Senior Manager of Partner Recruitment (EME)

Practice Group / Department:

We're Norton Rose Fulbright - a global law firm with over 50 offices and 7,000 employees worldwide. We provide the world’s preeminent corporations and financial institutions with a full business law service. At Norton Rose Fulbright, our strategy and our culture are closely entwined. We know that our expansion will mean little unless it is underpinned by truly global collaboration and we understand that pioneering work only takes place when our people have room to move and think beyond boundaries. As well as the relevant skills and experience, we're looking for people who are innovative, commercial and value the work that they do. 

The Role

The firm makes a significant annual investment in the recruitment of lateral Partners to strengthen and grow its practice groups, enhance sector and market capabilities, and support its long‑term strategic objectives across EME.

The Senior Manager of Partner Recruitment (EME) plays a critical role in shaping and delivering this agenda. The role is responsible for helping the Director of Partner Recruitment (EMEAPAC) to coordinate and manage the end‑to‑end lateral Partner recruitment process across EME - from strategic planning and business case development through to selection, approval, and early‑stage integration oversight.

Operating as a senior member of the Partner Recruitment function, the role works closely with the Director of Partner Recruitment (EMEAPAC) and a broad range of senior stakeholders to ensure lateral hiring decisions are commercially robust, strategically aligned, and executed with discipline and pace.

The role requires strong judgment, credibility with Partners, and the ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders, while balancing firm priorities with the needs and expectations of prospective lateral Partners.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lateral Partner Recruitment Strategy & Planning

• Work closely with the Director of Partner Recruitment (EMEAPAC) to develop and execute the EME lateral Partner recruitment strategy, aligned with firm‑wide priorities and regional growth plans.
• Provide strategic input into lateral hiring priorities, taking account of:
  • Practice and sector growth objectives
  • Existing Partner capability and coverage
  • Succession and internal pipeline considerations
• Engage with the Core management group, Sponsor Partners, and regional leadership to shape and prioritise recruitment activity.

2. Business Case Development & Stewardship

• Lead the development, refinement, and optimisation of lateral Partner business cases, ensuring they are:
  • Commercially sound
  • Strategically aligned
  • Clear on assumptions, risks, and required platform support
• Maintain stewardship of each business case end‑to‑end, ensuring continuity from:
  • Initial concept and drafting
  • Through interview and evaluation stages
  • To approval and transition into the firm
• Work with Marketing & Business Development, Finance, and practice leadership to ensure business cases clearly articulate:
  • Client portability and revenue opportunities
  • Cross‑selling and platform leverage
  • Market positioning and strategic fit
• Support the provision of data and insight required for remuneration and deal structuring discussions, in conjunction with Commercial Finance.

3. Recruitment Process Leadership & Governance

• Manage and coordinate the full lateral Partner recruitment process across EME, ensuring consistency, quality, and pace.
• Oversee the preparation of evaluation papers, voting materials, and approvals for consideration by:
  • EMEAPAC Management Committee
  • Global Executive Committee
• Ensure that all recruitment activity adheres to firm governance, risk, and compliance requirements.
• Leverage the support of two Partner Recruitment Senior Advisors to manage administrative, scheduling, documentation, and process coordination, allowing the Senior Manager to focus on senior stakeholder engagement and decision‑making.

4. Stakeholder Management & Partner Engagement

• Build strong, trusted relationships with:
  • Practice Group Leads
  • Sponsor Partners
  • Regional and office leadership
  • Senior business services stakeholders
• Act as a credible adviser and challenger to Partners throughout the recruitment process, helping to test assumptions, manage expectations, and maintain momentum.
• Ensure candidates experience a professional, well‑coordinated, and transparent recruitment process, reflecting the firm’s culture and values.

5. Early Integration Oversight

• Provide senior oversight of the early integration phase for lateral Partners, ensuring a smooth transition from recruitment to integration.
• Monitor early progress and escalate risks or issues where appropriate, ensuring continuity between recruitment commitments and post‑hire reality.

Key Skills and Experience

• Degree educated.
• Significant experience (typically 10+ years) of lawyer recruitment in a legal or professional services environment.
• Demonstrable experience working with Partners and senior stakeholders in an international firm.
• Strong understanding of the commercial drivers, governance, and culture of a partnership‑based professional services organisation.
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to assess and challenge business cases.
• Proven ability to influence, motivate, and challenge senior stakeholders, including Partners.
• Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple complex processes concurrently.
• Track record of delivering against objectives and deadlines in a high‑pressure environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to produce high‑quality, Partner‑level materials.
• Meticulous attention to detail and discretion in handling confidential information.
• Proactive, resilient, and outcome‑focused, with strong personal ownership.
• Collaborative working style aligned with the firm’s culture and values.

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To attract the best people, we strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to work, have a sense of belonging, and realize their full career potential. 
Our new enabled work model allows our people to have more flexibility in the way they choose to work from both the office and a remote location, while continuing to deliver the highest standards of service. We offer a range of family friendly and inclusive employment policies and provide access to programmes and services aimed at nurturing our people’s health and overall wellbeing. Find more about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion here.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams. We strive to create an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all candidates. If you require any tailored adjustments or accommodations, please let us know here.