We have an exciting opportunity for a Client & Matter Inception (CMI) Manager to join our Risk & Compliance team, in a full-time, permanent role, based out of our Bristol office with a hybrid working arrangement.
Our business services professionals play a vital role in enabling our lawyers to deliver a high-quality, efficient service to our clients. The Client & Matter Inception (CMI) function is central to that, ensuring we onboard clients and matters in a way that is compliant, efficient and aligned with our risk appetite and commercial objectives.
The opportunity
Working collaboratively with the AML Manager, this role will deputise for members of the CMI leadership team and oversee the day-to-day management and stakeholder management of the UK CMI team, ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery and compliance with the SRA Code of Conduct, Anti-Money Laundering, Data Protection and other relevant legislation and regulations.
As CMI Manager you will:
- own people leadership and performance for the UK CMI team
- drive policy and process governance
- provide senior escalation for sensitive, high-impact matters
- ensure alignment with AML and Finance requirements
- act as product/process owner for CMI systems and procedures
You will work closely with all fee-earners in the UK and international OC offices, and with a broad range of business services stakeholders, to deliver a professional, high standard of service to the business.
You will promote a culture of collaboration and innovation through effective communication across OC, inclusive of OC UK and OC International, and contribute to a positive and supportive team culture where diversity of thought and continuous personal development is highly valued.
Key responsibilities
Leadership, people management and culture
- Line-manage the UK CMI team (Team Leads, Senior Officers): conduct regular 1:1s, annual/interim reviews, objectives and development plans; oversee recruitment, onboarding and probation.
- Foster an inclusive, high-performance culture focused on quality, efficiency, client service and continuous development; recognise and address performance and wellbeing issues promptly.
- Set clear priorities and expectations for the team, and monitor output to ensure the SLA is being met.
Workflow governance and capacity management
- Oversee end-to-end workflow management, with the Team Leads handling day-to-day allocation; set throughput targets; anticipate and address capacity constraints and backlogs.
- Support the CMI Ops Manager to monitor multi-jurisdictional matters and coordinate with international OC offices to drive timely clearances and consistent governance standards.
- Serve as senior point of contact for operational queries and escalate to the CMI leadership team where appropriate.
Technical oversight, risk and escalation
- Provide senior oversight on complex or sensitive CMI matters (e.g. significant client relationships, cross-border conflicts, reputational risk); make decisions within policy and recommend exceptions with rationale.
- Ensure consistent application of conflicts, confidential information and information barrier procedures; partner with AML leadership on risk-based approaches, and enhanced due diligence.
- Oversee delivery of training to ensure efficient progression through competencies, and conduct routine quality assurance on training outputs produced by CMI Officers and Compliance Assistants.
Stakeholder engagement and cross-functional alignment
- Build strong relationships with Practice Group leads, senior fee earners and business services teams; act as primary liaison to the wider business on CMI processes and service.
- Partner with Finance to support compliance with the Solicitors’ Accounts Rules and other financial controls.
- Support new office launches, lateral hire onboarding and other firm-wide initiatives impacting CMI.
Continuous improvement and hands-on support
- Promote continuous improvement and prioritise changes that enhance quality, increase efficiency and improve the internal client experience.
- You may also be required to step into Senior Officer level activity when required to resolve urgent bottlenecks or safeguard key client deliverables; for high-impact matters, act as senior incident manager coordinating stakeholders while technical ownership typically sits with a Team Leads.
What we’re looking for
As this role acts as a point of escalation within the team, we are looking for someone who comes from a CMI background within a regulated sector. More specifically we will be looking for the below:
Technical competence
Expert analytical and research skills with strong attention to detail; able to interpret complex corporate ownership structures, multi-jurisdictional conflict scenarios and nuanced AML risks.
Organisation
Highly methodical and organised with advanced prioritisation skills; able to manage multiple complex and urgent matters concurrently, delivering consistently to deadlines and a high standard.
Client centric
Strong client service mindset and professionalism; effective in a global, multicultural environment with the ability to influence and build trusted relationships at all levels.
Commerciality
Strong understanding of the commercial context of a global law firm; able to balance risk management with client service and pragmatic delivery.
Communication
Delivers clear, concise and actionable advice; able to constructively challenge and probe for the right information.
Decision making
Exercises sound judgement and makes timely, independent decisions; remains calm under pressure and in challenging situations. Clear understanding of escalation thresholds; able to own decisions within policy and recommend well-reasoned exceptions.
Management
Strong delegation and supervision skills; able to lead a team effectively and maintain momentum even with repetitive tasks.
Career and development
Committed to the development of others; provides feedback, mentoring and knowledge-sharing; sets and maintains quality standards and role-models OC values. Demonstrates a genuine interest in the regulatory industry, and a commitment to continued personal and professional development within this career field.
We offer competitive salaries and generous benefits. We value the health and wellbeing of our people and our wide range of initiatives and benefits support this.
Our recruitment process
Please note that although we include closing dates for our roles as a guide, we review and progress applications on a rolling basis. At Osborne Clarke we do not make any recruitment decisions using automated decision-making.
We are committed to providing an environment where you can perform to the best of your abilities at every stage of your recruitment experience and beyond. If you require any adjustments to be made during the application stage, interview process, or when working with us, please let us know in confidence.