Intellectual Property Associate Director - Next Generation Nicotine Products
SW Group · Gurugram
Company Description
In a world that is constantly evolving we help our clients thrive by simplifying the complex, illuminating new paths, and shaping solutions that make a difference.
At S&W our mission is to help navigate challenges, unlock potential, and achieve the extraordinary.
As the UK’s top 10 fastest growing accountancy firm, we’ve been there, as a trusted partner, helping businesses and individuals meet challenges and seize opportunities across generations.
Since 1881, we’ve been a trusted partner, building a legacy on expertise, simplicity, and an unrelenting commitment to client success.
Our specialists provide an extensive range of services from tax and accountancy, advisory and assurance, to corporate finance and restructuring, helping businesses and individuals both in the UK and internationally meet challenges and seize opportunities.
We are a brand built on expertise, driven by ambition, and defined by our purpose - to help our clients navigate complexity and create opportunity.
S&W acquired ClearViewIP in September 2025 to complement the existing advisory services that S&W currently offers its clients including corporate finance, valuations, transaction services and forensic services, along with business tax, audit, consulting and business outsourcing services.
The ClearViewIP team comprises experienced IP professionals, with decades of experience in managing, protecting and commercialising innovation and ensuring best practise IP approaches are deployed to help clients win in the market.
Job Description
What you will be doing?
The IP Operations Associate Director (AD) will support the growth of the India team through being a hands-on expert.
- This role is responsible for the delivery of advanced IP research solutions within the modern oral nicotine and next-generation nicotine products sector, including Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) analyses, licensing & commercialization support, technology & patent landscapes, and competitive intelligence – while ensuring operational excellence and innovation.
- The AD will leverage their deep operational & research expertise to optimize service delivery and enhance the firm’s offerings. Acting as a strategic partner to the client teams, they will foster long-term relationships with the global team and clients, identify new business opportunities with their internal client teams, and contribute to demonstrable revenue growth through exceptional delivery of client-focused solutions.
AI is at the forefront of the team and it’s essential that the AD has an AI first mindset. Experience in using and assisting the internal development of AI/ML tools and emerging technologies, including Large Language Models (LLMs), to improve efficiency, consistency & quality are an essential requirement.
This demanding role will allow exposure to a wide variety of global clients, sectors and types of work, which will be highly rewarding to an individual who enjoys working on diverse projects and the dynamic of working as part of a rapidly growing global team.
This is an office-based role in our Gurugram, India office, 5 days a week.
As the Intellectual Property Associate Director your responsibilities will include among others:
Client Service/Client Work
- Deliver exceptional client service by prioritising customer experience, proactively managing relationships, and ensuring timely, high-quality execution of advice and services.
- Achieve Exceptional Advisor competencies by aligning client work with the appropriate expertise, seniority, and capacity to meet the highest standards.
- Foster a global “one team” mindset by collaborating across S&W and ClearViewIP teams, partnering with stakeholders, and supporting global client needs, including occasional travel and cross-time-zone work.
Growing the business
- Build and enhance ClearViewIP’s reputation both internally and externally while strengthening relationships with existing and prospective clients.
- Drive business growth by promoting cross-selling opportunities across ClearViewIP and the wider S&W group.
- Embed an AI-first mindset by leveraging AI and RPA extensively across your team to improve efficiency and outcomes.
Quality control, compliance and risk management
- Ensure full compliance with internal procedures, the compliance manual, and all relevant operating standards to mitigate risk for the group.
- Maintain strong technical competence while adhering to regulatory and business line requirements.
- Manage risk effectively by reporting complaints and potential PI issues promptly in line with group procedures.
Financial Management
- Monitor and manage key financial metrics (chargeable hours, utilisation, recoveries, WIP, billing, and lock-up), ensuring timely billing and minimising lock-up.
- Ensure accurate and prompt time recording through effective oversight of timesheet submission.
- Maintain financial control and compliance by reporting WIP and bad debt risks to the HoD and adhering to Delegated Authority Limits and relevant debtor/WIP policies
Staff Management & Development
- Demonstrate strong leadership aligned with Exceptional Leader competencies, working collaboratively with global research and operations teams while managing day-to-day responsibilities for direct reports.
- Drive people development by conducting ADRs, mentoring talent, and supporting continuous growth in technical, professional, and leadership capabilities across the team.
- Maximise team performance by coaching and developing direct reports in line with talent plans, ensuring alignment with individual potential, skills, and client delivery expectations.
Financial Job Dimensions
- An associate director should be responsible for a client portfolio of a minimum £300,000 per annum.
- An associate director would be expected to keep tight control of debtors and demonstrate a commercial approach in connection with outstanding fees.
Qualifications
To be successful in this role, you should have
- Extensive background in intellectual property consulting, with expertise in delivering strategic IP solutions across diverse sectors including Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) analyses, prior art searches, invalidity searches, claim charting, patent landscapes, competitive intelligence, and portfolio assessments.
- Extensive experience supporting clients in the modern oral nicotine and next-generation nicotine products sector, including nicotine pouches, oral nicotine delivery technologies, reduced-risk products, and associated consumer health innovations. Please note that candidates whose experience is predominantly in traditional combustible tobacco categories (cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, or roll-your-own products) will not meet the core requirements of this role.
- Skilled in managing high-value client relationships, acting as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders and decision-makers.
- Build and sustain strong client and internal partnerships while driving repeat business and expanding service offerings through strategic business development.
- Leverage advanced expertise in AI, machine learning, and LLM platforms (e.g., Claude, ChatGPT) to enhance patent analytics, optimise service delivery, and develop innovative IP solutions.
- Deliver consistent revenue growth by establishing new service lines, expanding client portfolios, and executing client-centric, high-impact strategies.
- Understanding of working as part of a global team and working with international clients with willingness to travel & work on clients time zones as required.
- Educated to degree level or equivalent.
- Excellent English both speaking & written
- A relevant qualification (such as qualifications in IP) is desirable, although not essential.
Additional Information
We are proud to value the differences that a diverse workforce brings, representative of society and our clients. At S&W we have a wide range of highly active employee resource groups and we’re delivering multiple diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across the organisation. It is our commitment to provide a workplace where all colleagues, regardless of identity, background, or circumstance, feel respected as individuals and feel that they can achieve their full potential and work in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment.
We are happy to make any reasonable adjustments to accommodate for your needs throughout the application process. Please let your Recruiter know.