Senior Project Manager

Department: Executive Suite

Location: Derby, UK

Description

We are seeking an experienced, proactive Senior Project Manager to lead, shape and deliver key business-wide projects across our multidisciplinary law firm. This is a senior position responsible for managing complex cross-departmental projects that drive operational efficiency, enhance client service delivery, and support the firm’s strategic growth.

This is an exciting opportunity for a self-starting, proactive project management professional who enjoys leading firm-wide change, working with senior stakeholders, and delivering measurable outcomes in a professional services environment.

You’ll need to be comfortable working independently, building structure where there is none, and helping to establish project delivery disciplines as we grow our change capability.

The role is full time, 36.25 hours per week, based at our Derby head offices but with travel to other regional offices as required, and reporting to the board and CEO.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, management, and delivery of high-profile, strategic projects across all areas of the firm including IT, Legal Practice Departments, Facilities and Compliance.
• Take ownership of the full project lifecycle: planning, governance, risk management, delivery, reporting, and handover to business-as-usual.
• Develop detailed project scopes, business cases, project plans, resource plans and budgets.
• Engage with and influence senior stakeholders including Heads of Department and the Exec Team.
• Drive structured project governance, reporting regularly to project sponsors and steering groups.
• Identify risks, issues and dependencies, managing them proactively to avoid project delays or budget overruns.
• Manage and coordinate internal teams and third-party suppliers/consultants to ensure successful project delivery.
• Support the development of project management processes and tools suitable for an ambitious, mid-sized professional services firm.
• Champion change management and communication across all affected stakeholders, ensuring adoption and benefit realisation.
• Work closely with legal and IT teams to ensure seamless project handover into BAU operations.
  
  

Essential

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Proven experience delivering business-wide and technology-enabled projects in a professional services or legal environment.
• Self-motivated, proactive, able to work on your own initiative with minimal supervision.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, particularly at senior leadership level.
• Good understanding of project management methodologies (e.g., PRINCE2, Agile, or similar).
• Commercial awareness, able to build compelling business cases with tangible benefits.
• Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail and the ability to inspire confidence and bring teams together.
• Clear, confident communicator, both written and verbal.
  
  

Desirable

• Experience in the legal sector or wider professional services.
• Change management qualifications (e.g., Prosci, APMG Change Management).
• Experience of working in regulated environments or delivering compliance-related projects.
  
  

Benefits

What we offer?

• Competitive salary
• Bonus potential
• Life insurance
• Great working environment at our Derby head offices
• Career development opportunities
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Options to buy & sell 1 week’s holiday
• 1 week’s holiday carry over
• Extra day off for your birthday
• Staff card discount scheme for local shops
• Social days and evenings on the firm
• Staff discounts on legal services