Business Manager, Middle East

We have an exciting opportunity for a Business Manager to join our growing Peerpoint team, based in A&O Shearman’s Abu Dhabi office.

With the full backing of A&O Shearman and its global network, Peerpoint finds bespoke talent solutions that drive meaningful impact for people’s careers and businesses alike. Our comprehensive understanding of both our clients and consultants is our differentiator, enabling us to deliver unrivalled outcomes.

Industry recognised, Peerpoint is a leading platform for self-directed legal consultants seeking to develop a portfolio of experiences by undertaking challenging roles with clients, A&O Shearman practice groups and select private practices.

As a dynamic and significant business within A&O Shearman’s Advanced Delivery & Solutions portfolio, Peerpoint is a collaborative and rewarding place to work. We are leading the way in introducing meaningful change and creating new opportunities for legal professionals and clients alike.

The Peerpoint team in the Middle East comprises operational functions spanning recruitment, consultant management and client development. These teams work closely together to deliver a seamless experience for our clients and consultants.

The recruitment team attracts, selects and assesses high‑calibre legal talent to join the Peerpoint panel. The consultant management team supports consultants’ experiences and career aspirations while creating alignment between our panel talent and client demand. The client team sources and manages Peerpoint opportunities, both within A&O Shearman and externally.

As Business Manager, you will operate in a 360‑degree capacity, driving client development and supporting the full consultant lifecycle. This will range from client lead generation and brief‑taking through to candidate selection, onboarding, deployment and ongoing assignment management.

You will work closely with the Peerpoint Leadership team to implement the Peerpoint strategy for the Middle East. This is an excellent opportunity for an intellectually curious and commercially astute professional who enjoys partnering with senior clients and supporting lawyers in developing their consultant careers.

The key aspects of the role will be:

• Supporting the full client sales process, including new business development, lead qualification, commercial negotiations and the ongoing management of client relationships.
• Developing relationships with senior client stakeholders, including General Counsel and Heads of Legal.
• Qualifying inbound opportunities, participating in and helping to lead client briefings, and taking structured resourcing briefs.
• Contributing to the development of new business within assigned accounts.
• Sourcing and matching suitable consultant candidates to client briefs.
• Supporting commercial negotiations with clients and consultants, with guidance where required.
• Partnering closely with the local A&O Shearman Middle East Business Development team and partnership to cross‑sell the firm’s services and share relevant client insights.
• Collaborating with global Peerpoint client teams to cross‑sell services and facilitate introductions across regions.
• Maintaining visibility of cross-team priorities to support efficient placement delivery and revenue growth.

• Building strong relationships with legal consultants through regular telephone, virtual and in‑person engagement.
• Developing a detailed understanding of consultants’ career motivations, skills and transferable experience to achieve the strongest match for client assignments.
• Interviewing prospective consultant candidates as required.
• Managing in‑market onboarding and consultant deployment readiness in…