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About the Role

The Director of Legal Talent Strategy, Planning and Operations serves as a strategic partner, operational lead, and trusted advisor to the Chief Legal Talent Officer (CLTO). This role leads the coordination of functional activities, operations, and people-related matters across the Legal Talent function, including Operations & Administration, Legal Talent technology, Training & Development, Integration, Legal Recruiting, Partner Development & Administration, and Inclusion. This role is responsible for identifying and implementing technologies, systems, and ways of working that position Legal Talent as a modern, data-driven function.

Responsibilities

Serve on the Chief Legal Talent Officer’s Leadership Team.
Partner with the CLTO and functional leaders to develop and implement strategic plans and initiatives.
Turn department priorities into project plans with clear owners, timelines and deliverables.
Ensure accountability by tracking progress on department initiatives and escalating issues to CLTO.
Coordinate across Legal Talent functions to reduce duplication and inefficiencies.
Shape and support the strategic evolution of the Legal Talent function.
Evaluate internal workflows and reporting and identify opportunities to standardize and streamline.
Coordinate implementation of new processes and systems, including internal communications and training.
Develop and maintain a centralized repository of process documents, playbooks, templates, and standard operating procedures.
Co-lead project teams and evaluate prospective vendors / commercial terms.
Coordinate with appropriate Firm departments on contract review and renewals.
Maintain oversight of vendor relationship and performance.
Partner with functional leadership to manage departmental budgets (both financial and headcount), including forecasting, and annual planning.
Review monthly department expenses and address variances with CLTO.
Analyze talent data and metrics to inform decision-making and monitor program effectiveness.
Partner with relevant teams to improve data accuracy and consistency.
Benchmark Legal Talent structure, staffing, and practices against peer firms and the market.
Prepare high-level briefing materials, presentations, talking points, reports, Firm leadership updates and other written communications.
Synthesize data and feedback into concise insights and storylines tailored for internal senior audiences.
Support agenda development, meeting planning, and follow-up for leadership meetings.
Draft internal communications relating to legal talent initiatives, policy changes and strategic priorities.
Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders across legal talent, attorney development, recruiting, practice group leadership, operations, and firm administration.
Facilitate alignment among diverse stakeholders with differing priorities and perspectives.
Exercise sound judgment, diplomacy, and discretion in handling sensitive issues and confidential information.
Lead the Legal Talent team overseeing its technology and AI transformation agenda.
Act as Legal Talent’s liaison to the Firm’s Information Technology and Knowledge & Innovation functions.
Partner with functional leadership on recruiting and hiring processes for Legal Talent professional staff roles.
Design and implement comprehensive onboarding programs across Legal Talent departments.
Develop and oversee functional training and professional development initiatives for Legal Talent professional staff.
Support career progression, competency model, mentoring, performance management, and succession planning across the team.
Regularly review operations of the Legal Talent Team, leveraging technology-enabled workflows.
Model and reinforce Legal Talent team culture.
Lead through influence across Legal Talent and the broader Firm, building consensus, championing new ideas, and driving behavioral change.

Requirements

Minimum of 15 years of comparable experience in professional services, consulting, legal operations, or related field strongly preferred.
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.
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.
Excellent presentation, writing, and verbal communication skills; the ability to interact credibly and diplomatically with all levels in an organization and in the outside community.
Demonstrated success managing, mentoring, and developing a team of top-tier professionals.
Self-starter and team player; effective collaborator.
Proven track record of driving continuous improvement, innovation, and optimization.
Excellent project management skills with the ability to engage across technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Skills

Big law or complex, highly-matrixed organization environments
Collaboration with Information Technology, Human Resources, Knowledge & Innovation, Client Development & Engagement, Regional Administration, and Practice Management
Technology and AI strategy
Vendor management
Budget management
Headcount management
Data analysis
Talent data analysis
Stakeholder management
Professional staff recruiting
Onboarding program design
Training and professional development
Job architecture
Workflow management
Business acumen
Financial skills
Analytic skills
Strategic planning
Operational planning
Project management
Interpersonal skills
Communication skills (presentation, writing, verbal)

Location

NY Only

Work Type

Hybrid

Experience Level

15+ years

Education Level

Bachelor's degree
JD, MBA or equivalent advanced degree (Preferred)

Salary/Compensations

$300,000 to $350,000

About the Company

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett is committed to a collegial work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.

Equal Opportunity

The Firm prohibits discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, citizenship status, disability, marital or partnership status, sexual orientation, veteran’s status or any other legally protected status. This Policy pertains to every aspect of an individual’s relationship with the Firm, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, benefits, training and development, promotion, transfer, discipline, termination, and all other privileges, terms and conditions of employment.