The posting
Schillings handles high stakes opportunities and threats for an international clientele: successful individuals, businesses and high-profile organisations across the world.
We support our clients to achieve their goals by developing winning strategies to protect their freedom to operate, and are the first port of call in a crisis, defending our clients from attacks on their reputations, privacy and security. Schillings’ offer is unique to the market, combining strategic communications with law, intelligence & investigations, digital resilience and security.
Schillings is a collaborative and welcoming place to work, with a positive culture, strong values and a developed service ethic. We require commitment, diligence, curiosity, agility and professionalism, and in return provide competitive packages, stimulating challenges and interesting work. We are committed to sharing learning and creating development opportunities so you can progress your career with us. Our people’s career trajectories and average longevity at Schillings underline this.
Join us and become part of our story.
Division: Investigations, Security and Diplomacy (ISD)
Job Title: Director, Security
Accountable to: Partner
Day-to-day supervision of: Associates, Analysts
Job Purpose:
We are expanding our ability to offer high stakes security advice (physical and digital) to our international private and corporate clients. These missions are delivered as part of a package of other measures (for example legal steps, private or public diplomacy, strategic communications, risk and crisis management and negotiation tasks). We need an individual with drive and expertise to help scale up this aspect of our business.
You will be required to be in the market, help the Partners win new business, scope client needs, design operational mandates, and execute projects in collaboration with teams across the firm and our external partner companies. You will also contribute to developing our knowledge and expertise in security-related fields and spreading best practice, through continuous improvement of our standard operating procedures, policies, guidelines, case studies and training.
The role requires a flexible and diligent approach, and you will need to be comfortable making high-pressure judgement calls in close collaboration with the relevant Partner. You will also need to be available for client emergencies, out-of-hours demands or travel. This will be balanced with the routine office-based rigour that makes our services sustainable and successful.
This is a fee earning role and includes day-to-day responsibility for meeting fee and profitability targets. The role will suit dynamic, entrepreneurial individuals looking to build a book of business within a respected brand.
Although the primary client asset this role focuses on is security, the desire to understand, build relationships with and work hand in hand with all of our other capabilities is essential.
Role Accountabilities:
- Lead the development and formalisation of our ability to design, market, sell and deliver security projects (physical and digital), in collaboration with others with expertise in security, law, intelligence, communications and diplomacy.
- Win new business with a security (digital and physical) flavour, especially that which attracts clients’ interest in a range of Schilling services.
- Latch onto client needs, emerging from direct conversations with clients or referrers, or from internal dialogue; and scope clients’ requirements, matching mandates to needs and getting them approved and fees agreed.
- Innovate by conducting research and development of client solutions: introducing new products, frameworks, methodologies and services where appropriate.
- Working closely with the Partner, manage client relationships and expectations, anticipating client needs and providing timely advice to ensure the highest standard of client care and communication.
- Meet identified business targets for chargeable hours, billing and cash collection, demonstrating good financial management of debtors, disbursements and work in progress.
- Represent Schillings at international events, conferences and with insightful thought leadership.
- As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contribute to the leadership and development of the wider team, helping to build capability, support high performance and foster a collaborative culture.
- As a recognised expert in your fields, develop the skills and experience of other fee-earners, sharing knowledge and best practice to the benefit of the firm, its clients and employees.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
- Significant relevant experience, typically 10+ years, working with private clients and high-profile individuals.
- You may have a military or government background in delivering complex assignments in high-stakes environments.
- Demonstrable interest in geopolitics and their impact on our clientele; and global issues that affect personal and corporate reputations, privacy, and security in particular.
- A proven ability to enhance our private diplomatic offerings is a plus. As is experience in gathering or utilising intelligence.
- Demonstrable experience in making informed and appropriately risk managed assessments of geopolitical and security developments.
- An effective problem solver who thinks strategically and translates clients’ business issues into solutions.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills and project management skills.
- Self-starter with a commercial outlook, demonstrating a high degree of personal initiative, drive and ambition to grow new services, and the ability to navigate ambiguity.
Life at Schillings
Given our bold and innovative business strategy, it is not surprising that Schillings has a very strong culture. The atmosphere is highly collaborative and focused on excellence. We have worked hard over the years to develop a coaching culture. Schillings has adopted a set of values to put at the heart of this and they reflect the intention and tenor of our ambitious plans. They are: ‘Innovative; Bold; United; and Excellent’. Our client list speaks for the outstanding results that have been delivered over many years and the task now is to grow without losing any of the commitment to delivering for clients or our service ethos. Finding people who share our values and can thrive in this environment is key to our success.
It takes a unique mix of people to create something truly great. We appreciate that diversity of thought, background and culture creates the best environment to truly innovate, solve problems and achieve our goals. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds – if you are driven and want to achieve your best then we will give you the platform and support to succeed.
Please let us know if there are any extenuating circumstances we should consider, or any adjustments we may need to make to our selection process, when making your application.
Find our candidate privacy notice here, Candidate Privacy Notice (schillingspartners.com)
