Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for an

RPA Lead

to join our A&O Shearman Belfast office as part of the Data & Workflow Platform Team.



The purpose of the Data & Workflow Platform Team is to enable the use of data and low-code tools to build simple, intelligent technology solutions for lawyers at the firm. The team is responsible for connecting data through the end-to-end matter lifecycle and across the functional domain silos of Finance, HR, Marketing, Legal Work, and Knowledge to provide a richer data experience. Central to the vision of the team is the implementation of a Trusted Data Platform (TDP) that will surface accurate, consistent, and well-described data assets for use by application developers, reporting teams, and data scientists. Success is measured through agreed KPIs, Partner feedback on streamlined business processes, and the adoption of the Trusted Data Platform and the services that we provide.



The RPA Lead will be responsible for leading the design, implementation, and scaling of automation and agent solutions. This includes managing vendor relationships, overseeing governance frameworks, and building a high-performing team to deliver innovative and compliant automation capabilities.

What you will do

Lead the design, implementation, and scaling of agentic AI and automation solutions across business functions. Create and maintain a robust control and governance framework for agentic AI and automation initiatives, including pipeline management, benefits realization, and risk control. Oversee the operational management of live agentic AI and robotic processes, ensuring performance, reliability, and issue resolution. Define and implement governance standards for agentic AI solutions in conjunction with other key business stakeholders, ensuring ethical use, compliance, agent effectiveness, performance and alignment against goals and objectives. Lead the lifecycle management of agents, from design and deployment to monitoring and continuous improvement. Build and coordinate multi-agent systems that can communicate, negotiate, and collaborate to solve tasks collectively. Manage relationships with automation and agent technology vendors, ensuring service quality, contract compliance, and cost optimization. Coordinate licensing, upgrades, and renewals for automation platforms. Build and lead a high-performing team focused on automation and agent delivery. Provide coaching, training, and development opportunities, including software accreditation. Collaborate with internal stakeholders to identify opportunities, promote adoption, and communicate successes. Act as the first point of escalation for automation and agent-related issues. Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies to inform strategy and identify opportunities for improvement. Instil a continuous improvement mindset across the team.

What you will have

Proven leadership skills with 2+ years people management experience Strong project and programme management skills with a track record of successful delivery. Expertise in RPA platforms and agent technologies (e.g. Blue Prism, Power Platform, Copilot Studio). Experience in supplier and vendor management. Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills. Ability to produce clear, concise documentation and present technical concepts to non-technical audiences. Highly organized, detail-oriented, and adaptable to change. Strong focus on customer service and quality.

What we can offer you

We recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, online discounts and lifestyle management services. We recognise the value of flexible working and embrace hybrid working, allowing our people to work from home up to 40% of their working time. We do, however, remain committed to working together in person for the remaining 60% of time so that we can learn, grow and succeed together.


Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.



We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

If this role is not of interest we may have another suitable opportunity here for you at A&O Shearman! Visit our careers portal at

A&O Shearman Careers

and submit your CV to our

Talent Network

to be notified when the perfect opportunity becomes available.

Additional information - External

This role is a 12 month fixed-term contract.