Director of Business Intake

The Role

The Director of Business Intake leads the firm's Clearance Centre, a global team accountable for the management of conflicts of interest, KYC processes, anti-money laundering obligations, associated regulatory compliance and commercial issues across Clifford Chance's global practice, including Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

This role is considered a business-critical function and will take the lead in applying the firm's policies in the context of new clients and work whilst also playing a role in policy development, implementation and training.

This position reports directly to the firm's General Counsel and to the firm's Chief Risk & Compliance Officer (CR&CO) in relation to anti-money laundering compliance. The role also involves close liaison with the Firm's Head of Legal and US General Counsel.

Job Purpose

The Director of Business Intake will have responsibility for the successful management of regulatory, professional and commercial risks associated with the acceptance of new clients and work for existing clients.

The team typically comprises about 50 people, including administrative support, conflicts lawyers and anti-money laundering analysts.  The team is based primarily in London, but includes staff in Hong Kong, New York and Delhi (Those in New York having functional reporting to the firm's US General Counsel).

Key Responsibilities:

Team management:

• Management of the members of the Clearance Centre, assisted by senior team members (including the Head of Conflicts and Head of Client Acceptance), including recruitment, training, performance, policy development, providing expert advice/guidance and conducting appraisals (including development of resource in India).

• Having oversight for training for the Team and the firm more broadly on Intapp and other client acceptance and matter opening processes, including responsibility for the development and implementation of new joiner training. This will include delivery of in-person training in the London office alongside colleagues in Risk & Compliance and Legal, remote training and the development of on-line training.

Conflict Management:

• A point of escalation for team members and partners to resolve complex conflict and related issues.  These queries may sometimes be made outside of normal business hours.

• A member of the senior team assessing whether new mandates can be accepted in the context of current conflicts and other regulatory rules, as well as internal policies, across the full range of practice areas within the firm.

• Providing subject matter expertise in relation to conflicts and related provisions to the firm's in house teams responsible for negotiation of client terms.

• Dealing with ad hoc questions/queries from Partners, lawyers and others within the firm relating to conflicts of interest and other engagement risk issues.

• Providing expert input on draft conflicts language in client terms; and assisting with escalations to the firm’s Clients, Markets and Products Committee to decide if onerous conflicts requirements will be accepted by the firm.

• Close collaboration with the General Counsel on conflict policy and decisions.

Client Acceptance:

• Ensure that the client acceptance team works with the firm's CR&CO to ensure the firm's ongoing compliance with applicable AML regulations (including implementing any policy or procedural changes required as a result of developments in such regulations)

• Ensure, including liaison with relevant stakeholders, that the clearance centre team applies broader policy and strategic considerations  in the context of accepting new clients and ongoing work for existing clients. 

• Ensuring the Client Acceptance team develops and updates policies and procedures in relation to AML and related new business engagement risks associated with the acceptance of new clients and matters for the firm.

Other Accountabilities:

• Take primary responsibility for implementation of the firm's policies in the context of client and matter acceptance, including being available to advise the firm on the evolution of policies and able to discuss with partners its application in practice (see skills and experience below).

• Overseeing the development of the firm's intake, conflicts and client terms systems in line with the Firm's strategy.

• Supporting external and internal audit reviews of the firm’s clearance procedures, including overseeing the implementation of any recommendations.

• Contributing to the firm’s response to regulatory enquiries and inspections, alongside colleagues in Risk & Compliance and Legal.  This may include direct contact with regulators (in the UK and overseas) in the course of their inspections of the firm.

• Oversee the process by which staff seek permission to deal in listed securities.

• Oversee the dispatch of the firm's Terms of Business.

• Assist with the development and integration of new processes and technology with the team. Including working closely with the firm's IT function, the Firm's operations team and those parts of the firm that may be impacted by new processes/technology.

• Liaise with senior members of multiple departments to promote the successful management of risk issues.

• Providing regular reports to the General Counsel, CR&CO and London MLRO, as applicable, on work flows, high risk clients, regulatory requirements, resourcing and strategic issues.

Your Experience:

• Extensive experience in the management of regulatory, professional and commercial risks associated with the acceptance of new and work for new existing clients for an international law firm.

• Strong experience of leading a similar team in a commercial law environment and be a credible expert in this field.

