Head of Business Performance

Your Role

and What You'll Be Doing

As a Head of Business Performance, you will partner closely with the Managing Partner of one of Irwin Mitchell’s market‑facing business units, operating as a key member of the strategic leadership team. This is a highly influential role, responsible for shaping and delivering integrated commercial and business plans that align with the firm’s strategic priorities and support long‑term client value and financial success.

You will play a pivotal role in driving profitability and improving business performance across the Business Unit. This includes ensuring robust end‑to‑end operational execution plans and business management processes are in place, identifying performance trends and opportunities, and leading the delivery of improvement initiatives through a matrix of cross‑functional teams. You will work collaboratively across the Group, influencing senior leaders to deliver sustainable, profitable growth.

Strategic Planning

• Lead the development and delivery of an integrated business strategy and forward‑looking financial forecasts for the Business Unit, working closely with Managing Partners to plan short‑ and long‑term resource requirements, structures and budgets
• Engage stakeholders across the firm to ensure talent, succession and recruitment strategies are aligned to support sustainable growth
• Develop and assess new business scenarios, strategies and operating models to respond effectively to regulatory and market change
• Influence Business Development, Client Service, People and Change agendas to protect and strengthen Irwin Mitchell’s market‑leading proposition
• Work with key stakeholders to ensure robust forecasting across income, cost and cashflow, and contribute to a wide range of strategic projects across the business

Business Delivery

• Operate as a core member of the Business Unit Leadership Team, shaping the strategic agenda and delivering against P&L and key performance objectives
• Positively influence financial, operational and resource drivers to ensure delivery of business plans, supporting continued growth and profitability
• Monitor and analyse Business Unit performance, embedding insight, accountability and a profit‑focused culture
• Work in close partnership with Finance, HR, Business Development and Marketing to deliver key initiatives and projects
• Identify trends, risks and opportunities through regular performance analysis, steering the Business Unit through annual business activity in line with firmwide objectives
• Take a data‑led approach to identifying opportunities to reduce costs, improve processes and enhance colleague experience, implementing improvements and efficiencies where required
• Proactively identify, communicate and escalate risks to performance or delivery, working with leadership teams to establish timely and effective remedial plans

Leadership

• Develop a deep understanding of the Business Unit’s services, operations and practices, establishing yourself as a trusted advisor to the Managing Partner and senior stakeholders
• Influence and coordinate cross‑functional teams to set and execute strategy, prioritising activity that delivers measurable financial and operational improvements
• Play a key role in Business Unit leadership meetings, supporting agenda setting, performance reporting and decision‑making
• Champion commercial awareness and understanding across the business, contributing to a profit‑conscious culture
• Deputise for the Director of Business Performance and Managing Partner when required
• Champion the development of our lawyers and future leaders, working with Group Services to deliver structured development programmes that support capability, succession planning and colleague engagement

About You

We’re looking for a credible, commercially focused leader with the ability to build strong relationships and influence at all levels of the organisation. You will bring a proven track record of driving business performance within complex environments and will be comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy.

You will ideally demonstrate:

• Proven experience of one‑to‑one coaching and developing senior stakeholders
• Strong commercial acumen and financial capability, including experience managing P&L accounts and delivering against forecast targets
• Experience of leading and delivering large‑scale change initiatives, with resilience and adaptability in fast‑moving environments
• A solid understanding of project management methodologies
• Demonstrable experience of people management processes and practices, with a focus on improving colleague experience, engagement and retention
• Commercial, Business Partner or Regional Management experience within a medium to large‑scale, complex organisation, ideally within legal, professional, financial or business services
• Excellent communication, influencing and presentation skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively and navigate complex or sensitive conversations

Our Benefits - What We Can Offer You

• 25 days holidays as standard plus bank holidays - You can ‘buy’ up to 35hrs of extra holiday too.
• Generous and flexible pension schemes.
• Volunteering days – Two days of volunteering every year for a cause of your choice (fully paid)
• Westfield Health membership, offering refunds on medical services alongside our Aviva Digital GP services.

We also offer a wide range of well-being initiatives to encourage positive mental health both in and out of the workplace and to make sure you’re fully supported. This includes our Flexible by Choice programme which gives our colleagues more choice over a hybrid way of working subject to role, team and client requirements.

We have been ranked in the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing for Large Organisations for 2024!

Our responsible business programmes are fundamental to who we are and our purpose. We’re committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace where our colleagues can flourish, and we have established a number of inclusion network groups across our business to support this aim.

Our commitment to Social Responsibility, community investment activity and tackling climate change is a fundamental part of who we are. It’s made up of four strands: Our People, Our Community, Our Environment and Our Pro Bono.