Professional Development Manager

LOCATION:

Boston, MA (Hybrid)

SUMMARY:

Wolf Greenfield & Sacks (“WGS”) seeks a Professional Development Manager (“PDM”) to join the firm and its team of talented Professional Development & Training professionals. This position requires an ability to (1) work in a fast-paced environment, (2) flexibly pivot to prioritize competing demands, and (3) think creatively and strategically. The PDM will be based in our Boston office (hybrid), requiring in-office presence 2 days per week, and as requested by firm management. The PDM reports to the Senior Manager of Professional Development, works within the Legal Recruiting and Professional Development department (“LRPD”), and belongs to the Professional Development & Training Team (“PD Team”).

The PDM actively provides support to assigned Practice Group Leaders (“PGLs”) in their efforts to develop and retain exceptional legal talent. The PDM collaborates regularly with firm management, shareholders, legal practitioners, and business professionals. The PDM will build and establish credibility as a trusted resource to support leadership goals, practitioner development, and inclusivity. The PDM routinely provides suggestions to address staffing and workflow issues, morale concerns, training programs, and practitioner career growth and development.

Within assigned practice groups, and beyond as needed, the PDM will develop a professional relationship with legal practitioners at all levels, gaining an in-depth understanding of professional aspirations, experiences, strengths, development needs, and relevant personal circumstances. On an as needed basis, the PDM may recommend resources to address development needs and monitor performance progress. The PDM will be involved in all facets of practitioner professional development, including career development, workflow allocation, all performance evaluation processes, and management and analysis of productivity, utilization, engagement reports, and related financial metrics. The PDM will also be responsible for managing or co-managing a variety of other projects and processes related to Professional Development, Legal Training, Legal Recruiting, and other firm-related initiatives as requested.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Partners with PD Team members to assess firm and department needs; proposes, designs, introduces, and supports new initiatives as needed; drives existing programs and implements program plans, operational goals, and outcomes; communicates regularly with team to align individual and practice group needs with firm-wide training, mentoring, onboarding, and recruiting initiatives.
• Collaborates with PGLs and shareholders to manage the work allocation process, ensuring equitable and developmental staffing.
• Works closely with assigned practitioners to monitor workloads, identify learning opportunities, facilitate areas of interest, and achieve individual professional development goals while supporting client needs.
• Meets individually with practitioners on a regular basis to become a trusted advisor discussing individuals’ professional aspirations, experiences, strengths, and development needs.
• Works closely with key leaders to (1) effectively facilitate the formal and informal evaluation processes throughout the year to ensure frequent, substantive, and constructive feedback and guidance, (2) coordinate/attend practitioner check-in and evaluation meetings, (3) collect verbal feedback and create detailed documentation of practitioner’s strengths and skill gaps to drive professional development and growth, (4) reinforce real-time feedback practices, and (5) provide coaching on feedback messaging and delivery, as needed.
• Synthesizes practice group information for PGLs, including regular updates of assigned groups’ workload distribution and other performance-related metrics; prepares reports, as requested, on practitioner productivity, engagement, and other matters; processes docket updates and other system changes to reflect client and team staffing.
• Collaborates (1) with HR on personnel matters and policies, (2) with Legal Recruiting on recruiting needs, practitioner integration efforts, the summer program, and the mentoring program, (3) with Finance to ensure practitioner data accuracy and streamline the sharing of information across departments, (4); with Client Services on practitioner business development goals and opportunities, (5) and with other firm departments on initiatives as applicable and as requested by firm management.
• Works closely with the Senior Director of LRPD, PDMs, members of leadership, Legal Training Committee, PGLs, department heads, Public Services Committee, as well as supervising attorneys, to assess training needs, make recommendations and proposals for training curriculums related to legal, technical, and professional skills and implement approved initiatives to support practitioner development.
• Oversees the delivery of certain training programs at firmwide, department, and practice group levels including reviewing content and collecting program information from presenters, serving as a liaison for virtual and in-office trainings; effectively and efficiently handles or delegates invitee communications in a highly responsive and organized manner; manages technology coordination; assists with catering and meeting location logistics; as well as preserving and curating materials from firmwide training programs to keep LMS content up to date and accessible for legal practitioners.
• Develops, leads, and monitors some firmwide and, as needed, practice group-specific initiatives for all practitioners, including programs for development of professional and client services skills, as well as technical, substantive, and practice-specific legal skills and competencies that are essential to practitioner success; takes ownership of assigned responsibilities within the LRPD team.
• Utilizes strong business acumen including the ability to apply sound creative thinking as well as the use of discretion and appropriate judgment depending on situation.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree required; Juris Doctor preferred.
• At least 5 years of experience in professional or career development, preferably in the intellectual property or litigation space, or in a management capacity, within a legal or partnership setting; a minimum of 2 years prior experience in workflow allocation and staffing is also strongly preferred.
• Advanced proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office suite, with solid foundational skills in Excel.
• Experience with learning management systems, Micron CE Manager, knowledge work platforms and electronic databases, such as viDesktop, UKG, and Aderant are a plus.

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES:

• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, supported by a high degree of accuracy and interpersonal and team communication skills.
• Superior organizational, project and time management skills with demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, realign priorities, and work independently to drive projects to completion.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills; comfortable working with numerical data and formulas.
• Innovative thinker; creative and strategic problem solver; works effectively and collaboratively at all levels.
• Demonstrates sound judgment and discretion while maintaining highly confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to anticipate and address problems and challenging issues, and respond calmly, efficiently, and effectively in all situations.
• Strong client service focus with ability to influence and guide others, develop and forge positive, collaborative, and trusting working relationships with different levels of constituencies.
• Ability to respond quickly and positively to shifting demands and opportunities; and can work under tight deadlines and handle multiple, detailed tasks.
• Effectively supervise department coordinators and assistants to ensure effective execution of their deliverables.
• Flexibility and willingness to learn and understand details and processes within a larger context and independently piece together how complex systems are interrelated, seeking clarification when needed.

Wolf Greenfield does not offer visa sponsorship. All job openings are subject to export control regulations.

The expected salary range for this position is $139,100 - $175,300 annually. Actual pay will be determined based on experience and other job-related factors permitted by law. Any offer of employment is subject to the successful completion of a background check (and reference check). It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Wolf Greenfield offers a comprehensive benefit package focused on the overall well-being of firm employees. Our benefits include multiple health care plan options, vision and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts/health saving accounts and life insurance. Eligibility for our employer sponsored 401(k) plan includes an employer match and discretionary profit sharing. The firm is invested in our employees development by providing tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities. Additionally, WGS offers further benefits and perks focused on employee well-being including generous paid time off; including sick time and vacation time, parental leave, commuter benefits, charitable matching gift program, well-being support and much more!