Pensions Senior Associate/Legal Director

Pensions Senior Associate/Legal Director | 8+ Years PQE | ManchesterManchester has quietly become one of the firm's strongest pensions hubs. The team here advises some of the UK's best-known employers, household names, major public bodies, universities, and charities, on schemes that carry real weight. The work is complex, the clients are demanding, and the team is growing. At this level, the firm is not just looking for technical strength. It is looking for someone who can lead.The opportunity This is a senior role with influence. You will take ownership of the most complex matters in the Manchester team, acting as a trusted adviser to clients who expect commercial judgement as much as legal precision. You will help shape the direction of the local practice, working alongside the partner group to drive growth, develop junior lawyers, and deepen the firm's footprint in the North West market.Your caseload will span the full range of pensions work. You will not be confined to one type of scheme or one type of client. The team's mix reflects the region it serves, and your instructions will include:

• Strategic employer advisory work for household-name clients across multiple sectors
• Complex scheme documentation, governance projects, and regulatory matters
• Pensions aspects of major outsourcing, restructurings, and corporate transactions
• Public sector scheme work, including LGPS, NHS, Teachers' Pension Scheme, and more
• Defined benefit and defined contribution arrangements, including scheme funding and risk management

Business development will be a core part of your role, and.you will be expected to build and maintain client relationships, represent the firm at local and national events, and contribute to pitches and profile-raising activity. You will also mentor and supervise more junior members of the team, helping to develop the next layer of expertise beneath you. There is a clear track forward here, and the firm has a strong record of promoting from within.

About you

You are a pensions lawyer with at least eight years' experience, comfortable operating at a senior level and ready for a role that blends technical leadership with commercial responsibility. You have deep knowledge of both private and public sector schemes, and you are used to being the person clients call when the issue is difficult, urgent, or sensitive. You communicate clearly, manage competing demands calmly, and take an interest in developing others.

What you'll get

• A senior leadership role in the firm's growing Manchester pensions practice, with national reach and a diverse client base
• A top 45 UK law firm with a commitment to its people, recognised as a Top Employer for 14 years and ranked in the UK top 10
• The autonomy to shape the local practice, with the backing of an established national team
• Competitive senior-level remuneration, hybrid working, and structured career development
• A collaborative, down-to-earth culture that values fresh thinking and long-term relationships

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