Legal Process and Optimization Manager

Company Description

Job Description

How will you make a difference?

As a member of the legal operations function within the Wabtec legal department, the Legal Process and Optimization Manager is responsible for driving process excellence, technology enablement, and operational efficiency. This role leverages deep experience in legal operations, data analytics, and cross-functional collaboration to identify gaps, modernize workflows, and implement scalable solutions, including the integration of AI into everyday legal work.

The position oversees legal technology platforms, reporting, and end-to-end vendor management, while partnering closely with Legal, Finance, IT, and Sourcing to align business objectives. Additionally, the role leads transformation initiatives such as post-acquisition integrations, process automation, and system implementations, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and effective communication.

What do we want to know about you?

* 7+ years experience working in legal operations industry.

* Experience working in corporate global legal department within a high paced legal operations team.

* Experience working within a legal operations function that has progressed its capabilities in alignment with the ACC Legal Operations Maturity Model.

* Experience managing legal operations' systems, processes, and procedures.

* Prior experience as a liaison between legal operations leaders and key business stakeholders, including Legal, Finance, IT, Sourcing, etc.

* Prior experience leading the implementation of legal technology and artificial intelligence solutions, including one or more of the following: e-billing systems, contract lifecycle management solutions, legal hold solutions, corporate governance solutions, Harvey AI, Claude for legal, etc.

* Strong reporting and analytic skills

* Managed the transition of current business practices from manual to automated, as well as understand and encourage the importance of incorporating artificial intelligence into a global corporate legal team's everyday use to improve efficiencies.

* Proven track record of developing user documentation and training materials and training individuals on relevant processes and materials.

* Experience managing due diligence and integration initiatives.

* Resilient problem solver who remains undaunted by challenges and can effectively manage multiple projects and initiatives at once in a constantly evolving environment.

* Leverages technology to drive efficiency by enabling and automating operational processes.

* Recognizes clear and consistent over communication as an essential way of working.

* Demonstrates advanced proficiency in Microsoft tools, including Co-Pilot, Excel, Word, Visio, and Outlook.

Experience with Harvey AI, Smartsheet, Oracle a strong plus.

What will your typical day look like?

* Collaborate with legal operations leadership to optimize the design, implementation, and continuous, measurable improvement of legal processes to enhance efficiency, scalability, and service delivery across the legal function.

* Identify process gaps, inefficiencies, and failure points within current workflows; develop and execute data-driven optimization and automation strategies.

* Partner cross-functionally with Legal, Finance, IT, Procurement/Sourcing, and other business stakeholders to align processes, systems, and operational objectives.

* Optimize and implement legal technology platforms (e.g., matter management, e-billing, contract lifecycle management), including system enhancements, workflow configuration, and user adoption.

* Drive standardization and documentation of legal processes, policies, and procedures to ensure consistency and operational excellence.

* Create reports and automated dashboards across all legal technology platforms used by the department and presents insights to senior legal operations leadership.

* Facilitate post close Legal process-related integration efforts related to mergers and acquisitions, ensuring alignment of people, processes, and technologies in partnership with Corporate, IP and Commercial Counsel

* Promote a culture of continuous improvement by leveraging best practices, benchmarking (e.g., ACC Legal Ops Maturity Model), and emerging technologies.

* Serves as a key stakeholder in leading and managing post-acquisition integration efforts

* Collects and analyzes data to support business decisions, drive process improvement, and optimize workflows; develops and implements data-driven plans for continuous process optimization.

* Identifying business needs based on gaps and failures in current process and proposed recommendations to drive process optimization and advancement.

* Participate in vendor evaluation and selection processes for external legal and compliance service providers, collaborating closely with business stakeholders such as IT and sourcing.

* Oversees end-to-end legal vendor management, including modernizing billing guidelines, onboarding new vendors, managing rate negotiations and…