Head of Operations & Finance, Paris

The Head of Operations & Finance will report to the Paris Managing Partner and the CE COO and work closely with the partnership and the firm’s international leadership teams.

The role is responsible for the effective operational management of the Paris office, ensuring that the office has the right structure, processes, teams and support functions in place to deliver excellent service to clients and lawyers. The Head of Operations & Finance will act as a trusted adviser, helping to implement local priorities while ensuring alignment with the firm’s global strategy.

This is a senior leadership role requiring strong operational judgement, credibility in a partnership environment and the ability to bring together multiple business services teams, including HR, Finance, Business Development, IT, secretarial services, office management and other support functions.

The Head of Operations & Finance will play a central role in strengthening the performance, efficiency and culture of the Paris office, while supporting transformation, innovation and collaboration with other offices, global functions and shared services centres.

Key responsibilities

Office leadership and governance

The Head of Operations & Finance will support the Managing Partner and the Paris partnership in the effective management of the office. This will include helping to translate agreed priorities into clear plans, ensuring decisions are followed through and providing the information and insight needed to support good decision-making.

The Head of Operations & Finance will also help ensure clear communication between partners, lawyers and business services teams, and will contribute to the smooth running of local governance processes.

Key areas of focus will include:

• Supporting the Managing Partner and local management committee in the implementation of the office’s strategic priorities.
• Helping to ensure that partners have the operational information, analysis and support needed to manage the business effectively.
• Facilitating collaboration between practice groups, partners and business services teams.
• Supporting clear and effective communication across the office.
• Ensuring that local decisions and initiatives are consistent with the firm’s wider strategy and standards.

Operational management of business services

The Head of Operations & Finance will lead and coordinate the Paris office’s business services functions, ensuring that they operate as an integrated, client-focused and efficient support platform for the partnership and wider office.

This will include oversight of:

• Human Resources
• Finance
• Business Development and Marketing
• Communications
• IT and digital transformation
• Office management, facilities and real estate
• Risk, compliance and operational controls, in coordination with the relevant firmwide teams

The Head of Operations & Finance will be expected to promote collaboration between teams and ensure that the office’s operating model remains effective, scalable and aligned with the needs of the business.

The emphasis of the role is on overall operational leadership rather than direct technical and hierarchical management of each function.

Financial and business performance

The Head of Operations & Finance will work closely with the global and local Finance teams to support the financial and commercial performance of the Paris office.

Key areas of focus will include:

• Working with Finance to provide partners with clear information on financial and operational performance.
• Supporting initiatives to improve working capital, billing processes, cash collection and matter management.
• Helping partners and business services teams identify opportunities to improve efficiency and profitability.
• Ensuring that financial processes are well integrated with the office’s broader operating model.
• Supporting a commercially aware culture across the office.

International coordination and firmwide alignment

The Head of Operations & Finance will act as a key point of coordination between the Paris office and the firm’s international leadership and business services teams.

The role will require close collaboration with colleagues in other offices to ensure that local initiatives are aligned with firmwide and regional priorities and that Paris contributes effectively to global projects.

Key areas of focus will include:

• Ensuring strong coordination between Paris and the firm’s international management and business services teams.
• Supporting the implementation of firmwide initiatives at local level.
• Helping the Paris office adopt best practices from across the network.
• Representing the operational needs and perspectives of the Paris office in international discussions.
• Optimising and control delivery of the shared services capacity
• Promoting collaboration and consistency across offices where appropriate.

Transformation, technology and innovation

The Head of Operations & Finance will help lead the operational transformation of the Paris office, with a particular focus on digitalisation, process improvement and the effective adoption of new technologies, including artificial intelligence.

This will be done in close coordination with the relevant partner sponsor for AI in Paris and with the firm’s international transformation and technology teams.

Candidate profile

Experience

The successful candidate will bring significant senior management experience, ideally gained in an international law firm, professional services firm, consultancy, audit firm or another complex partnership or matrix environment.

They will have experience leading or coordinating multidisciplinary business services teams and working closely with senior stakeholders in a demanding professional environment.

Relevant experience may include roles such as General Secretary, Director of Operations, General Manager or another senior business leadership position.

Skills and capabilities

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong operational leadership and organisational judgement.
• A minimum of 10 years’ experience managing or coordinating business services functions in a professional services environment.
• A good understanding of the economics and operating model of a law firm or similar partnership.
• The ability to work effectively with partners and senior stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills in both French and English.
• The ability to influence and build consensus without always relying on direct authority.
• Experience supporting transformation, change management and process improvement.
• Comfort with technology and an interest in the opportunities created by digital tools and artificial intelligence.
• Sound commercial and financial understanding, without the role being finance-led.

The role will suit someone who is pragmatic, collaborative and credible, with the confidence to operate at senior level and the judgement to navigate a partnership environment.

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate:

• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills.
• Diplomacy, discretion and sound judgement.
• The ability to build trust with partners, lawyers and business services teams.
• A structured and solution-oriented approach.
• Resilience and the ability to operate in a demanding environment.
• A strong service mindset and commitment to operational excellence.
• The ability to bring people together and drive progress across multiple teams and priorities.