Head of Business & Competitive Intelligence

The role:

We are looking for a Head of Business & Competitive Intelligence to join our Knowledge & Learning department in London.

Working as part of the international Knowledge function, with close links to the Marketing & Business Development and Research Services teams, you will lead the creation and development of the firm's Business & Competitive Intelligence capabilities. This is a strategic role requiring you to define and implement the vision, scope, and operating model of a brand-new service while providing actionable intelligence to the firm's leadership, sector and practice groups, and client-facing teams.

What will you do:

• Define and implement a new Business and Competitive Intelligence capability within the firm, delivering strategic insights to the firm’s leadership and client teams.

• Research, analyse, and present high‑impact client, sector, and market intelligence via briefings, strategic reports, and presentations to identify new business opportunities and drive the firm’s growth.

• Partner with Marketing & Business Development, and sector leadership to provide information that supports client-targeting and growth strategies, leveraging competitive intelligence, deal analytics, and market news.

• Monitor and analyse risks and opportunities in the legal market, providing actionable insights for the firm’s leadership.

• Raise the profile and credibility of the function by delivering thought leadership — such as regular market intelligence briefings, internal presentations, and contributions to strategic discussions.

• Deliver strategic intelligence to support lateral hiring decisions, including competitor benchmarking, practice-area mapping, and candidate-market analysis.

• Recommend and promote competitive intelligence tools to ensure access to the most relevant and up-to-date resources.

• Stay at the forefront of developments in business and competitive intelligence methodologies, including the application of AI, data analytics, and automation, and drive innovation across the function.

What we are looking for:

Attributes

• A strategic mindset, with the vision and drive to build a service from the ground up and the resilience to navigate competing priorities.

• Highly enthusiastic and self-motivated, with a strong commitment to excellent client service, and the ability to take the initiative to drive projects to completion.

• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to distil complex data and analysis into compelling narratives for senior audiences.

• A credible, trusted adviser with the influencing skills to engage at partner and board level, and a proven ability to build and sustain cross-functional relationships.

• Experience across a wide spectrum of data, information resources, and reporting tools.

• Demonstrated leadership capability, including experience of setting priorities, and driving change.

• Strong commercial awareness, with the ability to understand the firm's business model, revenue drivers, and competitive positioning.

• A genuine passion for understanding markets, industries, and the forces shaping the legal sector.

Experience and Education

• Proven track record in shaping and delivering Business and Competitive Intelligence strategy and research capabilities, ideally in a leading law firm or professional services environment.

• Deep expertise in business, financial, and legal-market data sources and the ability to evaluate and adopt new platforms as the market evolves.

• Proficiency in data visualisation and analytics tools and a strong understanding of how AI can be applied to workflows. Advanced Microsoft Office skills (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams).

Career Level:

The career level assigned to this role is level 5. The career level framework provides a formal structure for the business services functions at the firm. The framework, which ranges from level 1 to level 7, clearly defines the responsibilities, skills and competencies required at each level.

Here at Simmons & Simmons:

At Simmons, we are proud of our collaborative, open and non-hierarchical culture, where everyone is treated with respect and dignity and the wellbeing of our people is paramount. Our dynamic minds work as one integrated team, partnering with leading organisations on inspirational and thought-provoking projects that matter. From day one, irrespective of job title, qualification or background, everyone’s voice is heard, and you are encouraged to have an enquiring mind and share ideas that drive the firm forward. Through innovative learning and development opportunities, you will have a platform to excel, exceed your career ambitions, and achieve things you never thought possible.

Some key information: 

• We offer a competitive package including bonuses dependant on role/level, private medical insurance and pension contribution.

• Our global skills academy provides our people, regardless of their role and location, with excellent learning opportunities (including live workshops, podcasts, short videos and practical learning experiences).

• We have adopted a hybrid working approach with a requirement for a minimum of three days in the office with flexibility dependant on role/team/client demands.

• We are proud to rank as a Times Top 50 Employer for Gender Equality, a Stonewall Top Global Employer, and a Top 75 Employer for Social Mobility.

• We have a range of social and sports committees, summer and winter parties and monthly get togethers.

• We have a range of diversity networks to connect people and celebrate our differences which is integral to our inclusive culture.

• All UK offices have their own artwork collections – including Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin pieces in the London office. We have a long-standing history in supporting the art community especially up-and-coming artists.

• We have recently introduced a Strategic Advisory Council which is a mix of associates and business services who will propose strategic initiatives that align with our firm's mission and support the delivery of our business plan, shaping the future of our next-generation law firm.

• Our in-house generative AI tool, Percy, won the ‘Innovation in Automation and AI Tools’ category at the 2024 FT Innovative Lawyers Europe Awards. This achievement highlights our commitment to technological innovation and client service.

• We have been commended in The Times Best Law Firms 2026 across three categories: construction, employment, and intellectual property. Our profile is highly positive, highlighting our sector specialisms and notable case and transactional work.

Equal opportunities:

We are committed to fostering equality, diversity and inclusion within our firm and to ensuring equal employment opportunities. We believe that this commitment creates a vibrant and rewarding work environment. We are therefore committed to: 

• Upholding equal opportunities, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity, marital status, or pregnancy, including maternity and paternity. This commitment extends to addressing any instances of perceived or associative discrimination and harassment. We also ensure fair treatment during recruitment and selection processes for those who are serving or have served in the armed forces, along with their families. 

• Accommodating requests for flexible working arrangements whenever possible. We encourage you to discuss your needs with us if this is something you require. 

• Making our roles accessible to individuals with diverse abilities. If you need any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know so we can meet your needs. 

• We offer a range of employee networks to support our colleagues. More information about these networks can be found in the D&I Information booklet that candidates are sent when invited to interview.

We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every single requirement. We are looking for individuals who are passionate and eager to learn and grow with us. Your unique experiences and perspectives could be a great addition to our team.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

If you’re interested in finding out more about this position, please contact the Recruitment Team. To apply for the role, click on the link at the top of the page or visit our careers page for more details.