Legal Operations Manager job description

Job brief

We are seeking a proactive Legal Operations Manager to join our legal team and drive operational excellence across our contracting and compliance functions. In this role, you will lead the implementation of new legal technologies, refine our document retention policies, and act as the primary liaison between the legal department and our finance and IT teams. This position offers a unique opportunity to define the future of our legal operations by reducing manual bottlenecks and enhancing our firm's risk mitigation strategy. If you are a process-oriented professional with a passion for legal technology and operational efficiency, we would love to meet you.

What is a Legal Operations Manager?

A Legal Operations Manager is a strategic professional who bridges the gap between legal practice and business operations by implementing process improvements and technology. The Legal Operations Manager role focuses on optimizing the delivery of legal services through the strategic application of CLM systems, e-billing platforms, and data analytics tools. By aligning the legal department with broader corporate objectives, these professionals ensure that legal teams operate with the same efficiency, budget transparency, and data-driven rigor as other mission-critical business units.

What does a Legal Operations Manager do?

On a daily basis, a Legal Operations Manager oversees the administration of legal software such as Ironclad or Icertis, manages vendor relationships with outside counsel, and tracks departmental spend against quarterly budgets. They facilitate cross-functional alignment by drafting internal policies, preparing legal department dashboards in tools like Tableau or Power BI, and conducting audits to ensure adherence to compliance standards. Through these efforts, they convert unstructured legal activity into measurable data, enabling executive leadership to make informed decisions regarding litigation risk, resource allocation, and document management workflows.

Key responsibilities

• Design and execute efficient contract lifecycle management (CLM) workflows to accelerate contract turnaround times and minimize legal bottlenecks across departments.
• Manage the end-to-end selection, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of legal software tools including matter management, e-billing, and electronic signature platforms.
• Develop and monitor departmental KPIs and metrics to provide the General Counsel with actionable insights into legal spend, resource utilization, and volume.
• Oversee outside counsel engagement by managing billing guidelines, tracking invoice approvals, and ensuring strict adherence to alternative fee arrangements (AFAs).
• Streamline document governance and retention programs to ensure full compliance with internal policies, industry regulations, and applicable jurisdictional statutes.
• Collaborate with Finance and IT departments to manage the legal department's annual budget, performing monthly reconciliation and variance analysis on legal expenditures.
• Standardize legal department processes by creating comprehensive playbooks, templates, and self-service portals that empower internal business units to handle routine matters.
• Facilitate knowledge management initiatives by organizing legal research databases and maintaining a centralized repository for frequently requested legal precedents and filings.

Requirements and skills

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Legal Studies, or a related field; a JD, MBA, or CLOC certification is highly preferred.
• 4+ years of professional experience in legal operations, law firm administration, or paralegal management within a high-growth corporate environment.
• Expertise in administering modern Legal Tech platforms, specifically CLM software (e.g., Ironclad, Conga, Icertis) and e-billing systems (e.g., SimpleLegal, Brightflag).
• Proven ability to manage complex departmental budgets, including the ability to forecast legal spend and analyze invoice data for cost-saving opportunities.
• Advanced proficiency in data visualization and reporting tools such as Microsoft Excel, Tableau, or Power BI to track and present performance analytics.
• Deep understanding of legal process improvement methodologies and a track record of applying Lean or Six Sigma principles to reduce administrative overhead.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple large-scale implementation projects simultaneously across cross-functional stakeholder teams.
• Excellent written communication skills required to draft clear and concise legal policies, department communications, and training documentation for internal staff.

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