Description
The Legal department at Dow Jones is seeking a Head of Legal Operations to establish and lead the Legal Operations function. The successful candidate will report to the General Counsel and join the Legal leadership team.
Key Responsibilities:
- Build a Legal Operations Function: Develop a clear multi-year strategy for the function and serve as the first head of Legal Operations.
- Strategic Planning & Execution: Assist in various key projects across the department, track department goals, and manage the legal roadmap.
- Financial Management: Assist with the legal budget, including outside counsel spend management and finding value-based fee arrangements.
- Technology & Data: Serve as the manager and visionary for the tech stack, optimizing tools to drive global legal team transformation and provide data-driven insights.
- Global Operational Scaling & Change Management: Partner with a globally distributed legal team to harmonize processes and drive adoption of new technologies.
- Vendor Management: Oversee relationships with law firms and ALSPs, running RFPs when needed and holding partners accountable.
- Project Management: Assist with various projects throughout the department, providing structure to free up time across the department.
- Knowledge Management: Help the Legal team build and maintain internal core contract templates, playbooks, and training materials.
- M&A/Integration: Work closely with the M&A team on possible M&A opportunities and integration efforts.
Requirements:
- Minimum of 12 years of operations experience, with at least 5 years specifically within a Legal Operations function.
- Experience building a Legal Operations function from inception is strongly preferred.
- A Law Degree (JD), MBA, or commensurate experience is valuable but not required.
- Deep experience with Enterprise Legal Management (ELM) software, AI-powered legal solutions, agentic tools, and Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) platforms is a plus.
- Experience in the Media/Entertainment or Tech sectors is a plus.
- Willingness to work in the Midtown Manhattan office 3 days a week.
Benefits:
- Comprehensive Healthcare Plans
- Paid Time Off
- Retirement Plans
- Lifestyle Programs & Wellness Resources
- Education Benefits
- Family Care Benefits & Caregiving Support
- Commuter Transit Program
- Subscription Discounts
- Employee Referral Program
- Financial Health Programs
- Cybersecurity Protection