Legal Operations & Compliance Manager - Boutique Family Office (Mayfair) - Martis Search

The Role

Legal Operations & Compliance Manager - Boutique Family Office (Mayfair)

Martis Search are proudly representing a Mayfair based international “Private Family Office” to hire a permanent “Legal Operations & Compliance Manager.”

This is a growth and exciting new role to the business and reports into a C-Suite level Executive. In essence as the Family Office has grown, so the more the need arises for a hands-on and strategic “Legal Operations & Compliance Manager” to join their team.

This is a “stand-alone” role however you will work collaboratively with a team of Family Office professionals.

Our client needs someone to take ownership of, rebuild and manage their Legal, Compliance and HR Operations, implementing scalable processes, systems, Governance for the business.

Our client requires someone who is of graduate calibre (strong academics) with a proven background within working in a senior Legal Operations role for either a reputable Law firm, Fiduciary Services, or Family Office.

The successful candidate will possess exceptional written and verbal communication skills, outstanding organisational abilities and the confidence to manage a demanding and varied workload involving multiple concurrent priorities. They will thrive in a fast-paced, high-performance environment, demonstrating resilience, sound judgement and meticulous attention to detail.

This role requires a high level of commitment and flexibility. There will be periods when business demands require extended working hours and the successful candidate will be expected to respond accordingly. They are looking for someone who is highly motivated, takes pride in delivering exceptional standards of work and is committed to building a long-term career within a dynamic and entrepreneurial environment.

You will own the systems, processes and governance that underpin the legal function - document management, legal operations, compliance, risk management and legal technology – creating the operational infrastructure that allows the legal team to work efficiently and support the wider Branch.

This is a role for someone who enjoys building processes: identifying gaps, designing solutions, implementing them and owning their ongoing operation.

Success will be measured not by how efficiently legal administration is delivered day to day, but by the quality of the legal function you help build - systems, records and processes that preserve institutional knowledge, strengthen governance and let the Branch operate effectively for years to come.

The role is hybrid with 4-days working-in-the-office Vs 1-day “working from home.”

Key responsibilities

Legal Operations and Document Management

1. Own the Branch's legal document management system — a central, searchable repository for legal advice, governance documents, contracts and corporate records, including historic records
2. Design and run processes that ensure legal advice, key decisions and supporting documentation are captured and easily accessible
3. Maintain legal workstream tracking systems

Legal spend

1. Own the Branch's legal invoice process, including reviewing, coding and processing invoices for reporting purposes
2. Produce regular reporting on legal spend

Fiduciary structures

1. Act as the primary coordinator for the administration of the Branch's trust and holding structures, working closely with fiduciary service providers and external advisers

Contracts

1. Ensure contracts, engagement letters, confidentiality agreements and other legal documents are properly executed, stored and accessible
2. Track key contractual dates - notice periods, renewals and termination dates

Company secretarial

1. Prepare and maintain board minutes for the UK family office company
2. Attend meetings and prepare accurate minutes and action points

Legal drafting and support

1. Draft, review and amend NDAs, engagement letters and other standard legal documentation
2. Undertake first-level reviews of routine commercial agreements
3. Prepare first drafts of correspondence and instructions to external counsel
4. Assist the legal team in preparing briefing materials and document bundles

Compliance and risk management

1. Own and the Branch’s compliance calendar, tracking deadlines across legal, tax, finance regulatory and operational workstreams
2. Develop and implement internal governance, compliance and risk management policies across the Branch
3. Monitor compliance activities and escalate issues where appropriate

Data protection

1. Maintain the Branch's data protection framework in accordance with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and other applicable international requirements
2. Keep privacy policies and procedures under review
3. Promote awareness of data protection requirements through practical guidance and training

HR operations and Compliance

1. Own HR operational processes across the Branch, including onboarding, offboarding and probation processes
2. Own health and safety/risk assessment compliance for office and private household staff
3. Track HR and risk assessment compliance deadlines and maintain associated records
4. Maintain HR and risk assessment policies and procedures

Skills and competencies

1. Exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail
2. Strong project management skills, able to manage multiple priorities
3. Confidence building systems and processes from the ground up
4. Proactive and self-starting, with the ability to identify problems and implement practical solutions
5. Excellent written and verbal communication skills
6. Strong analytical skills with the ability to present clear management information
7. Advanced Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel and PowerPoint
8. Confidence using AI tools to improve efficiency and quality of work
9. Excellent judgement, discretion and integrity when handling highly confidential information
10. Ability to build effective working relationships across multiple teams and jurisdictions

Experience and background

Ideally experience in some of the following areas:

1. Legal operations within a Law firm, or Fiduciary Services environment
2. Trusts, fiduciary service provides or corporate governance
3. Corporate secretarial
4. Document and knowledge management systems
5. Contract administration
6. Legal billing and financial reporting
7. Compliance, governance and operational risk management
8. HR administration and operational processes
9. Data protection and privacy compliance
10. Drafting and reviewing standard legal documentation
11. Improving operational processes and implementing new systems
12. Experience supporting legal technology, automation or AI initiatives

Salary

Up-to £100,000 pa plus an annual discretionary bonus, pension, healthcare.