Senior Project Manager (Marketing Operations) - 12m FTC | Manchester, UK

Senior Project Manager (Marketing Operations) - 12m FTC

This is a senior project management role at the centre of how Freshfields drives its client strategy globally. As Project Manager within our Marketing and Business Development (MBD) Global Operations team, you will lead transformation programmes that sit at the heart of Freshfields' client strategy - working across borders, functions and seniority levels to turn ambitious ideas into tangible, lasting change.

About the Team

MBD is a high-performing global team of business development specialists, research analysts, brand strategists, marketers and communications experts. We define the client experience and shape how Freshfields is perceived around the world. Our Global Operations function sits at the centre of this - driving the technology, processes and delivery infrastructure that enables MBD to perform at its best.

We move fast, think commercially, and hold ourselves to a high standard.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced Project Manager to lead complex, cross-functional transformation projects that support our client strategy, business development and marketing activity. You will own delivery from initiation through to post-launch review, partnering with MBD, IT, data, change and senior business stakeholders to translate real business needs into scalable, practical solutions.

This is a role that demands both rigorous delivery discipline and the interpersonal confidence to operate in a demanding global professional services environment - and it offers genuine strategic visibility in return.

What You'll Do

• Lead end-to-end delivery of transformation projects across MBD - from scoping and planning through to implementation and handover
• Define and maintain project governance, milestone plans, RAID logs and high-quality reporting for senior sponsors and stakeholders
• Work closely with MBD, IT and specialist teams to gather requirements, challenge assumptions and shape solutions that improve business development processes and user experience
• Coordinate activity across technical and business workstreams, keeping decisions, actions and dependencies actively managed and clearly communicated
• Support process redesign and change adoption to embed new ways of working and maximise return on technology investment
• Structure and manage vendor and technology discovery activities, including market assessments, evaluation frameworks and Proof of Value exercises
• Maintain a clear, prioritised view of the MBD project portfolio to support resource and capacity planning across concurrent workstreams
• Contribute to continuous improvement across MBD Global Operations - building repeatable delivery approaches, governance standards and shared documentation

What You'll Bring

Essential

• Proven experience delivering transformation or technology-enabled projects in a complex, matrixed organisation
• Strong project management capability across planning, governance, RAID management, reporting and stakeholder engagement
• Experience delivering projects involving enterprise technology platforms, including translating business requirements into practical delivery plans
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the confidence to engage and influence senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams
• Sharp organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities without losing precision or momentum
• A pragmatic, delivery-focused mindset - a collaborative problem-solver with sound judgement under pressure
• A solid understanding of change management principles and how to drive adoption when introducing new tools, processes or ways of working
• Degree-level education and/or a relevant project management qualification (or equivalent experience delivering at scale)
• Enough familiarity with business development, client relationship management or marketing operations to engage credibly with senior BD stakeholders

Desirable

• Experience working in a legal, professional services or global partnership environment
• Hands-on experience with CRM platforms - particularly Salesforce - and associated tools such as Foundation and Power BI
• A track record of managing change and driving adoption across large, dispersed teams

What We Offer

• Direct involvement in some of Freshfields' most strategically important business development programmes, with visibility at senior leadership level
• The opportunity to shape how a leading global law firm wins and retains clients - at scale
• Genuine professional development through international exposure, cross-functional collaboration and targeted training
• A culture built on diversity, innovation and mutual respect
• Flexible working arrangements and a meaningful commitment to wellbeing
• The chance to be part of a high-performing, international team that sets the standard in professional services marketing and BD

Inclusion

Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered by the firm on the basis of their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background.

All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing.

Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made.

A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case by case basis and take a number of factors into account (eg the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.