• A flexible approach and a willingness to perform varying duties depending on the shifting needs of the firm.

• To be resilient and robust, with the ability to influence, challenge, and support, persuade and negotiate at all levels.

• To possess an excellent work ethic and grounding of discretion and confidentiality.

• A quick learner who is able to adapt to new processes, people and technology.

• Exceptional interpersonal and presentation skills with the ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively with a diverse group of stakeholders.

• Comfortable developing answers/solutions when requirements remain unclear or change.

Qualifications and Knowledge:

• Experience of working internationally in a similar role across different regions with a leading law firm.

• A relevant qualification in Risk/Compliance or law would be beneficial.

• A good understanding of how to build a compliance culture in a law firm.

Strategic thinking and judgement:

• Demonstrate an ability to provide solutions to often complex issues.

• Sound judgement and skill in the identification and prioritisation of strategic tasks. 

• Solution orientated with a proactive/forward-thinking approach.

• The ability to analyse information, identify problems and to provide commercial solutions to often complex issues.

• You should have sound awareness of commercial issues with the ability to resolve them pragmatically.

• You will be commercially minded with strong analytical, organisational, and interpersonal skills.

Communication and presentation skills:

• Flexible, with effective and persuasive verbal and written communication skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

• The ability to deliver clear and impartial strategic advice in a consultative manner.

• You should be highly organised and responsive to the demands of partners with the ability to build a strong network of contacts across the Firm.

• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to synthesise and summarise complex legal points that can be easily understood across all areas of the business.

Leadership, Relationship building and networking skills:

• The ability to work effectively and co-operatively with senior stakeholders, across borders and in a matrixed organisation, is vital.

• Exceptional capability for managing and leading people remotely, and with key senior stakeholders in other offices with the ability to build a virtual working network across the compliance and risk teams.

• Demonstrate an understanding of the strengths and limitations. of the firm in relation to risks associated with the acceptance of new clients and work for new and existing clients.

• Ability to work effectively and lead teams in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to change.

Organisation and time management skills:

• You should be highly organised with the ability to plan and organise effectively to meet business priorities.

• Ability to prioritise and manage both proactive and reactive tasks and requirements.

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with the ability to make pragmatic and practical decisions.

• Ability to work in international, regional and local contexts and address issues at those levels.

• The ability to plan and organise effectively to meet business priorities.

Who we are

We are one of the largest international law firms in the world. With over 30 offices across the globe, we strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, providing them with the highest-quality advice and legal insight, which combines the firm’s global standards with in-depth local expertise.

Our firm, work and people span jurisdictions, cultures, and languages. We offer our clients a truly international perspective. We believe every career should be rewarding and stimulating - full of opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow. That’s why we’re so proud of our inclusive, friendly, and team-based approach to work.

You’ll find our clients in commercial and industrial sectors, the financial investor community, governments, regulators, trade bodies, and not-for-profit organisations. But no matter who they are or why they’ve reached out to us, we provide a world-class service every step of the way. And that’s possible thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and conscientious approach to work that you’ll find across all of our teams.

Whichever area of the business you join, you’ll become an integral part an innovative, diverse and ambitious team of people. Clifford Chance is a place where the brightest minds and the best of colleagues meet.

Hybrid Working

This role follows our 'balanced' hybrid working approach and as long as business needs allow, you will be supported to work in a hybrid way with the expectation of working from the office for a minimum of 50% of your time.

What we offer including our broad range of benefits and working environment

When you join Clifford Chance, you will have access to a broad range of benefits to support you across many aspects of your personal and professional life including financial, wellbeing, lifestyle, and family friendly benefits. For more information on what we offer specifically in the UK, please visit our What We Offer page on our career site.

Equal opportunities statement

At Clifford Chance, we understand that our true asset is our people. Inclusion is good for our team and their families, our firm and society. 

We are committed to treating all employees and applicants fairly and equally regardless of their gender, gender identity and expression, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, social or economic background, disability, religious belief, sexual orientation, or age.  This applies to recruitment and selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer and every other aspect of employment.

We have a variety of flourishing employee networks. These networks are a place for colleagues to share experiences and advocate for change wherever they see an opportunity for improvement.

Our goal is to deliver an equality of opportunity, an equality of aspiration and an equality of experience to everyone who works in our firm. 

Find out more about our inclusive culture here.

#IND1