Director of Administration

Arnold & Porter has an opening for a Director of Administration in our Northern California offices (San Francisco and Silicon Valley) to work closely with the partner head of the offices to ensure smooth operations and office oversight. This role will reside in our San Francisco office working a hybrid schedule.

The Director of Administration is responsible for the administrative and operational aspects of the offices, as well as the overall supervision of the human resource functions for legal and support personnel. The Director acts as liaison between local leadership and firmwide management to ensure consistent application and enforcement of firm policies and procedures along with local statutory regulations. This highly visible leadership position develops and implements systems and strategies for improving administrative productivity and firm profitability, builds consensus by promoting positive employee communication and interaction, and fosters a positive, non-discriminatory and harassment-free work environment.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Administration

• Promoting firm culture and creating and fostering a cohesive office environment.
• Designing and implementing engagement programs (i.e., Staff Appreciation Week, Well-Being Week in Law, “Garden Room” gatherings, weekly office lunches, partner meetings, annual holiday parties, etc.)
• Promoting and encouraging collegiality and effective communication and interactions.
• Serving as an energized leader and effective liaison between office leadership, firmwide management, and employees.
• Identifying and resolving local areas of administrative concern.
• Tracking and addressing local personnel attendance in accordance with the firm’s standard practices.
• Incorporating innovation and AI tools into standard procedures to create efficiencies.

Operations and Facilities

• Coordinating and implementing space allocation, office moves, construction projects, and refurbs as necessary.
• Managing facility leases and vendor/service contracts in accordance with the firm’s standard practices.
• Coordinating with building management to ensure facility maintenance and safety.
• Maintaining safety, first aid, business continuity, and disaster prevention programs in compliance with firm policies and procedures and current local, state and federal requirements.
• Overseeing inventory, procurement, and maintenance of furniture, equipment, and office supplies.
• Establishing and promoting participation in sustainability and recycling programs.

Human Resources and Talent Development

• Overseeing local professional staff and outsourced entities as necessary.
• Liaising with the Talent team and Human Resources team on local legal and professional support staff recruiting, including the summer program.
• Coordinating legal and professional staff development; including training and counseling as well as onboarding, orientation, transfers, and departure logistics.
• Working closely with firmwide the Human Resources and Talent Departments to collaborate and resolve SF and SV personnel issues as they arise.
• Administering employee incentives, evaluations, compensation, and benefits programs in compliance with the firm’s standard practices.
• Ensuring compliance with the firm’s human resources policies and procedures and current local, state, and federal statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Serving as an effective liaison between management and employees.

Finance & Accounting

• Preparing the annual and revised office budget and monitoring office expenditures and entering monthly budget variances.
• Assisting local partners with billing and collections, in coordination with the billing team.

Qualifications

• Four-year college degree or equivalent work experience required.
• A minimum of five years of supervisory/management experience in a comparable environment.
• Experience creating budget and negotiating contracts including leases, service contracts, outsourcing agreements, etc. Space planning and utilization management experience desirable.
• Proficiency in Windows operating systems and Microsoft 365 Office Suite and/or related software including database systems/management.
• Proficiency in various AI tools, including but not limited to ChatGPT, Co-Pilot, Claude, Harvey.
• Ability to effectively work with all professional staff and attorneys in demanding, high stress situations.
• Familiarity with fundamental human resources policies and procedures, as well as current local, state, and federal statutory employment law requirements.
• Proficiency with legal terminology and standard legal procedures.
• Excellent administrative skills and strong database and Internet research skills.
• Ability to multitask and have a sense of urgency with the workload.
• Ability to work well in a team environment.
• Ability to make sound decisions and demonstrate a high degree of trustworthiness in handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to strategically maintain financial/budgetary information.
• Effective leadership experience.
• Ability to be a change agent and drive new firm initiatives.
• Ability to demonstrate strategic focus.
• Possess exceptional judgement and professionalism.
• Ability to define goals and follow through to achieve results.
• Strong problem-solving skills and an ability to prioritize and manage time effectively.
• Excellent organization and communications skills, both oral and written.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while exhibiting a strong attention to detail.
• Ability to handle a variety of tasks simultaneously.
• Exceptional client service both internal and external.
• Flexibility to work additional hours, as necessary.

The anticipated base salary for this position is $192,000 to $250,000. The actual base salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job.

The firm may provide a discretionary bonus annually.