Head of Knowledge - IPT

Head of Knowledge - IPT: Opportunity at DLA Piper

The Department

Our Knowledge approach is at the heart of the firm's strategy for Quality. It is how we capitalise on the collective expertise of our lawyers to drive higher quality products and services for our clients, enhancing our reputation as professionals and as a brand.

A team of dedicated Knowledge professionals supports the delivery of our Knowledge objectives and curates and maintains the firm's Knowledge Hub, our research platform for legal work.

The IPT Group at DLA Piper is an important part of the firm with an impressive global footprint. The IPT Group is divided into 6 specialised sub-groups: (1) Technology and Sourcing (T&S); (2) Commercial Contracts (CC); (3) Patent Litigation; (4) Trade Marks, Copyright and Media (TCM); (5) Data, Privacy and Cybersecurity (DPC) and (6) AI. The IPT Knowledge team, led by the Head of Knowledge-IPT, underpins and supports the Group’s success internationally through a small number of experienced Knowledge Development Lawyers and other Knowledge professionals working together as a team, each supporting one or more sub-groups within the practice.

Role Purpose

• To develop, lead and manage the IPT Group's International Knowledge strategy (covering initiatives directed both internally and externally) to support the Group's overall business strategy and the firm's overarching Knowledge approach.
• Cultivate a knowledge sharing culture amongst fee earners to improve internal efficiencies.
• Enhance the quality of the IPT team’s legal advice and be a role model for technical knowledge, skill and practice in the IPT Group.
• Champion the firm's vision for Knowledge across the International IPT Group.
• Working closely with the sub-group chairs and the IPT MBD team, help to develop and maintain content for client facing products, including management of multi-jurisdictional projects.
• Managing horizon scanning exercises to ensure the IPT Group's lawyers and our clients are up to date with relevant legal and sector developments.
• Development of thought leadership on key topics in line with sub-group and IPT group strategy.
• Supporting the IPT Group’s training programme, which will include devising the programme with the IPT Knowledge lawyers and partners, preparing and updating training materials, delivery of some training sessions (internally and to clients), and supporting fee earners to deliver training.
• To help drive change across the International IPT Group as appropriate, including the adoption of technology as an integral part of the Knowledge offering.
• To champion the firm's vision for Knowledge across the Group and represent the Group in the firm-wide Knowledge community.
• To provide input and expertise from an IPT perspective to assist with development and delivery of firmwide Knowledge projects.
• To help join the dots between the different sub-groups and practices within the firm, identifying synergies and opportunities for collaboration on a multi-jurisdictional basis.
• Working with the IPT Knowledge Officer and the central Knowledge Services team to ensure the IPT Group has access to the external databases and information resources they need.
• Acting as a "sounding board" and supporting the IPT partners and other fee earners with Knowledge queries as appropriate.

Main duties and responsibilities

Strategic leadership

• In consultation with the International Group Head, developing and leading the Group's international Knowledge strategy in line with the firm's overarching Knowledge approach and initiatives, including making adaptations where necessary for the local needs of jurisdictions and the IPT practice.
• Working closely with the International Group Head and the rest of the IPT Operations team (in particular the Marketing and Business Development team) to provide Knowledge input and expertise to support delivery of the Group's strategy.
• Implementing and managing projects to deliver the strategy. The role must lead "from the front" and play a full and active part in the substantive delivery of projects (e.g., development of know-how documents or delivery of training), especially where the person in role has relevant technical expertise.
• Building relationships and collaborating with the Group's partners to identify where expertise lies and championing and facilitating the sharing of expertise by identifying and promoting common interests, best practice, ideas and initiatives between teams, sub-groups and locations.
• Working with local Knowledge Partners and the sub-group co-chairs to help them plan and deliver the Knowledge Strategy in the context of the IPT strategy.
• Acting as the Group's practice quality expert and supporting the Group's partners to determine best practice for adoption by the Group to ensure the quality of the Group's legal practice.
• Ability to manage a busy workload and balance (often competing) priorities from 6 very different sub-groups.

People Management

• Providing leadership, management, guidance, and appropriate supervision (including on-going training, coaching and undertaking performance reviews) to the Group's Knowledge team so that the team embraces and demonstrates the firm's values of being bold, collaborative, supportive, innovative and exceptional.

Financial Management

• Managing the budget covering the areas of responsibility.

About you

Technical, strategic and commercial aptitude

• A senior lawyer with considerable practical experience (ideally in a multi-jurisdictional context) in one or more areas relevant to the IPT Group's 6 sub-groups.
• Attuned to the dynamics and drivers affecting the Group's business internationally and able to anticipate changes to the markets in which the Group operates and identify opportunities for business development.
• Able to translate strategy into specific plans and strong project management skills to deliver those plans.
• Understands and actively seeks the appropriate application of technology (including Artificial Intelligence) for effective knowledge sharing and efficient high quality service delivery.
• Understanding of knowledge management strategy and implementation in a professional services environment and preferably experience of high-quality implementation in a complex, legal services organisation.
• Able to keep up to date with legal and practice developments impacting the Group's 6 sub-groups.

An expert facilitator

• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to connect, influence and collaborate in a multi-cultural environment across multiple geographies. Proactively engages others and can lead, inspire, and motivate through building strong relationships and instilling confidence in others to encourage dissemination of best practice and new ideas.
• Experience of working in a large matrix organisation with multiple reporting lines and across multiple geographies.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills to assess competing priorities and provide solutions to address them.
• Highly organised and able to co-ordinate and deliver projects across multiple teams. Demonstrate project management experience, preferably in a partnership environment.
• Team management experience, with experience of working in virtual team settings and of managing teams and working effectively with others with little direct face to face interaction.

Quality oriented

• Excellent technical academic credentials and broad in-depth relevant practical experience in one or more sub-groups.
• Relevant sector experience particularly in one or more of the following sectors: Tech, Life Sciences, Industrials, CGFR, MSE and/or Financial Services.
• Experience of developing knowledge resources and delivering training.
• Ability to assess quality beyond own immediate technical expertise.
• Self-aware, confident, and resilient. Must be a self-starter and takes ownership for tasks, progressing them independently but seeking advice as appropriate. Able to work under pressure and remain focused.
• An inclusive, values-based leader with excellent leadership skills who can create a team spirit and support the career development of everyone.

About Us

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