Chief Operating Officer Details

Chief Operating Officer

Ballard Spahr LLP - Philadelphia, PA

Employment Type : Full-Time

The Chief Operating Officer works closely with the leaders of the Firm, departments, practice groups and offices to develop and implement the Firm’s strategic goals, business policies and controls, with an emphasis on continually improving profitability through outstanding and innovative client service, prioritized deployment of Firm resources, efficient operations, prudent risk management and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The Chief Operating Officer leads and oversees Firm-wide administrative and business support operations, including accounting and fiscal management, client value and innovation, human resources, information technology, library and research services, marketing and business development, real estate and office operations, and risk management. Each of these functions is headed by an administrative chief or director reporting to the Chief Operating Officer.

The overarching goals of the Chief Operating Officer are to ensure that these functions have the budget and staffing resources they need and are operating effectively, to cultivate and maintain a client service ethic among business support personnel, and to align and integrate business support operations with the strategic goals of the Firm.

The Chief Operating Officer currently does not directly oversee practice management in the legal departments or business support activities in the areas of lateral partner recruiting and integration, attorney career advancement, diversity and pro bono, but works with the responsible leaders and managers of these functions to ensure that efforts and initiatives in these areas are efficiently and effectively integrated with the other business support functions and align with the Firm’s strategic objectives.

The Chief Operating Officer will preferably be located in Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York, or Washington, DC.

Business and operational Strategy Evaluation, Alignment, Planning and Implementation:

• Works as a member of the Executive Team to develop, communicate, and implement the business and operational strategy of the firm
• Works with the leaders of the Firm, departments, practice groups and offices and key business professional to ensure effective due diligence efforts, accurate financial modeling, implementation and overall communications in connection with strategic decisions such as realignment of departments, opening of new offices, mergers and/or acquisitions of significant lateral groups
• Works with and through other administrative leaders to implement the business and operational strategies for business support functions and to ensure that operational strategy aligns with and effectively supports the Firm’s business strategy.

Organizational Design, Development and Efficiency

• Ensures that the Firm’s business organization effectively and efficiently supports and promotes the Firm’s practice and business operations in alignment with the Firm’s strategic goals, while streamlining functions and reducing administrative burdens on partners and other fee earners where feasible.
• Ensures that the leaders of business support functions have the skills and resources (financial, human, and technical) needed to provide exceptional serviced to internal and external clients, and to achieve the Firm’s strategic and operational goals.
• Promotes innovative thinking through personal thought leadership and by encouraging administrative leaders to think creatively, to monitor outside sources of thought-leadership and best practices and to apply them in their respective areas of responsibility. Creates and implements processes to identify creative solutions for areas for improvement.

Leadership and Professional Development

• Establishes and clearly articulates priorities that are aligned with the overall strategic goals and core values of the Firm, and effectively coaches, guides and mentors administrative leaders to appropriately allocate Firm resources to support the Firm’s attorneys in delivering exceptional value to our clients.
• Leads by example in a collaborative and participative manner to foster positive working relationships and to promote and foster a client service ethic among business support personnel and a culture consistent with the core values of the Firm.
• Provides regular, clear direction and feedback to direct-report administrative leaders, evaluates their performance and establishes individual and business support unit goals. Manages base and incentive compensation to ensure that direct-report administrative leaders are fairly and competitively compensated and rewarded.
• Leads and actively promotes critical decision-making and change efforts in alignment with the firm’s strategic goals to help the Firm compete more effectively in the dynamic market for legal services.
• Encourages and provides direct-report administrative leaders with opportunities to invest continually in developing their knowledge and skills as professionals in their areas of expertise and in the legal services industry as well as their professional profiles and networks, and to leverage those assets effectively in service to the Firm.

Systems Evaluation, Design and Development (Tools and Processes)

• Works with and through the Chief Information Officer, the other administrative leaders and outside resources to ensure that the firm’s technology platform is stable, reliable, secure and cost-effective, and that it equips the Firm with the capabilities needed to compete effectively in the dynamic market for legal services.
• Works with and through the Chief Information Officer, the other administrative leaders and outside resources to continually evaluate systems and processes to ensure that they are designed to be efficient and effective and continue to provide the expected return on investment, particularly with respect to processes/work flows that cut across multiple functions, that they are enabled by appropriate and up-to-date technology and that they are monitored on an ongoing basis to assure that they are operating effectively to ensure delivery of exceptional value to the Firm and our clients.

Operational Management and Efficiency

• Works with and through other administrative leaders to ensure services are provided to internal and external clients in the most efficient and cost-effective way, including staffing, space management and procurement of outside resources and services.
• Works with and through other administrative leaders to compile, analyze, interpret, and deliver timely, accurate and actionable information critical for Firm, department, practice group and office management
• Works with and through other administrative leaders to measure and assess the Firm’s performance in key business and operational areas against industry standards and the performance of competitors, and to identify and implement best practices and operational improvements

Project Programming, Investment Planning and Management

• Works with and through other administrative leaders to establish and assure internal accountability to identify and prioritize critical needs and to develop and deliver effective solutions with appropriate attention to cost and resource allocation for projects and initiatives.
• Works with and through other administrative leaders to assess when to discontinue or fundamentally redesign existing projects or initiatives.

Enterprise Risk Management

• Exercises diligent stewardship over the assets of the partnership. Works with the General Counsel and with and through other administrative leaders to establish and maintain risk assessment efforts in all areas of the Firm’s operations, including financial and credit risk, compliance risk, professional liability, and business continuity, and to ensure that appropriate and reasonable steps are taken to monitor and mitigate critical risks.

The ideal candidate will be an enthusiastic, well-rounded business executive with a minimum of ten years of progressively responsible management experience, with experience in a law firm or other professional services environment strongly preferred.

The Chief Operating Officer will also have:

• MBA or other appropriate business degree, or equivalent business experience.
• Ability to identify and analyze complex business and management issues and opportunities and to evaluate, recommend and implement appropriate solutions.
• Demonstrated strategic planning ability.
• Demonstrated leadership and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills to interact effectively with everyone at the Firm.
• Strong verbal communication and writing skills
• Experience with budget planning and control, project management, financial modeling and personnel management, training and development.
• Experience with systems and workflow design and implementation, including outsourcing strategies.
• Strong problem-solving skills and creativity.
• Judgment and discretion, and ability to maintain confidences.
• Ability and willingness to travel and spend time in various office locations of the Firm.

Ballard Spahr is committed to increasing diversity in the legal profession and to supporting the communities where we live and work. People from all backgrounds are valued and integrated into every part of the firm. Diverse candidates including women, people of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, and individuals with a disability are encouraged to apply.

The health, safety and well-being of our Ballard community is a top priority. Therefore, all lawyers and staff are required to be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment. We believe this is the most prudent position to take in order to meet our obligation to provide as safe of a workplace as possible. The firm will provide exemptions and accommodations for medical and religious reasons consistent with applicable law.

The firm is not accepting resumes from search firms for this position.