Senior Knowledge Systems Manager

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

About The Position

Our global Knowledge function provides the nexus between legal expertise and innovation to transform the firm’s collective expertise into a competitive advantage – harnessing our unique proprietary knowledge to power advanced workflows, positioning the firm as a thought leader, and ensuring the firm’s lawyers stay at the cutting edge of the law and AI-powered legal service delivery. The Knowledge Systems team is a key part of the Knowledge function. Technology and AI are a powerful amplifier and acts as the gateway for the firm’s lawyers and business services colleagues to access, navigate, and leverage curated collections of knowledge, insights, and data held in our systems. The Knowledge Systems Team leads the strategy, direction and optimization of Knowledge systems and search, storage and curation of legal data for the benefit of the firm. The Senior Knowledge Systems Manager is responsible for key systems and technology infrastructure owned and used by the Knowledge function, ensuring alignment with the global Knowledge strategy. The Senior Knowledge Systems Manager oversees both the delivery and continuous improvement of technology-enabled knowledge curation, ensuring that systems, governance and services meet business needs and are future-fit. The role is responsible for leading and developing a small team, contributing to and executing the Knowledge Systems roadmap, managing key stakeholder relationships, and helping drive a culture of innovation and excellence. The Senior Knowledge Systems Manager will be a senior-level ‘go to’ person for Knowledge systems expertise within the Knowledge function, providing guidance and expertise to Knowledge colleagues globally and collaborating on a cross-functional basis with colleagues in, for eg, Information Technology, Innovation and with roles in Marketing and Business Development focused on efficient functioning of systems and experience capture. The Senior Knowledge Systems Manager will operate with significant autonomy in day-to-day operations, problem-solving and team management, while working under the direction of the Co-Chief Knowledge Officers and as part of the wider Global Innovation Office. The role will demonstrate leadership in fostering a culture of excellence and innovation, supporting the achievement of the firm's Knowledge objectives and serving as a role model for best practices in the use of knowledge-related technology.

Requirements

Degree educated in a relevant field.
Significant experience in Knowledge Systems, Knowledge Management, information management, or a closely related discipline, ideally within a professional services, legal, or corporate environment.
Highly IT literate, with expert-level knowledge of Microsoft SharePoint (including designing, maintaining, and optimizing pages, libraries, search dashboards, and metadata structures) and strong proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 products.
Demonstrated experience managing projects, owning process improvements, and/or leading others (formally or informally).
Experience with information governance, database/content management, and system administration.
Able to translate business needs into technical/system requirements and deliver practical solutions.
Strong stakeholder management, influencing, and relationship-building skills across all levels.
Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with the ability to tailor messages to a wide variety of audiences.
Strong analytical, organizational, and administrative skills, with a keen attention to detail.
Self-starter with a continuous improvement mindset, able to take initiative, own outcomes, and drive projects to completion while balancing long-term objectives with day-to-day demands.
Sound judgment and decision-making skills, with the ability to operate independently while escalating appropriately.

Nice To Haves

Degree in law, information science, or information management.
Experience delivering or designing training (including e-learning) for information systems or technology tools.
Familiarity with related Knowledge Systems tools such as iManage, Foundation, DeepJudge, Contract Express, or similar software.
Understanding of legal products and services.

Responsibilities

Strategy and Business Alignment Understand the strategic goals of, and contribute to the development and execution of, the Knowledge Systems strategy in alignment with the wider Knowledge function priorities.
Own the implementation and ongoing evolution of the Knowledge Systems technology roadmap, in particular identifying and leading key initiatives related to systems enhancements, integrations, and new solutions, working closely with Information Technology – this will include the continued build-out, promotion and embedding of DeepJudge, as well as future products.
Serve as a Knowledge Systems subject matter expert, representing the area in firmwide discussions – this includes discussion with PGs, Data office, legal, IT.
Active participant and contributor to the firm GIO Innovation strategy and implementation – this includes monetizing our K data assets, integration of AI into our legal workflow, standardization of the matter life cycle, etc.
Governance and Process Ownership Develop, implement, and oversee robust governance protocols for content curation, metadata management, quality assurance, and access control within Knowledge systems.
Design and maintain processes for the upload, tagging, review, and lifecycle management of knowledge content to optimize search, drive system integrity and user trust.
Lead regular audits of Knowledge systems, identifying opportunities for improvement and ensuring compliance with internal policies and regulatory requirements.
Stakeholder and Relationship Management Build and manage effective relationships with key internal stakeholders, including Knowledge Lawyers, Practice Resource Attorneys, Innovation, Information Technology, Legal and other Business Services colleagues – serving as a trusted advisor on Knowledge Systems matters.
Act as the primary point of contact for system-related queries, escalations, and change requests, facilitating communication and alignment of priorities.
Liaise with external vendors, consultants, and product providers to ensure service quality and support system development and training activities.
Operational and Project Delivery Lead and manage projects for new technology implementations, system upgrades, and integrations that impact Knowledge within the firm, providing subject matter input, eg on likely use cases/user journeys for the firm’s lawyers and for colleagues with a KM remit.
Deliver regular metrics, reports, and insights on system performance, usage, and improvements to Knowledge leadership and other stakeholders.
Contribute input to business cases for investment in new products.
Continuous Improvement and Innovation Proactively identify, assess, and lead initiatives to improve Knowledge systems, user experience, process efficiency, and adoption across the firm.
Implement mechanisms for gathering user feedback and system usage data; use insights to inform enhancements and champion a continuous improvement culture.
Collaborate with the GIO teams (CDG, Lab, LTO, Ideation & Adoption) in prioritizing and initiating cross GIO projects and efforts to improve efficiency and introduce new vendors / technologies
Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices; evaluate and recommend solutions that align with the firm’s Knowledge strategy.
Training and Change Management Oversee and deliver training programs and guidance materials for Knowledge systems, developing e-learnings, live workshops, and reference documentation.
Support change management efforts, championing adoption of new tools and processes, and empowering users to maximize system value.
Ensure the team provides timely, knowledgeable, and proactive support to end-users, enabling self-service wherever possible.
People and Team Lead, coach, and develop the Knowledge Systems Specialist, setting clear objectives, providing regular feedback, and fostering professional growth.
Set priorities and allocate work, ensuring delivery against service standards and project milestones.
Promote a collaborative, inclusive team environment and role-model the firm's values.