What are the responsibilities and job description for the Vice President, Legal Vendor Management - Strategy & Operations position at Ares Management?
Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry.
Job Description
Ares Management Corporation (NYSE : ARES) is looking to hire a VP, Legal Vendor Management – Strategy & Operations to join its existing Legal team of 50 attorneys and other legal professionals. The position will be located in Los Angeles or New York. The position will be responsible for overseeing all legal billing processes and executing the department’s spend management strategy. Reporting directly to the Head of Legal Strategy Innovation, this role will be tasked with driving operational excellence in legal billing while providing strategic insights to optimize legal spend. The position will also ensure the effective administration of engagement letters, conflict waivers and other critical legal vendor agreements.
The Ares Legal team is responsible for advising on a wide range of legal matters and helps guide Ares’ business through an evolving and complex financial, legal, and regulatory environment across the multiple jurisdictions in which we operate. While this role is an operations role, familiarity and extensive experience with legal matters relevant to the alternative investment management industry is highly preferable.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
For a complete understanding of this opportunity, and what will be required to be a successful applicant, read on.
Reports to : Head of Legal Strategy Innovation
PRIMARY FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES
Legal Billing and Process Management
- Lead the end-to-end legal billing lifecycle, ensuring efficiency, accuracy and compliance with billing guidelines and internal policies.
- Act as the primary point of contact for complex billing issues, resolving high-impact discrepancies and implementing improvements.
- Collaborate with finance & accounting stakeholders, IT and legal leadership to align billing processes with overall business objectives.
- Partner with the firm’s e-billing provider to enhance system functionality, generate advanced reporting and create dashboards for senior leadership reviews.
- Provide high-level analysis of legal billing data to inform decision-making and process improvements.
- Oversee the approval and onboarding process for new law firms, timekeepers and rates.
- Monitor systemic billing issues and proactively address data anomalies.
- Provide leadership and guidance to billing support staff to ensure efficient operations.
Spend Management
Vendor and Engagement Administration
Compliance and Process Improvement
QUALIFICATIONS
Education :
Experience Required :
Basic / Required Qualifications :
Preferred Qualifications :
Reporting Relationships
General Counsel, Private Equity
Compensation
The anticipated base salary range for this position is listed below. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus. Note, the range takes into account a broad spectrum of qualifications, including, but not limited to, years of relevant work experience, education, and other relevant qualifications specific to the role.
170,000 - $210,000 / annum
The firm also offers robust Benefits offerings. Ares U.S. Core Benefits include Comprehensive Medical / Rx, Dental and Vision plans; 401(k) program with company match; Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA); Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA) with company contribution; Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance; Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance; Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Commuter Benefits plan for parking and transit.
Ares offers a number of additional benefits including access to a world-class medical advisory team, a mental health app that includes coaching, therapy and psychiatry, a mindfulness and wellbeing app, financial wellness benefit that includes access to a financial advisor, new parent leave, reproductive and adoption assistance, emergency backup care, matching gift program, education sponsorship program, and much more.
There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.
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Salary : $170,000 - $210,000
