Senior Manager: Professional Skills Training (US)

Mayer Brown is an international law firm positioned to represent the world’s major corporations, funds, and financial institutions in their most important and complex transactions and disputes. We are recognized by our clients as strategic partners with deep commercial instincts and a commitment to creatively anticipating their needs and delivering excellence in everything we do.

We are a collegial, collaborative firm where highly motivated individuals with an unwavering commitment to excellence receive the opportunity, support, and development they need to grow, thrive, and realize their greatest potential all while supporting the Firm’s client service principles of excellence, strategic partnership, commercial instinct, integrated strengths, innovation, and collaboration across our international firm.

If you enjoy working with team members whose defining characteristics are exceptional client service, initiative, professionalism, responsiveness, and adaptability, you may be the person we are seeking to join our Learning and Development department in our New York office, as a Senior Manager: Professional Skills Training (US).

This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering our professional skills offerings in the United States, ensuring the continuous professional growth of lawyers and business services professionals. The role will involve the design, implementation and evaluation of innovative learning solutions that support the firm’s strategic objectives, fostering a culture of high performance and continuous learning and enhancing employee engagement. There may also be some management responsibility of a specialist, from time to time.

We are a small and busy, but very supportive team.  Responsibilities will include the following:

Training:

• Design and personally deliver a wide range of professional skills-based learning and development courses, workshops, seminars, and e-learning modules for both lawyers and business services staff on topics such as client relationship management, leadership, communication skills and team collaboration
• Co-develop with the Assistant Director of Professional Skills the annual professional skills curriculum for lawyers and business services, tailored to different career stages
• Develop and deliver short bite-size skills sessions, for virtual delivery
• Ensure learning solutions are innovative, inclusive, accessible, and culturally nuanced for the audience
• Carry out L&D orientations/inductions
• Carry out return to work meetings to support those returning from long term leave
• Network with fellow L&D professionals and keep up to date with L&D trends and developments in professional services environments

Projects:

• Manage specific programs, such as our Intro to Mayer Brown training for first-year associates
• Collaborate with Assistant Director on design and development of global development centers for new partners and junior, mid, and senior associates
• Write pre or post session summaries of training programs
• Update L&D spreadsheets and project plans
• Review and update the L&D intranet pages, as required
• Manage ad hoc projects, as required

Planning / Stakeholder Management:

• Design and implement proactive communication plans to ensure that learning and development initiatives are communicated effectively to target populations
• Draft engaging calendar invites, emails, and course summaries
• Act as a trusted adviser to and regularly liaise with internal stakeholders to scope and understand the training needs of business services professionals
• Liaise with external training providers and other departments (such as Student Recruitment, US Well-Being, US HR team members) to devise new and existing courses and training interventions, ensuring quality and value for money
• Collaborate with L&D colleagues and maintain strong relationships across the global HR team and across the wider firm

Evaluation, Administration and Reporting:

• Evaluate learning and development programs to assess impact and effectiveness and make recommendations for improvements
• Create and produce reports for management, as required
• Support with administrative L&D tasks, as needed

Education/Training/Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field. Master’s degree or JD, preferred

Professional Experience:

• Minimum of eight-ten years of experience in training or law firm/professional services professional development, required
• Experience designing and delivering professional skills programs, required

Technical Skills:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products, WebEx, and Zoom, required
• Experience with e-learning program design and delivery tools and processes, such as Poll Everywhere and Microsoft Forms, preferred

Performance Traits:    

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate effectively and in a professional manner with all levels of the Firm and outside vendors
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to handle multiple projects
• Genuine interest in and desire to develop others
• Able to work collaboratively in a busy, small team, under sometimes tight deadlines
• Must be a self-starter with a high level of initiative
• Strong customer service skills, able to anticipate needs and exercise independent judgment
• Maintains confidentiality and exercises discretion
• Exercises solid strategic thinking and problem-solving skills

The typical pay scale for this position is between $149,300 and $197,500, although the actual wage or salary could be lower or higher if the candidate’s education, experience, skills and internal pay alignment are different from those specified. 

The above is a general description of the essential duties associated with this position and does not represent an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all duties.

The Firm may modify and amend this job description at any time at its sole discretion. Nothing herein creates a contract of employment or otherwise modifies the at-will nature of employment.

We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits, including medical/dental/vision/life/and AD&D insurance, 401(k) savings plan, back-up childcare and eldercare, generous paid time off (PTO), as well as opportunities for professional development and growth.

Thank you for your interest in Mayer Brown. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities and disabled veterans. To request a reasonable accommodation related to the application process and/or job interview, please email uslateralrecruiting@mayerbrown.com. 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.

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