Opportunities

Role Location: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain or Riyadh

Role Purpose

Manage and execute all non-partner (Graduate, Associate/Fee-earner and Business Professional) recruiting activities for the Dubai and Gulf offices (Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Jeddah & Riyadh), providing high quality recruitment expertise and delivery that is consistent with local country office/s and EMEA+ Recruitment strategy and is aligned to wider Regional and Global Recruitment strategy, ensuring implementation of agreed recruiting objectives.

Working closely with the Associate Director of Recruitment, EMEA+, the regional Recruitment team, local Talent leads and Talent Business Partners, UAE / Gulf leadership and Practice Group Leads / senior functional leads to ensure that the Firm is attracting and hiring top quality, diverse talent and that all candidates receive a world-class candidate experience throughout the recruitment and selection process, with a focus on continuous improvement.

Main Responsibilities

Overall Responsibilities

• Manage and execute Associate / Fee-earner recruitment, Graduate Recruitment (and associated programmes and activity) and Business Professional recruitment, across multiple offices
• Drive creative sourcing methodologies, reducing dependency on agencies and focusing on direct sourcing in support of the direct hiring strategy across all populations
• Lead and/or actively participate in one recruitment work-stream and the agreed sub-streams to develop and implement recruitment objectives, whilst ensuring recruiting professionals are aligned on recruitment execution
• Ensure effective coordination with the E2E team across all service level requests to ensure support is seamless, efficient and provides high quality candidate experience
• Effectively and proactively manage all internal and external relationships, developing trusted advisor status - ensure all internal clients are kept fully informed around the status of their vacancies, working closely with stakeholders to ensure a first class recruitment experience; ensure external contacts, including recruitment agencies / head-hunters and candidates are kept up to date with progress and of any wider firm updates and appropriate communications / collateral to support the Firm's brand as an employer of choice and to ensure a first class recruitment experience
• Provide regular MI reporting, metrics and status updates as required to key stakeholders, including Recruitment Leadership Team, working with E2E team
• Work closely with Talent Management on key programmes (e.g. the Emiratisation Employment and Work Experience Programmes) and to ensure seamless transition post candidate acceptance, providing a first class candidate experience
• Network with Firm partners, legal recruiters and other law firm recruitment professionals in an effort to stay abreast of trends and activity in the legal community
• Mentor and develop junior recruitment professionals, as required

Graduate Recruitment

• Manage and execute full cycle Graduate Recruitment activities, including but not limited to, innovative graduate attraction strategies; screening, interview / assessment; offer management; effective applicant tracking; professional, timely communications (with candidates, universities, careers services, graduate, student and diversity related organisations etc.); On-campus and outreach activities and events; Summer and Intern programmes (offer management / employment terms and conditions; pre-joining communication; travel arrangements; orientation & integration; plan, coordinate and execute activities / programmes; manage and attend events; work with practice groups / stakeholders on work allocation; act as key point of contact for students, ensuring pastoral care; assess students and gather business feedback); keep in touch programmes; open days and insight days, presentations and recruiting collateral to support the Firm's brand
• Ensuring first class Graduate Recruitment programmes, timely hiring decisions and processes supporting the attraction and hiring of high quality, diverse talent, in adherence to local market practices and regulations e.g. the Emiratisation Employment and Work Experience Programmes

Lateral Associate / Fee-earner Recruitment

• Manage and execute recruitment activities, including but not limited to, managing vacancies, developing and managing relations with preferred agencies/search firms and other legal industry organisations to promote the Firm and lateral opportunities; proactively working with regional practice groups and hiring managers to manage recruitment process from sourcing to hire, advising on and implementing best in class recruiting processes, with support from E2E teams; collaborate with Talent Business Partners e.g. on hiring forecasts, talent pipelines and post offer as required

Business Professional Recruitment

• Manage and execute recruitment activities, including but not limited to, managing vacancies, developing and managing relations with preferred agencies/search firms, sourcing, interviewing and assessment for Business Professional positions, as required

Additional Duties

• Annual recruitment budget development for designated offices and monthly compliance of same
• Conducting interviews as and when required and possible
• In conjunction with Recruitment Team Leadership, conduct reviews of processes and procedures to ensure recruitment best practice and local / regional compliance, whilst ensuring Baker McKenzie is the employer of choice
• Develop recruiting initiatives that positively impact the overall recruitment of diverse candidates, ensuring that all recruitment activity and processes support and are aligned with the firms Diversity & Inclusion ("D&I") strategy, working closely with other recruitment, talent and D&I professionals
• Develop and lead / participate in a minimum of one FY recruiting project as it relates to a designated recruitment work-stream and sub-streams; Participate in one FY recruiting project outside their designated work-stream; Participate / lead ad-hoc recruitment projects as and when required
• Provide support, as and when required, to the Recruitment Leadership Team and other offices on key pieces of recruitment activity or projects
• Participate in various recruiter organisations to increase personal networking, knowledge sharing and promotion of the Firm

Travel requirements

The role will require travel (e.g. between offices, to manage campus events and for recruitment meetings, if and when required)

About the team

Function

The Firm's People function has responsibility for recruiting, supporting and developing all of the Firm's people, including our Partners, Lawyers and Professional & Business Services, working closely with the Firm's leadership to design and deliver the Firm's people strategy, building on the firm's core commitments to collaboration, excellence and inclusivity. The function includes:

• Talent Management
• Recruitment & Mobility
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Leadership & Learning
• Careers & Performance & Rewards, and
• Partner Services

This role will report to the Associate Director of Recruitment, EMEA+.

