We’re a national law firm with a local reach. Our philosophy is ‘Expert Hand, Human Touch’ – something you’ll find in the way we work with our clients and how we support our teams. But we’re more than just a law firm – we’re a team of people working together to help individuals and businesses navigate life’s ups and downs. Working here you’ll feel a part of our friendly and inclusive environment.

We’ll value you for who you are and what you bring. We support each other and push boundaries to achieve incredible things and make a real difference to our clients and communities.

We’re always looking to support our colleagues in working in a way that best works for them. Please speak to one of our Talent Acquisition Team to find out more information about our flexible working arrangements.

First impressions count and the Client Onboarding and Client Due Diligence teams have a key role in setting the high standard of onboarding service that our clients expect from Irwin Mitchell.

The Client Onboarding Teams provide a centralised client and matter onboarding service to fee earners who are engaging clients with the firm.

As an Operations Manager you will be responsible for leading Team Leaders of c. 6-7 teams who open client matters and conduct conflict, client due diligence checks across Irwin Mitchell.

You’ll have excellent leadership and operational skills to lead, manage and supervise team activities relating to client onboarding in a complex regulatory environment.  Working closely with the Head of Client Onboarding and  other key leadership roles, you’ll work to maintain the consistent delivery of service to clients and fee earners to a high standard of quality, speed and regulatory compliance.

• Leadership – Leading and managing several Team Leaders whose teams will undertake client matter opening, conflicts and client due diligence checking. Provide visible leadership and management for the team, responsible for delivering high quality services, ensuring all key operational targets are achieved in line with the aims and objectives of the business.
• Leadership – Working closely with the Team Leaders to monitor and evaluate team and individual team member performance, providing regular feedback, coaching, and mentoring to team leaders to support their leadership development and delivery of service.
• Leadership – Ensuring an inclusive and engaging environment is fostered where colleagues at all levels feel able to perform to the best of their abilities and grow with the Irwin Mitchell Group.
• Culture - Create a positive, ethical, quality driven culture that puts service to clients and fee earners at the centre of everything and that is conductive to attracting, retaining, and motivating a diverse group of high performing employees who are experts in areas such as CDD and AML
• Training – Ensure that all teams are provided with the required soft skills and technical training on legal and regulatory developments, process changes and firm-specific policies and procedures.
• Regulatory - Ensuring the teams comply with all legal and regulatory requirements and internal policies and processes in relation to client due diligence and conflict processes.
• Regulatory - Ensure the team are kept up to date with legal, regulatory, company and industry practice developments
• Workflow and service delivery - Responsible for managing and continually improving all operational activity across all teams including – pipeline management, work prioritisation, work allocation, service levels, productivity, and quality – ensuring a cross team view is always taken
• Workflow and service delivery - Understand the work and workflows and work tirelessly to remove blockages/ issues that prevent team members being able to do their work effectively and deliver what matters to clients and fee earners. These could cover a range of root causes including process design, systems issues, training and support, communication etc. personally, and through other leaders, act on the blockages to increase the performance capability of all teams
• Continuous Improvement and change - Lead and drive initiatives aimed at improving client experience and/ or meeting legislation and regulations, aligned to key strategic priorities. Supporting the development and implementation of new systems, technologies, and tools to enhance the team's capabilities and performance

Essential 

• Strong prior client and matter on-boarding experience.
• Strong operational management experience in leading a high-volume complex area to meet quality, speed and regulatory objectives.
• Good knowledge of legal and regulatory rules impacting Law firms when onboarding and monitoring clients including conflict checking, file opening, CDD and AML.
• Knowledge and use of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint within the working environment.
• A strong client focussed background.
• Proven leadership and operational skills in managing a high volume, complex operation with the ability to prioritise and deliver against deadlines.
• Must demonstrate a proven ability to motivate, coach and develop people.
• Must be able to demonstrate the ability to contribute and successfully deliver against a business strategy.

Desirable

• Knowledge of SRA handbook and conflict / AML requirements.
• Experience of implementing complex operational change programmes.

• Flexible working options - Make work fit around your life, not the other way around.
• 25 days holidays as standard plus bank holidays - You can ‘buy’ up to 35hrs of extra holiday too
• Generous and flexible pension schemes.
• Volunteering days – Two days of volunteering every year for a cause of your choice (fully paid)
• Westfield Health membership, offering refunds on medical services alongside our Aviva Digital GP services.

We also offer a wide range of well-being initiatives to encourage positive mental health both in and out of the workplace and to make sure you’re fully supported to work in a way that best suits you.  This includes our Flexible by Choice programme which gives our colleagues more choice over how they wish to work subject to role and client requirements.

We have recently been ranked in the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing for Large Organisations for 2023! 

Our responsible business programmes are fundamental to who we are and our purpose. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace where our colleagues can flourish, and we have established a number of inclusion network groups across our business to support this aim.  

Our commitment to Social Responsibility, community investment activity and tackling climate change is a fundamental part of who we are. It’s made up of four strands: Our People, Our Community, Our Environment and Our Pro Bono. 

As part of the Irwin Mitchell Group’s on-boarding process all successful applicants are required to complete the group’s employment screening process. This process helps to ensure that all new employees meet our standards in relation to honesty and integrity therefore protecting the interests of the Group, existing employees, clients, partners and other stakeholders.

Depending on the role you apply for we may carry out checks that will establish your eligibility to work in the UK, and criminal record check and financial checks ­with a credit reference agency will also be undertaken.

The employment screening process will fully comply with Data Protection and other applicable laws.

Irwin Mitchell LLP is an equal opportunity employer.