamwork - We work together to build close, long-term relationships
Straight talking - We say what we mean and do what we say
These values express the personality of the individuals within our firm. They are the behaviours we encourage in our people and the standards which inform our decisions and actions.
Our vision into 2026
To be a successful firm where talented people work together in an entrepreneurial environment, building long term client relationships.
This vision is about who we want to be, as well as who we are. It is as much about our values as about our character – the attributes we want to see from all of our people. It also reflects the importance of remaining independent - a clear sign that we are confident in our own future. That's how we unlock our entrepreneurial spirit, advising our clients with top performing teams.
A key part of the 2026 strategy is to focus on five core sectors: decarbonisation, life sciences, private capital & funds, technology, and transportation & trade. These have been identified as crucial in the drive for accelerated profitable growth.
