Africa Group Business Manager

JR-5670 - Paris - General Managers - Permanent **Job Description**: **The Role** The Africa Group Business Manager ("ABM") is critical to the success of the financial and operational performance of the group, connecting the strategic agenda and group business plan with operational delivery. The ABM will work with a variety of business professional stakeholders to deliver the appropriate business professional support to the group and will operate as a trusted advisor both to the co-heads of the group and partners involved in delivery of the strategy. The ABM will report to the GFM PAM and to the co-heads of the Africa Group. To lead and coordinate business operations for the Africa Group across the firm and engagement with our relationship law firms in Africa with the aim of driving and enhancing performance in accordance with the Africa Group's strategy and the overall strategy of the Firm. The Africa Group Business Manager: - Works together with the two co-heads of the Africa Group to develop strategy and manage business operations - Ensures cross-functional alignment, to achieve proper coverage and effective strategy execution - Drives improvement of operational and financial performance - Oversees and co-ordinates our engagement with relationship law firms in Africa **Responsibilities** - Partners with the co-heads as a trusted advisor in managing and coordinating the Group, driving greater integration across the geographic and practice area dispersed Group. - Supports the co-heads on all practice management initiatives, working closely with the relevant functional representatives to deliver the appropriate business professional support to the Group (including HR, Tech including AI, Innovation & Best Delivery, Client & Marketing Development, KETL, Finance and Communications). - Work closely and maintain communication with the Client and Market Development Senior Manager. - Organises Group partner meetings and retreats, including preparing the agenda, materials, minutes and progressing actions as agreed with co-heads. - Prepares co-head presentations/updates on management, financial and strategic issues relevant to the Group and works with internal Communications team to develop internal practice communications as required. - Establishes and shares best practice within the Group and in collaboration with the global practice area to ensure consistency of service levels; identifying opportunities for continuous improvement. - Works closely with the relevant Regional COO/CFO and Regional Financial Controller to oversee the Group's financial performance and budget/forecast. - Conducts financial performance discussions with stakeholders. - Communicates at all levels and across functions. The ABM will be able to understand the nuances of different business models across the Group and will have the knowledge, people skills and awareness to drive the strategic agenda smoothly. - Works with the Best Delivery and Pricing teams to promote and embed initiatives and best practices that drive efficiencies and commercial discipline. - Prepares Group business reports as required for relevant stakeholders. - Proactively identifies and solves problems and can learn a wide range of disciplines to drive general management agenda. - Ensure the execution of the operational, financial and talent management elements of the Africa Group's global strategy working with the relevant functional heads. - Deliver the firm-wide operational excellence strategy to the Africa group by developing innovative solutions, projects or initiatives to streamline processes. **Business management** - Ensure that projects, initiatives and actions are followed through, embedded and that progress is made and reported upon. - Work with relevant teams to improve the systems and infrastructure to enable more readily accessible management information to track resources and review group performance more accurately and efficiently. - Oversee and co-ordinate our engagement with African counsel - Ensure the coordination of the firm's on-the-ground activities - Develop a talent management strategy in liaison with the global People and Talent team - Draw on the support and assistance of the various operations/functional teams to follow the various workstreams and leverage existing services to the benefit of the Africa group: KETL, Best delivery, People and Talent, Risk, IT, Finance **Financial management** - Oversee the group's financial performance - Manage the business planning process and budget - Set up and monitor key performance indicators and analyse them to drive improvements - Improve existing tools **Management of the key stakeholder groups** - Work with the co-heads to create an engaged and enthusiastic global Africa group and facilitate discussions and meetings - Work in close collaboration with the Client and Market Development Manager for Africa - Facilitate and coordinate interactions between the various groups to ensure optimal communic