The Resource Manager will manage all aspects of resourcing across the department to support the achievement of business objectives, balancing client requirements with individual career development and aspirations.
The role-holder will take full end-to-end accountability for resource management, combining the development and delivery of new initiatives with hands‑on ownership of day-to-day resourcing activities at a detailed operational level.
Working closely with Department Managers, Practice Group Leaders, other Resource Managers and the Business Manager, the role-holder will support the firm’s commitment to high organizational performance and a diverse and inclusive culture. They will report directly to the Senior Business Manager and provide resourcing support across the entire department.
This is a highly people‑focused role, underpinned by strong, effective working relationships with colleagues at all levels throughout the department.
Main responsibilties:
Work Allocation
- Build and maintain detailed knowledge of the Practice Group’s work, workflows, client demands, and resourcing requirements
- Liaise with Partners and Associates to understand client needs and wider business priorities to enable effective and timely resourcing decisions
- Develop a strong understanding of individual skills, experience, development needs, and personal and professional aspirations, and apply this insight to work allocation decisions
- Act as the central point of accountability for all work allocation across the department on behalf of the Partners
- Allocate work fairly, consistently, and transparently, ensuring alignment with the firm’s diversity and inclusion objectives
- Apply commercial judgment to work allocation, promoting appropriate leverage, efficient staffing models, and alternative delivery options including the use of low-cost centers
- Develop, manage, and continuously improve work allocation tools and processes to support effective resourcing
- Forecast individual and team activity by analysing resourcing and time recording data, identifying discrepancies, and escalating issues where required
Productivity And Resource Planning
- Monitor chargeable hours, utilisation, and capacity by individual, grade, and team, and work with individuals to improve productivity where required
- Identify and elevate potential under‑utilisation or over‑utilisation risks to Partners and management, recommending corrective actions
- Manage and promote compliance with the department’s timesheet policies by encouraging best practice, raising awareness, and delivering training
- Coordinate absences including holidays, special leave, and unpaid leave, working with Talent and other stakeholders to ensure resourcing continuity
- Support initial ATP requests by working with Talent and Business Development stakeholders to develop preliminary business cases before escalation to the Business Manager
- Coordinate non‑billable commitments with Partners and relevant stakeholders to ensure appropriate visibility and resourcing balance
- Support joiner, leaver, and returner processes by facilitating onboarding, workload transition, and work reallocation
- Assess and plan future resourcing requirements in conjunction with the Business Manager, using projected workflows and wider business needs
- Produce and analyse business forecasts including chargeable hours, utilisation, and headcount against budget, and drive actions to support performance outcomes
- Ensure utilisation and performance drivers are accurately reflected in the firm’s performance management processes, working closely with HR and other stakeholders
Operational Leadership And Continuous Improvement
- Act as a visible and accessible presence across the department, providing a real‑time and accurate view of capacity, demand, and activity
- Serve as the go‑to subject matter expert for work allocation, resourcing systems, tools, and processes
- Produce accurate, timely, and commercially focused management information for the department, highlighting trends, risks, and opportunities
- Drive continuous improvement and innovation in resourcing practices to support departmental and firm‑wide performance objectives
- Collaborate with Finance, Talent, Business Development, and other key functions to support business performance and recruitment‑related business cases
- Design and implement scalable, transferable, and efficient systems, tools, and processes that can be adopted across the department and wider office
- Promote and champion workforce mobilisation across the region to optimise resourcing flexibility
- Share knowledge, insights, and best practice across the department and the wider business
Skills and experience:
- Extensive experience with established resource management across one or more professional services organisations
- Comfortable launching a new role and service, drawing on best practice and operating without existing structure
- Motivated by the day to day 'doing' of resource management, covering all levels of detail, and making a continuous positive difference to the business performance
- An interest in innovation, and exploiting technology to keep the focus on leading the field, not following
- Respects and enjoys the diversity of cultural, social and academic backgrounds found in the Firm
- Prior experience in a resource management, manpower/workforce planning or similar role is critical - ideally within a large professional or corporate environment
- Outstanding stakeholder engagement skills at all levels, the ability to build relationships quickly and flex approach to be credible to a variety of audiences
- Strong influencing skills at all levels
- Good problem solver and decision maker - exercises good judgement, knows when to flag issues and when to deal with independently.
- Ability to work with tight deadlines in a fast moving environment - balancing competing demands
- Excellent time management and organisational skills
- Confident and resilient to deal with challenges - experience of conflict resolution
- Commercial and risk focussed with good operational business acumen
- Trusted advisor who provides balanced, pragmatic advice around manpower planning and resource management to the business
- Proactive with a positive, flexible, assertive attitude
- Strong IT skills – including data analytics in excel. Experience of working with resource management/manpower planning software would be advantageous
Location: London, Belfast Centre or Paris
Reports to: Senior Resource Manager
Travel requirements: Subject to demand and team requirements
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