Director, Administration - Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

Description/Job Summary

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is opening a Boston office in July, 2024. The Boston office will advise clients on the full spectrum of their transactional, disputes, regulatory and enforcement needs, with the Registered Funds Practice serving as a cornerstone for the new office. The Firm is hiring a Director of Administration to work with the Managing Partner and the Chief Administrative Officer on the build out of the Boston office. The Director of Administration will work with office leaders to develop and implement the new office strategy which will include the hiring of both legal talent and professional staff. Acting as a business partner to other partners, associates, and key stakeholders in the firm's Business Services departments, the Director of Administration will be responsible for creating an efficient and effective operating model for the Boston office. This role will ensure delivery of exemplary client service from all functions, and will manage a team of professional staff sitting in the Boston office.

Responsibilities/Duties

Office Management and Strategy

• Lead all areas of business operations in the  Boston office;  driving and implementing strategic and operational planning in collaboration with or support of the firm's Business Services Departments
• Develop a deep understanding of the office's practices, market, and competitive positioning; providing guidance on the future needs of the office, particularly staffing
• Drive financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning and analysis, develop and implement financial reporting metrics, analytics, and KPIs, and provide for enhanced, data-driven strategic planning and decision making
• Manage and administer leasing, space planning, renovation and construction projects, and other aspects of real estate strategy and operations for the office
• Direct internal and client event planning and coordination, partnering on concept and itinerary development and requirements, managing associated vendors, coordinating event activities, and engaging in wrap-up/post-event feedback
• Responsible for risk management, business continuity, disaster recovery, and emergency management strategic planning
• Monitor current trends and best practices in legal and professional services strategies and management
• Communicate the impact of new innovations, developments, and regulations, and make appropriate recommendations for action

People Management

• Hire the legal and professional staff teams in the Boston office
• Manage, mentor, and develop the professional staff 
• Cultivate and foster a high-performance culture and environment that is team-oriented, committed to professional excellence, and the highest levels of client service
• Ensure all functional areas are in alignment with the Firm's near- and long-term plans and business objectives
• Lead workforce model assessment, including staffing ratios, and the introduction of new functional capabilities as needed
• Drive corresponding organizational transformation, outsourcing services deployment, continuous improvement, and productivity optimization
• Perform other responsibilities as needed

Required Skills

• Well-honed business acumen, financial and analytic skills, and the ability to develop short- and long- term strategic and operational plans from broadly stated objectives
• Strong ability to prioritize and manage multiple operational initiatives simultaneously, including business transformation/service model shifts, and significant real estate/construction projects
• Outstanding interpersonal skills; the ability to lead through influence rather than control, champion new ideas and approaches, and to build consensus-based support for business strategies and decisions
• Superior presentation, writing, and verbal communication skills; the ability to interact credibly and diplomatically with all levels in an organization and in the outside community - tailoring communications effectively for different groups and stakeholders
• Demonstrated success managing, mentoring, and developing a team of top-tier professionals, and leading all functional areas of business operations; extensive background driving continuous improvement, innovation, and optimization
• Internal and client event planning and coordination experience, leading all aspects of development and requirements, vendor management, and wrap-up/post-event feedback
• A broad background in technology and the application of technology solutions in the professional services industry

Required Experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience serving in business operations leadership roles  at a major law firm, or other sophisticated professional services/financial services firm environments

Required Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration or related field required

Preferred Education

• MBA or other advanced degrees preferred

Details

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