Manager Practice Operations and Initiatives

Manager Practice Operations and Initiatives

Full Time Ottawa, ON, CA

3 days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $ To $ Annually

At Gowling WLG, our commitment to excellence begins with our people. As an international law firm with offices in Canada, the U.K., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, we’re proud to recruit and retain top talent who bring energy, insight, and a singular focus on delivering exceptional experiences – for our clients and each other.

We’re intentional about building a workplace that’s both high-performing and supportive, ensuring that everyone is empowered to do their best work and reach their full potential. Our culture is grounded in our shared values:
Raise the Bar, Embrace Differences, and Thrive Together. These values shape how we collaborate, lead, and succeed – across teams, time zones, and career paths.

Whether you’re pursuing a role in law or business services, explore what’s possible and make your mark with Gowling WLG.

The Manager, Practice Operations and Initiatives leads the execution of strategic priorities and operational improvements across the Firm's practice groups. Reporting to the Senior Practice Director, you will lead complex initiatives, strengthen governance, and develop reporting and analytics that enhance practice performance.

The role translates approved priorities into structured plans, coordinates cross-functional stakeholders, monitors progress and outcomes, and drives continuous improvement and adoption. Strategic direction, practice performance accountability and final decision-making remain with the Senior Practice Director.

• Lead and coordinate a portfolio of strategic and operational initiatives approved by the Senior Practice Director and practice leadership.
• Translate Firm and practice priorities into project charters, business cases, implementation plans, timelines, responsibilities, measures and expected outcomes.
• Manage initiatives from scoping through implementation and evaluation, monitoring milestones, dependencies, resources, risks and outcomes, and escalating issues as appropriate.
• Support the consistent implementation of practice group and Firm priorities across practices and offices.
• Oversee the operational coordination of assigned practice areas, identify service or process gaps, and recommend practical solutions.
• Develop and maintain practice-management processes, tools and governance frameworks that promote consistency and accountability.
• Coordinate practice leadership meetings, including agendas, materials, decision records and follow-up on commitments and action items.
• Maintain dashboards and reports on practice performance, strategic initiatives and operational priorities.
• Analyze revenue, billings, collections, productivity and utilization metrics.
• Identify trends, variances, risks and opportunities, and develop practical recommendations to support leadership decision-making.
• Partner with Practice Directors, Practice Group Leaders, Department Chairs and Business Services teams, including Finance, People & Culture, Marketing and Business Development, Legal Talent, Knowledge Management, and Innovation and Technology.
• Lead continuous-improvement and change-management activities by coordinating communications, stakeholder engagement, implementation support and post-implementation follow-up.
• Perform any other related duties as required.

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Commerce, Management, Finance or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5-8 years of relevant experience in operations, project management, business management or professional services; law firm experience is considered an asset.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional strategic or operational…