Senior Manager, Legal Operations

Legal Operations Lead

Are you ready to take on a pivotal role in a dynamic and fast-paced legal department? Autodesk's Legal, Government Affairs & Public Policy (LGAPP) team is seeking an experienced and strategic Legal Operations Lead to help scale the organization's operational infrastructure, systems, processes, and technology capabilities.

Reporting directly into the senior leadership team of LGAPP, this role will serve as a key driver of operational excellence, transformation, and innovation across the department. The Legal Operations Lead will oversee critical operational functions including legal technology, AI enablement, project and program management, outside counsel and vendor management, and knowledge management.

In this role, you will play a central part in shaping how LGAPP operates at scale – identifying opportunities to streamline ways of working, modernize legal processes, improve cross-functional collaboration, and implement strategic, legal-optimized technologies that enable the LGAPP team to operate more efficiently, effectively, and strategically in support of Autodesk's broader business objectives.

This position will report to our VP and Assistant General Counsel, Legal, and it is hybrid, based out of Denver or Portland.

Responsibilities

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing Legal Operations team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement
• Align team priorities and operational roadmaps with the evolving strategic objectives of the LGAPP leadership team and Autodesk's broader business strategy

Strategic Operations & Program Management

• Partner closely with the LGAPP leadership team to operationalize strategic priorities across the department
• Lead and drive execution of high-impact initiatives across LGAPP, including new technology and systems rollouts, workflow modernization efforts, and process improvement initiatives, while partnering cross-functionally to ensure projects are accurately scoped, effectively tracked, and successfully delivered on time
• Identify operational bottlenecks and proactively implement scalable process improvements and workflow optimizations
• Build operational frameworks, governance models, and best practices that enable the legal organization to operate more strategically and effectively
• Develop and monitor KPIs, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms that provide actionable insights into team performance, operational health, and areas for improvement
• Serve as a thought leader within LGAPP, driving innovation, continuous improvement, and operational maturity across the organization

Legal Technology & AI Enablement

• Own the roadmap, governance, and ongoing optimization of LGAPP's legal technology and tooling ecosystem, including: legal workflow and intake tools, contract lifecycle management (CLM) platforms, knowledge management systems, e-billing technologies, reporting and analytics capabilities, and AI-enabled tools
• Identify, evaluate, and deploy technologies that streamline legal workflows, automate processes, and improve operational efficiency and organizational productivity across LGAPP
• Explore and implement innovative AI and generative AI solutions that enhance contracting operations, knowledge management, and broader business enablement capabilities
• Partner closely with IT, Procurement, Finance, Security, and Business Systems teams to ensure seamless integration, connectivity, and ongoing support of legal technologies within the broader company systems landscape
• Drive adoption, training, and change management efforts related to new systems, tools, and operational processes

Outside Counsel, Vendor & Financial Operations

• Oversee the full lifecycle of outside counsel and vendor management, including onboarding, billing, evaluation, optimization, and performance management
• Collaborate closely with Finance on budgeting, forecasting, spend tracking, reporting, and identifying actionable insights from legal spend data
• Maintain and optimize e-billing platforms, billing guidelines, and outside counsel compliance processes (e.g., consistent discounting and/or alternative fee arrangements, staffing metrics, etc.)
• Develop frameworks and guidance to support strategic firm and vendor selection, utilization, and cost management
• Develop and implement resources to empower LGAPP team members to optimize firm and vendor selection, including department guidelines for selection and utilization of firms and vendors

Knowledge Management & Enablement

• Lead knowledge management initiatives that improve information sharing, operational consistency, and institutional knowledge retention across LGAPP
• Develop and maintain processes for documentation management and retention, including knowledge management playbooks, operational guidelines, best practices, and training materials
• Support training and enablement efforts for both LGAPP team members and cross-functional stakeholders to improve engagement with legal processes and tools

Minimum Qualifications

• 5–7+ years of experience in legal operations, business operations, or operational leadership roles, preferably within a corporate legal department or high-growth technology company environment
• Strong experience leading operational initiatives, process improvement efforts, and cross-functional programs
• Prior experience managing and developing high-performing teams
• Experience implementing or managing legal technology platforms, workflow systems, CLM tools, and/or AI-enabled solutions
• Strong project and program management capabilities, with the ability to manage multiple complex initiatives simultaneously
• Excellent communication, collaboration, stakeholder management, and influencing skills, with the ability to build strong partnerships and work effectively across all levels in a global organization
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with a data-informed approach to decision making
• Ability to translate operational challenges into scalable systems, processes, and technology-driven solutions

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within a fast-scaling SaaS or technology organization
• Familiarity with contracting operations, legal intake/workflow management, or specialized legal operational functions
• Experience implementing AI or automation solutions within legal workflows
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for innovation, operational excellence, and organizational transformation
• High level of personal and professional integrity, sound judgment, and executive presence