Business Manager

About the job

Job Title: Business Manager – Real Estate Division
Location: Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Northampton or London (National Travel as Required)
Salary: Competitive + Comprehensive Benefits
Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent

About the Role

We're recruiting for a Business Manager to join the Real Estate division of a leading UK law firm. This is a senior strategic business partnering role, supporting the Divisional Head and leadership team to drive commercial performance, operational excellence and the successful delivery of the division's strategic objectives.

This is not an office or facilities management position. Instead, you'll operate as a genuine commercial business partner, using financial insight, operational data and strategic planning to influence decision-making, improve performance and support the continued growth of one of the firm's largest business areas.

You'll work closely with Partners and senior business leaders, alongside Finance, HR, Marketing, Risk, Technology and Business Development teams, ensuring the division operates efficiently while translating strategy into measurable results.

This opportunity would suit an experienced Senior Business Manager, Practice Manager, Divisional Business Manager, Head of Practice Management, Commercial Manager, Business Operations Lead, Chief of Staff or Practice Operations Director from a legal or professional services environment.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial & Divisional Performance

• Partner with the Divisional Head to drive commercial performance across the Real Estate division.
• Analyse revenue, profitability, utilisation, leverage, billing performance and financial trends.
• Produce meaningful commercial insight and recommendations to support business decisions.
• Monitor divisional KPIs and identify opportunities to improve performance.
• Support international growth initiatives and wider divisional integration activities.

Strategic Business Partnering

• Coordinate delivery of the division's strategic business plan.
• Translate strategic objectives into practical operational delivery.
• Track key actions, milestones and accountability across leadership teams.
• Identify delivery risks and implement solutions to keep projects on track.
• Prepare high-quality briefing papers, reports and board-level presentations.

Financial Management

• Support budgeting, forecasting and financial planning activities.
• Partner closely with Finance to maintain strong commercial discipline.
• Monitor resource planning, budgets and operational performance.
• Analyse business data to influence strategic decision-making.
• Provide commercial challenge and recommendations to senior stakeholders.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Act as the operational and commercial hub for the Real Estate division.
• Build trusted relationships with Partners, Directors and senior business leaders.
• Coordinate activity across HR, Finance, Marketing, Technology, Risk and Business Development teams.
• Lead divisional meetings, ensuring actions are delivered and priorities remain aligned.
• Represent the division across firmwide projects, committees and working groups.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Drive operational improvements and business transformation initiatives.
• Support the implementation of AI, technology and process improvement projects.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, service delivery and business performance.
• Coordinate strategic hiring, onboarding and promotion plans across the division.
• Support communication and engagement initiatives that reinforce divisional objectives.

Candidate Profile

• Significant experience within a senior Business Management, Practice Management or Commercial Operations role.
• Previous experience working within a law firm or comparable professional services organisation.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, profitability analysis and performance reporting.
• Experience acting as a genuine business partner to senior leadership teams.
• Proven ability to interpret complex data and provide commercially focused recommendations.
• Experience developing and delivering strategic business plans.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with confidence influencing Partners, Directors and Executive leadership.
• Experience delivering operational improvements, strategic projects and organisational change.
• Strong understanding of how Finance, HR, Marketing, Technology and Business Services support a legal practice.
• Highly organised with excellent project management and prioritisation skills.
• Confident operating independently within a senior leadership environment.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience supporting a Real Estate practice or division.
• Understanding of the commercial drivers within the UK legal Real Estate market.
• Experience supporting large, multi-office or national professional services teams.

What Our Client Offers

• Opportunity to become a trusted strategic advisor to divisional leadership.
• Highly visible position with genuine influence across one of the firm's largest divisions.
• Hybrid working with flexibility across multiple UK office locations.
• Exposure to firmwide transformation, operational excellence and strategic growth initiatives.
• Comprehensive benefits package.
• Long-term career progression within a leading UK law firm.

How to Apply

If you're an experienced Business Manager or commercial business partner looking to play a strategic leadership role within a high-performing professional services environment, we'd love to hear from you.

About Us

We are a specialist recruitment agency partnering with leading legal and professional services organisations across the UK. We connect experienced professionals with opportunities that offer genuine career progression, commercial impact and the chance to influence business performance at the highest level.