Principal, Talent Strategy

Principal, Talent Strategy Human Resources All Practice Areas Boston, MA, Charleston, SC, Charlotte, NC, Chicago, IL, Dallas, TX, Durham, NC, Houston, TX, Irvine, CA, Kansas City, MO, Los Angeles, CA, Miami, FL, Nashville, TN, New York, NY, Pittsburgh, PA, Raleigh, NC, Seattle, WA, Washington, DC, Wilmington, DE

At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard-working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to join us. Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place.

Principal, Talent Strategy

Role Overview

This role is a senior individual contributor and strategy leader within the Talent Strategy vertical, serving as a core thought partner to the Director of Talent Strategy and broader HR leadership team.

The position owns the development of enterprise talent frameworks, workforce architecture, and program design across five interconnected pillars: talent strategy, performance and development, talent acquisition, HR operations, and operating model integration.

Unlike a traditional program or project role, this position is accountable for defining “what good looks like”—translating firm strategy into scalable models, frameworks, and tools that shape how talent is hired, developed, evaluated, and deployed globally.

This role operates with a high degree of autonomy and influence, partnering closely with HRLT, HRBPs, and functional leaders to ensure talent strategy is analytically grounded, market-informed, and operationally viable.

Architect talent strategy frameworks aligned to firm priorities and economic model

Translate strategy into actionable systems (models, playbooks, decision tools)

Embed analytics and external benchmarking into all talent decisions

Drive integration across talent strategy, acquisition, and HR operations

1. Talent Strategy & Workforce Architecture (Primary Focus)

Owns design and evolution of:

Firmwide workforce architecture and talent segmentation models

Associate-to-partner career journey framework, including progression milestones and alternative pathways

Competency models and leadership behavior frameworks aligned to firm strategy

Employer value proposition (EVP) and talent positioning strategy

Key Contributions:

Develop forward-looking talent and leverage models tied to profitability and growth

Lead external benchmarking across Am Law and professional services firms

Translate CPO/HRLT priorities into quantitative and conceptual frameworks

2. Performance Management & Talent Development

End-to-end performance management architecture (PDG frameworks, tools, and supporting materials)

Promotion and advancement frameworks ensuring clarity, rigor, and consistency

HiPo identification and succession planning models

Owns:

Development of all core program collateral (guides, toolkits, training content, communications)

Design of feedback, calibration, and development planning frameworks

3. Talent Acquisition & Candidate Strategy

Shapes:

Differentiated candidate experience strategy for allied professionals

Employer branding and talent value proposition activation in recruiting

Leads:

Market intelligence and sourcing strategy insights

Analytical support for ATS selection and hiring strategy decisions

4. HR Operations & Service Delivery

Partners to design:

Service delivery model and governance frameworks

Core operational metrics and performance dashboards

Contributes to:

HR operations playbook, including process standards and documentation frameworks

Data-driven insights on service efficiency and effectiveness

Plays a central role in:

Integrating talent strategy, recruiting, and HR operations into a unified model

Building data infrastructure and analytics frameworks to inform workforce decisions

Owns
:

Development of recurring HRLT insights and reporting dashboards

Analytical backbone connecting hiring, performance, and workforce planning

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Serve as a strategic advisor to the Director and HRLT on talent-related priorities

Lead the design and synthesis of complex talent frameworks across multiple domains

Build executive-ready materials to support decision-making (models, presentations, white papers)

Establish…