Head of Corporate

Head of Corporate

Location: Hale (Greater Manchester)

Salary: £90,000 to £130,000

Experience: 8+ years PQE

Lead and grow a high-performing corporate and commercial function. Our client is looking to appoint a Head of Company Commercial Department to play a strategic and operational leadership role in driving the firm's corporate legal services. This is a senior opportunity for an experienced corporate lawyer who enjoys combining hands on fee earning with team leadership, service excellence, and business development.

You will lead a team of solicitors and support staff, supervise complex casework, and take ownership of the department's performance and growth. The working environment is office-based to support collaboration, learning, and day-to-day support. You will report directly to the Owner and Managing Director and will be part of the senior leadership team.

Key Responsibilities

• Team leadership and management
  • Leading, supervising and mentoring a team of corporate solicitors and paralegals
  • Providing technical guidance and oversight on complex matters
  • Supporting recruitment, retention and development of high calibre talent
  • Running regular team meetings and 1:1s, encouraging collaboration and a positive culture
• Client management and fee earning
  • Maintaining and developing a portfolio of corporate clients
  • Advising on a broad range of corporate and commercial matters, including:
  • M&A
  • Joint ventures
  • Shareholder agreements
  • Restructures
  • Commercial contracts
  • Acting as principal advisor on high value or high risk matters
  • Contributing to billing and financial performance through efficient case management and fee generation
  • Ensuring consistent client service standards, responsiveness and professionalism
  • Supporting consistent file standards and ways of working, including regular matter reviews
  • Supporting billing discipline and timely management of monies on account
• Strategic development and compliance
  • Contributing to the strategic plan and growth of the department
  • Ensuring compliance with SRA requirements and internal policies, including risk management and quality assurance
  • Keeping up to date with legal developments and evolving client needs
• Business development
  • Driving business development initiatives to grow the corporate client base
  • Representing the firm at networking and industry events
  • Supporting prompt, professional handling of new enquiries and maximising conversion

What We're Looking For

• Qualified solicitor in England and Wales with a current practising certificate
• 8+ years PQE in corporate law, ideally with leadership or senior management experience
• Strong track record managing complex corporate matters and client portfolios
• Proven experience leading and developing legal teams
• Strong commercial acumen and the ability to contribute to strategic planning
• Experience in business development and client acquisition
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, comfortable advising at board and shareholder level
• Strong organisation, sound judgement, and the ability to manage competing priorities
• Confident with practice management systems and Microsoft Office

Values for Success

Our client is looking for a leader who consistently demonstrates:

• Empathy and a client-first approach
• Tenacity and resilience
• Adaptability and a solutions-focused mindset
• Excellence and continuous improvement
• Integrity and strong professional standards
• Accountability and ownership
• Clear, confident communication

What's On Offer

• Employee bonus scheme of up to an additional 10% of salary annually (T&C apply)
• Healthcare package including: 24/7 GP access, £100 towards dental treatment per year, £100 towards glasses per year, £250 towards physio per year, annual eye tests, annual hearing tests
• Death in service (4x salary)
• Company pension
• Pet insurance (cats and dogs, subject to conditions)
• Counselling service
• Monthly in-office massages (15 minutes per person)
• PureGym membership
• Annual flu jab
• Birthday off work

Working Arrangements

• Office-based working, Hale, Greater Manchester
• Full-time, permanent