Director of Office Administration

Director Of Office Administration

Lowenstein Sandler is one of the most sophisticated law firms in the United States, with over 400 lawyers and 300 business services professionals serving clients from offices in New York, Palo Alto, Roseland, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Wilmington. We recruit candidates who seek a collaborative, entrepreneurial culture that prioritizes our clients, our colleagues, and the communities where we work and live.

Committed to career development and to an inclusive workplace, the firm offers many programs and opportunities for personal and professional growth. We seek professionals for our business services group who share these values.

The Director of Office Administration (DOA) is responsible for the overall management of business services staff, office services, and facilities in the Palo Alto and San Francisco offices. In addition, the DOA will have oversight of the Utah office. The DOA wears multiple hats, overseeing operations, human resources coordination, finance and billing support, facilities, and technology needs in partnership with outside vendors and firm leadership.

The DOA works directly with the Office Managing Partner and firm Partners/Directors on strategic and daily operational matters and reports directly to the Director of Operations.

Responsibilities include directing the day-to-day operations of the office, with an emphasis on non-attorney staff management, development, and facilities operations. The Director of Office Administration serves as the primary liaison between attorneys and staff and works closely with HR, finance, IT, and other service providers supporting the firm. In an office of this size, the DOA must be a hands-on generalist, able to quickly grasp firm procedures and develop a thorough working knowledge of the firm, its attorneys, and its staff in order to keep the office running smoothly.

In addition to general responsibility for financial planning and controls, personnel administration, and systems and physical facilities, the Director of Office Administration identifies and plans for the changing needs of the office, shares responsibility with firm leadership for strategic planning and practice management, and contributes to cost-effective management throughout the firm.

More Specifically:

• Management of All Staff (Facilities, Reception, Secretarial/Administrative Support):
  The most important responsibility of this role, including recruiting, selection, training and development, performance evaluation, salary administration, employee relations, motivation, counseling, discipline, job design, and resource allocation for all business services staff, while fostering a cooperative and harmonious working environment with an eye toward excellent client service and improved operating efficiency.
• Facilities Management:
  Including space planning and design, purchasing and inventory control, records storage, reception/switchboard services, telecommunications, and general office services. Involves coordination of, and negotiation with, vendors and landlords, and ensuring compliance with safety and security procedures.
• Financial Management:
  Including planning, forecasting and budgeting for office expenditures and capital improvements, local banking relationships, local tax reporting, accounts payable and other financial management functions. Involves the supervision and management of the billing process including: workflow, adherence to client and firm policies, deadlines for billings and accruals, special billing requirements and rates. Facilitates the timely billing to clients by acting as a liaison between the partners, local billing specialist and the Client Accounting Group.
• Operations/Management:
  Including strategic and tactical planning, risk management, quality control, organizational development, and other general management functions. Involves continual assessment of firm processes to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, as well as handling orientation and onboarding of new personnel and assisting with recruiting for business services roles.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required or requested.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills required.
• Excellent analytical and sound decision-making skills required.
• Experience managing people and teams in a professional services environment.
• Experience with budgeting, billing support, and inventory management.
• Must be…