This role will focus on delivering the Freshfields community impact strategy in the UK through one of our flagship programmes, Freshfields Aspiring Professionals (APP) as well as other community impact activities. APP is a social mobility outreach programme working with students from social mobility ‘cold spots’ from Y12 until the first year of university. In this role you will co-ordinate APP activities as well as working directly with students on the programme.
The Freshfields Global Centre provides both business and legal services to the firm. Our services are delivered in a way which supports the global nature of our firm and our clients, enables our fee earners to deliver exceptional service to our clients and to do that in a way which is efficient and effective.
Function overview
Responsible business (sometimes known as CSR, citizenship or sustainability) lies at the heart of the firm and its strategy for success. Our responsible business strategy focuses on (i) the way we work (ii) how we engage with clients around RB and (ii) how we make a positive difference to the communities we touch, focusing our efforts on providing access to justice and access to opportunity.
The Responsible Business team is responsible for developing and delivering our strategy in respect of the external-facing aspects of responsible business, developing and delivering our environmental strategy and working closely with our HR teams to ensure a responsible working environment for our people.
Key responsibilities and deliverables
- Co-ordinate the Freshfields Aspiring Professionals Programme including:
- Mentor recruitment, training and support
- Deliver the APP business insight week:
- Recruit and brief volunteers and manage the schedule for the week
- Ensure that students have all necessary materials and support
- Periodically review and refine the programme content
- Deliver key sessions and act as point-of-contact throughout the week
- Recruit and brief group leaders
- Design, engage and deliver client engagement sessions for students
- Co-ordinate APP internships:
- Student recruitment and selection
- Student onboarding
- Providing pastoral care for students whilst in the office
- Designing and managing the student activity schedule
- Providing guidance and support to hosts
- Capture feedback and measurement metrics relating to students and volunteers to feed into annual reporting processes
- Administer the Global Matched funding programme and assist with fundraising administration where required
- Run the London Charity of the Year process including working group management, charity selection and fundraising
- Schedule and manage career insight days throughout the year including client collaborations.
- Regularly communicate and engage employees in Community impact programmes including posting on the Community Impact Yammer group and Sharepoint site
- Act as day-to-day point of contact for the community impact interns and provide guidance on tasks
Key requirements
- Degree level or relevant experience;
- Candidates should have excellent competencies of communication, influencing and organisation etc.
- Interested in community impact and social mobility;
- Ideally candidates will have previous experience of working in a responsible business or community impact team;
- Experience in collecting and analysing community impact data;
- Experience of delivering high-quality corporate events;
- Project management or process improvement experience is helpful
- High level of PC/database skills, proficiency in MS Office (including Excel and Project) and a willingness to embrace new technology as appropriate;
About us
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is a major international law firm, providing business law advice of the highest quality. We want to be the law firm that clients turn to for legal advice where it most matters, wherever in the world that may be. The Firm has over 2,400 lawyers in 28 offices around the world, providing a comprehensive service to national and multinational corporations, financial institutions and governments.
Our people make our firm - we are a people business and want to create a welcoming and supportive environment where all can flourish. We see diversity as a strength which creates fresh perspectives and generates new ideas. We enjoy our work and are determined to do an outstanding job. We deliver best when working in teams. Our culture is a product of the combined mindsets and behaviours of our people which is through the Being Freshfields principles, outlined below:
- we show respect to everyone
- we are there for one another
- we are open with each other
- we are positive role models
We think and work globally - we don’t just say we are one firm; we act like one firm right across the world. We work wherever our clients need us. This is how we define ourselves, not by reference to where we have offices. Cross-border work isn’t just what we do, it is what we excel at. We understand what it really takes to work across different legal systems and commercial environments and to bridge language and cultural gaps.
We aim to add value in everything we do - we are passionate about helping our clients succeed. We use our experience and creativity to help clients make judgements and achieve their goals. In everything we do, we seek to make a real difference to the communities in which we operate.
Freshfields is committed to promoting equality and diversity and to developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds make important and positive contributions to our business and how we service our clients.
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.