Practice Group Director
DLA Piper

DLA Piper is, at its core, bold, exceptional, collaborative and supportive. Our people are the backbone, heart and soul of our firm. Wherever you are in your professional journey, DLA Piper is a place you can engage in meaningful work and grow your career. Let's see what we can achieve. Together.

Summary
The Practice Group Director sets and ensures achievement of the Practice Group business strategy and performance objectives (in consultation with assigned Practice Group Leaders and Firm Leadership), and participates with Firm Leadership to develop and facilitate implementation of Firm strategic initiatives.

Location

This position can sit in our Reston, Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, or Palo Alto office and offers a hybrid work schedule.

Responsibilities

• Business Operations/Financial Improvement and Management:
  
  • Plays lead role in performance monitoring, improvement and solutions development.
    
  • Develops and meets annual revenue and production budgets and targets.
    
  • Provides billing and collections oversight and intervention.
    
  • Partner compensation process leadership and management
    
  • Oversees business development and marketing budgets and expenditures.
    
  • Monitors profitability of significant matters with innovative pricing arrangements.
    

• Strategic Planning:
  
  • Leads strategic planning process engaging partners across Practice Group.
    
  • Ensures strategic plan outlines actions to achieve Firm performance goals.
    
  • Monitors plan execution and regularly report on progress against plan to Practice Group Leader and Firm Leadership.
    
  • Adjusts plan to ensure it remains relevant in light of changing market dynamics, economic climate and business trends.
    

• Client Development and Marketing
  
  • Oversees and actively engages in client development and relationship expansion strategies.
    
  • Participates in go/no-go decision making about and responses to significant RFPs
    
  • Engages in value proposition and pricing strategy development.
    
  • Participates in research and development to ensure Practice Group develops and delivers best-in-class service offerings.
    
  • Utilize client interview/feedback program, utilizing feedback to inform strategy, develops/implements best client service practices and lawyer performance improvement.
    
  • Oversees new business intake and provide Firm-minded view of potential legal and business conflicts.
    

• Talent Management:
  
  • Plays lead role in all aspects of on-boarding, integration and departure of lawyers.
    
  • Manages hiring needs including identifying and addressing skill gaps and resources shortages.
    
  • Partner promotion process leadership and management.
    
  • Oversees secondments and alternative work arrangements.
    
  • Workload balancing and work assignment oversight.
    

• Partner Coaching
  
  • Serves as a coach and trusted adviser to Practice Group partners.
    
  • Monitors partner performance and provide coaching to achieve performance improvement as needed.
    
  • Serves as a facilitator and trouble shooter, helping Practice Group partners access services and interact with lawyers and staff across the Firm.
    

• Firm-wide Strategic Initiatives
  
  • Actively engages in fully understanding and helping the Firm achieve its strategic goals.
    
  • Plays a leadership role in increasing Practice Group partners' understanding of and engagement in achieving Firm's strategic priorities.
    
  • Serves as an active member of Firm Leadership team, sharing best practices across Practice Group and Administrative Departments.
    
  • In conjunction with Firm Leadership, takes responsibility for developing and advancing best practices in one primary area of management, such as professional development, strategic planning, or financial performance management.
    

Desired Skills

• Financial Acumen: Demonstrated ability to make sound judgments and decisions based on financial analysis and data.
  
• Excellent communications skills: Demonstrated ability to communicate persuasively and effectively at all levels.
  
• Cross-matrix management: Ability to effectively navigate a complex global organization.
  
• Leadership: Credibility to advise and collaborate with lawyers and staff across the organization.
  
• High personal credibility and integrity: Fully engaged in promoting and acting in the Firm's best interest at all times.
  
• Innovation: Adaptable, analytical and innovative in management approach. Management: Strong organizational skills and ability to deliver tangible results while handling multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
  
• Solutions provider: Fully engaged in not only identifying challenges, issues and opportunities, but also developing and promoting solutions.
  
• Work ethic: Strong work ethic and flexible, dependable, positive can-do attitude.
  
• Continuous learner: Dedication to personal performance improvement through taking responsibility for developing new skills and advancing knowledge and capabilities.
  

Minimum Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics or related field.
  

Minimum Years of Experience

• 10 years' experience in Finance or Business Development in a professional services firm.
  
• Thorough understanding of a law firm environment and operations.
  
• Must have experiencing solving complex problems with the ability to resolve issues and drive solutions.
  

Essential Job Expectations

While the specific job requirements of a DLA Piper position may vary depending upon scope of the job and area of specialty, there are certain universal requirements that are expected of all DLA Piper employees, which include but are not limited to:

• Effectively communicate, verbally and in writing, with clients, lawyers, business professionals, and third parties;
  
• Produce deliverables, answer phone calls, and reply to correspondence in an efficient and responsive manner;
  
• Provide timely, accurate, and quality work product;
  
• Successfully meet deadlines, expectations, and perform work duties as required;
  
• Foster positive work relationships;
  
• Comply with all firm policies and practices;
  
• Engage in both physical and sedentary activity, such as (a) working at a computer for extended periods of time, including on-screen reading and typing; (b) participating in digital/virtual conference calls; (c) participating in meetings as needed;
  
• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing demands in a fast-paced environment;
  
• Perform all other duties, tasks or projects as assigned.
  

Our employees are expected to embrace and uphold our firm values as a part of our DLA Piper culture. We are committed to excellence in how we represent our clients and develop our people.

Physical Demands
Sedentary work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Work Environment

• Hybrid - Regular in-office presence with some flexibility for work-from-home
  

Disclaimer

The purpose of this job description is to provide a concise statement of the work elements and to organize and present the information in a standardized way. It is not intended to describe all the elements of the work that may be performed by every individual in this classification, nor should it serve as the sole criteria for personnel decisions and actions. The job duties, requirements, and expectations for this position may be modified at the Firm's discretion at any time. This job description does not change the at-will nature of employment.

Application Process

Applicants must apply directly online instead of sending application materials via email. If you have a request for an accommodation during the application process or have any questions about the process, please contact careers@us.dlapiper.com. Please add dlapiper@myworkday.com to your list of safe senders.



Accommodation

Reasonable accommodations may be made upon request to permit individuals with a disability to perform the essential functions and responsibilities of the position or to participate in the job selection process. If you have a request for an accommodation during the application process, please contact careers@us.dlapiper.com.



Agency applications will not be considered.



No immigration sponsorship is available for this position.

The firm's expected hiring range for this position is $240,282 - $353,889per year depending on the candidate's geographic market location.

The compensation offered for employment will also be dependent on other factors including the candidate's experience, skills, educational and professional background, and overall qualifications. We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including medical/dental/vision insurance, and 401(k).

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DLA Piper is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Job applicant poster viewing center.

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