We are seeking a temporary Legal Ops Leader to fill in for 3 months while the current Director of Legal Ops (me) is on an extended leave. The temporary job description is below. If you or anyone you know is interested, please reach out to me directly at lyndsey.cain@nytimes.com. Thanks!
-------
The temporary position is responsible for executing on the operational planning and strategy development that the Director of Legal Ops developed; ongoing financial and budget management; legal technology and process improvement initiatives; and outside counsel and other vendor management, among other functions. This is a hands-on role, and also includes management of a small team that includes a Legal Operations Manager, Records Manager and Project Administrator. The temporary position will report into the Executive Vice President, General Counsel.
Key Responsibilities
The role oversees the following areas:
- Operational and Strategic Planning. In coordination with the General Counsel, execute on operational plans, strategies and goals for the department that were developed by the Director of Legal Operations. Collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to drive department priorities.
Monitor progress and departmental performance through regular reporting on key metrics and related analytics. Leverage reporting to identify issues, trends and gaps and recognize untapped strategic and effectiveness opportunities; make recommendations to the legal leadership team.
- Financial and Budget Management. Manage to the annual department budget prepared by the Director of Legal Ops, monitor actual and forecasted spending, and work with Finance to analyze legal expenses. Support senior legal leaders in tracking, managing and optimizing spending practices.
- Vendor Management. Oversee a team that manages outside counsel and other vendor engagements in compliance with outside counsel guidelines, outside counsel diversity program, and other applicable company and department policies, including to provide department training. Oversee administration of the e-billing system.
- Technology. Execute on the technology roadmap developed by the Director of Legal Ops including current technology projects that streamline new or existing practices and automate processes.
- Operational Support and Process Improvement. Manage a team that manages the day-to-day functions to support the successful operation of the department. Evaluate existing workflows and, where needed, implement process improvements and standardization.
- Knowledge Management. Manage a team that maintains centralized knowledge management resources.
- Communications, Training and Onboarding. Manage regular communications to the department and lead planning of department meetings and events.
Support hiring and onboarding, working with Human Resources and the hiring manager. Oversee internal and external resources to support lawyer and staff professional development and targeted skill-based learning.
- Records Management. Oversee a team that manages the enterprise-wide records management program. This includes owning and administering the company’s records retention policy and related schedules; ensuring appropriate access to, and retention and destruction of, business records; developing and administering training to educate employees on records policies/procedures; and coordinating complex legal holds, audit and other compliance processes.
- Qualifications and Experience:
Required:
- Minimum six years of experience in a legal department, law firm, or relevant operational management role in positions of progressive responsibility.
- Legal operations, legal/paralegal and/or contracts management background.
- Significant experience in project leadership and management.
- Experience implementing technology solutions.
Preferred:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Experience with budget planning and oversight of invoice management.
- Proficiency with Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Google enterprise tools; experience working with quantitative metrics and ability to compile and communicate data and analytics; strong presentation skills.
- Substantial experience in legal enterprise software, tools, and applications, such as e-billing, document management, matter management, and contract lifecycle management technology (Ironclad experience is a plus!).
- Prior experience developing playbooks, policies, and procedures.
- Committed to innovation in legal operations; relentless in the pursuit of continuous improvement.
- Problem-solving orientation; ability to prioritize among multiple projects, adjust to changing demands and priorities in a fast-paced environment, and execute with speed and precision
- Current/previous affiliation with professional organizations such as Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC)
