Assistant Director: Global Business Solution Delivery

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 Knowledge Management department in our Chicago office, as an Assistant Director: Global Business Solution Delivery.

The Assistant Director will support the Sr. Global Director of the Enterprise Systems and Business Solutions Delivery teams, and will oversee Managers who are accountable for the Risk, Marketing, and Admin Systems, Mobile Apps, and Quality Assurance teams, all of which are responsible for software development across a related portfolio of legal business applications and related integrations.

This role is responsible for overseeing application development strategy and execution, including the use of in-house developed software, commercial software, and cloud-based software solutions. This role is accountable for related projects through completion (analysis, design, and development of software enhancements and new modules, overseeing development projects from initial design through testing, deployment, and operations using Agile and DevOps principles. The Assistant Director will assist in ensuring compliance with Firm requirements & policies, and will work in close collaboration with other information technology leadership across multiple disciplines within the Firm.

The Assistant Director is principally responsible and accountable for establishing and ensuring operational excellence. They are a mixture of consultant, change manager, business analyst, project manager and trouble-shooter. They bring people management skills to the team. The person in this role is responsible for developing and managing a global team aligned with the strategic and operational needs of the Firm and the Firm’s clients. Necessarily, this individual works in close collaboration with all throughout our legal and business professional communities

Essential Functions: 

Strategic:

• Remains up-to-date regarding the potential of Microsoft products, and other related products in Mayer Brown's technology ecosystem, particularly as it pertains to Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Reviews and implements appropriate use cases from inside and outside the Firm, paying particular attention to the way different tools may interact in addressing a business need
• Supports Firm cloud / work-from-anywhere initiatives, with a focus on security, availability and user experience
• Advises on the relevant roadmaps, strategy development and execution plans
• Works with peers within the Firm to shape policy around use of relevant technologies
• Ensures the planning, organization and execution of projects in the relevant portions of the global project portfolio and associated technologies and services
• Positions the Firm’s relevant systems to leverage and integrate with AI and Enterprise Search technologies
• Establishes effective working relationships with the evolving network of strategic influencers through the Firm, seeking counsel, and offering guidance in the adoption of technology
• Ensures the team works with Subject Matter Experts and vendors to determine best practices and scalable methods to improve the use and experience of technology within the Firm
• Ensures evaluation of new products/applications deemed to be appropriate to the Firm’s business
• Develops written and oral communications that clearly explain technical concepts using non-technical language and collaborates with the Learning and Development teams to provide the Firm with the expertise they need to be successful with deployed systems

Operational:

• Ensures the high availability of relevant services (including vendor hosted systems), including the development, maintenance and communication of relevant Applications IT Strategy & Roadmap
• Ensures the delivery of processes and controls to ensure the security of confidential data across all regions
• Oversees the establishment and management of the Work Intake process, including development & enhancement requests and corresponding backlogs across the various applications supporting the services aligned to this role
• Actively works to ensure availability of key services
• Takes ownership of all aspects of the relevant portions of the application portfolio, including: maintenance and support activities, enhancements to existing functionality and development and/or implementation of new modules, representation at Business Continuity and Security audits
• Actively participates in the escalation path for on-call support as necessary, including coordination of crisis management activities as required during an incident
• Manages relevant budgets
• Align workings hours as necessary to support global teams and business partners
• Performs other duties as assigned or required to meet Firm goals and objectives

Education/Training/Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Sciences, or a related field. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be considered in lieu of the degree when the experience has been directly related to the functions of the job
• PMP certification preferred
• Cloud-focused certification a plus

Professional Experience:

• Strategic:
  • Ability to identify and reduce technical debt, single points of failure, and security vulnerabilities, increase platform stabilization, and streamline the application portfolio
  • Manage external vendors and act as a functional bridge between them and key internal stakeholders
  • Multi-team Change Management experience with eye to potential technical collisions and overlapping priorities, ability to build consensus and drive value
  • Strong experience working with stakeholders on a global basis
  • Strong experience managing projects with high business risk and substantial budgetary impact
• Operational:
  • 10+ years in management in the technology industry; 5 years law firm experience preferred
  • Ten or more years’ experience leading, developing, and supporting a team of software development professionals
  • Five or more years managing high volume, resource intensive back-office and administrative support systems, preferably including IntApp Terms/Intake/Conflicts, Litera: Foundation, LegalIRM: iCompli, & ServiceNow.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead high-level projects and deliver measurable results within prescribed timelines
  • Experience managing teams and projects with significant budgetary and resource components
  • Knowledge of Agile and DevOps concepts, and and Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodologies; exhibits a commitment to continual improvement
  • Conscientious budget manager and steward of firm's resources

Technical Skills:

• Proficiency across Microsoft M365 collaboration & productivity tools
• Expertise with software architecture and development
• Experience with workflow, middleware/data integration and reporting tools (e.g. IntApp Integrate & Boomi, Biztalk, Microsoft Power Platform)
• Knowledgeable about the total cost of ownership and supportability of on-premise versus cloud systems
• Experience in delivering enterprise software applications using common web-compliant technologies
• Proficiency with Generative AI tools (Harvey, Claude, GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT) to accelerate code development, query writing, and technical problem-solving
• Experience creating and maintaining high-quality leadership presentations using such tools as PowerPoint to convey vision, strategic priorities, and delivery roadmaps to executive audiences

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
• Ability to work in a diverse team environment and effectively support the demanding needs of the Firm
• Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines with shifting priorities
• Must be a self-starter with a high level of initiative
• Strong customer service skills, able to anticipate needs and exercise independent judgment
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple projects
• Expert project planning and management practices (including but not limited to complex scheduling, risk / issue / change management, resource planning, status reporting, and budget management)
• Maintains confidentiality and exercises discretion
• Exercises solid strategic thinking and problem-solving skills

Management Accountabilities:

• Manages processes for direct reports in regards to performance appraisals, annual compensation, goal setting and performance counselling
• Develops and delivers annual performance reviews in a timely manner, including regular updates to objectives and job descriptions
• Demonstrated leadership, management and supervisory experience
• Operational budget analysis and recommendations
• Conducts analysis of staffing levels and participation in the recruitment process
• Able to determine and implement change processes to improve workflow efficiencies
• Process and service-oriented with strong leadership and project management skills
• Able to set priorities and delegate in an efficient manner

Physical Requirements:

• May require travel to other offices as needed

The typical pay scale for this position is between $192,000 and $253,000, 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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