Director, Legal Talent Strategy – Planning and Operations

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

. Serve as strategic partner, operational lead, and trusted advisor to the Chief Legal Talent Officer .

Posted 10/20/2026full-timeNew York City • New York • United StatesLead💰 $300,000 - $350,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in strategic planning, operational management, and talent development within the legal sector. Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives, manage budgets, and drive technology transformation to enhance operational efficiency.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Strategic PlanningOperational ManagementProject ManagementTalent DevelopmentData Analysis

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Budget ManagementProcess ImprovementChange ManagementVendor Performance EvaluationTalent Data AnalysisOnboarding Program DesignPerformance ManagementOperational Initiative ManagementTechnology ImplementationBusiness Transformation

Soft Skills

Interpersonal SkillsLeadershipCollaborationCommunicationConsensus Building

Tools & Technologies

Legal Talent TechnologyAI Transformation ToolsProject Management SoftwareData Analytics ToolsCommunication Platforms

Industry Keywords

Legal OperationsProfessional ServicesConsultingTalent ManagementOperational Support

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Serve as strategic partner, operational lead, and trusted advisor to the Chief Legal Talent Officer
Lead coordination of functional activities, operations, and people-related matters across the Legal Talent function
Develop and implement strategic plans and initiatives that standardize, streamline, and enhance operational support
Drive cross-functional coordination, manage high-priority initiatives, and translate strategic priorities into actionable plans and measurable outcomes
Identify and implement technologies, systems, and ways of working to modernize Legal Talent
Coordinate strategic planning, project plans, accountability tracking, and issue escalation
Evaluate workflows and reporting, implement process improvements, and manage change communications and training
Co-lead project teams, evaluate vendors, coordinate contract reviews and renewals, and oversee vendor performance
Manage departmental budgets, headcount, forecasting, annual planning, expenses, and variances
Analyze talent data and metrics, improve data accuracy, and benchmark practices against peer firms and the market
Prepare executive briefings, presentations, reports, leadership updates, and internal communications
Manage stakeholder relationships across Legal Talent and firm functions
Lead the Legal Talent technology and AI transformation agenda
Liaise with Information Technology and Knowledge & Innovation functions
Partner on professional staff recruiting and hiring
Design and implement onboarding programs
Develop and oversee training and professional development initiatives
Support career progression, competency models, mentoring, performance management, and succession planning
Review team operations and leverage technology-enabled workflows
Reinforce team culture and drive consensus and behavioral change

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree
Minimum of 15 years of comparable experience in professional services, consulting, legal operations, or related field strongly preferred
Well-honed business acumen, financial and analytic skills, and ability to develop short- and long-term strategic and operational plans
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple operational initiatives simultaneously, including business transformation/service model shifts and significant real estate/construction projects
Outstanding interpersonal skills and ability to lead through influence, champion new ideas, and build consensus
Excellent presentation, writing, and verbal communication skills
Demonstrated success managing, mentoring, and developing a team of top-tier professionals
Self-starter and effective collaborator
Proven track record driving continuous improvement, innovation, and optimization
Excellent project management skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders
Simpson Thacher will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position