The key relationships of this role are with the following:

• In-market Talent Management
• Regional Recruitment colleagues & those with a shared workstream
• Relevant Hiring Partners/Hiring Committee Members
• Office Managing Partners & Practice Group Leads

About the candidate

Technical skills, qualifications and experience

• Significant demonstrable recruiting experience, at Manager level and across all populations, in a professional services organization and/or large law firm, preferably with multi-office responsibility and in support of a diverse base of legal practices / functions
• Strong track record in direct sourcing methodologies and delivery
• Strong management skills and able to develop others via coaching, mentoring and delivering performance feedback
• First class written and oral communication, interpersonal and presentation skills, with a proven ability to relate to and gain the confidence of people / influence at all levels within an organization
• Able to bring good judgement and empathy to sensitive situations
• Strong organizational skills and must be able to meet deadlines and multi-task in a matrix, fast-paced, professional services environment
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent
• Arabic language skills desirable but not essential

Personal qualities

These personal qualities represent the shared characteristics of high performers across Baker McKenzie, regardless of job level and location.

Know how

• Keeps across key developments in all relevant areas and demonstrates the ability to develop substantive authority in relation to the Firm's specialist fields
• Demonstrates the ability to identify the real issue, and to anticipate requirements and potential consequences; distils a range of possibilities by thinking in a considered, prudent manner
• Able to move through a variety of tasks requiring different approaches, knowledge, and expertise, with agility of mind and capacity for analysis and synthesis

Dedication

• Driven by a strong personal sense of integrity and upholds exemplary quality standards
• Prepares thoroughly, takes responsibility, uses initiative and is self reliant to ensure work progresses to the fullest extent possible
• Hardworking and diligent with a keen understanding of client demands
• Demonstrates composure when dealing with difficult situations

Personal Impact

• Creates a positive impression at all times; develops relationships through collaboration and reciprocity
• Negotiates to achieve outcomes that are mutually satisfactory; shows good judgement on when to stand strong and when to compromise
• Invests in, nurtures and builds a network of productive relationships

Humanity

• Respectful to others, regardless of their position, and earns the respect of others by being transparent
• Has care and concern for others and a genuine interest in others as people
• Treats delicate or confidential issues with grace and discretion.

Why Join Us?

Baker McKenzie is a truly global law firm. Founded in 1949, we advise many of the world's most dynamic and successful business organisations through our 13,000 people in 77 offices across 47 countries. Yet big does not mean impersonal. We work hard to ensure that everyone knows their role and has the support they need to perform it to the highest standard. Our culture encourages this - how we work, think and behave in a collaborative and fulfilling way.

In the Gulf region Baker McKenzie has been active for more than three decades and our practice now boasts over 100 lawyers based in our seven offices in the Middle East - Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Cairo, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, and Riyadh. As a pioneering firm, we were most notably the first to enter both the Saudi and Egyptian markets.

The firm has built established and substantial presence in the Middle East & Africa region, with all offices working in close collaboration to service clients' needs on a range of matters, including banking and finance, project finance, Islamic finance, corporate/M&A and dispute resolution. We work closely with key local players — including governmental and regulatory entities, financial institutions, family-owned conglomerates and corporates across all industry sectors — as well with global investors and corporations establishing and consolidating their presence in the region.

Have a look at our YouTube channel to find out more about us!

To Apply

We welcome direct applications.

Please click on the Apply button on this advertisement to complete the application form.

For more information about this position or to discuss any adjustments you may require during the process please contact, in confidence, Sarah Peachman, Recruitment Manager, EMEA (Business Professionals) on sarah.peachman@bakermckenzie.com

NO AGENCIES PLEASE

Please note we do not accept unsolicited CVs.

Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity & Equity

Baker McKenzie helps clients overcome the challenges of competing in the global economy. We solve complex legal problems across borders and practice areas. Our unique culture, developed over 65 years, enables our people to understand local markets and navigate multiple jurisdictions, working together as trusted colleagues and friends to instill confidence in our clients. This is an exciting time to join us as we invest in and further develop our Professional & Business Services organisation, providing rewarding and challenging career opportunities in all of our world-class business functions.

Baker McKenzie has a culture of diversity and inclusion in its DNA - since our beginning, the differences of our people have helped us to work fluently across borders, cultures and practices. This is intrinsic to everything we do and underpins Baker McKenzie's vision to be the global law firm of choice. We understand that organisations work best when people with different backgrounds and points of view are brought together. We also know people perform at their best when they can be themselves at work. Baker McKenzie is committed to serving our clients with innovative solutions brought about by a diverse talent pool and an inclusive community.