The Manager of Professional Development will work alongside the Directors of Professional Development on all aspects of attorney professional development and develop, implement, and assist in leading counsel professional development initiatives and collaborating on DC attorney professional development strategies.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Assist in identifying career development needs, and design and manage the implementation of programs relating to attorney career development.
- Work closely with Directors, Assigning Partners, and Practice Group Chairs to help lawyers with advancement issues such as navigating firm resources, seeking out appropriate breadth and depth of work experiences, maximizing firm, practice group and office resources, successfully handling interpersonal conflicts and proactively addressing career advancement concerns with both junior and senior lawyers.
- Create and maintain relationships within the firm at all levels, establishing a reputation as a trusted advisor for career advice and guidance.
- Provide confidential advice and guidance to attorneys at varying levels of seniority on all aspects of career growth and development, including career planning and management, time and project management, work/life balance, transitions to/from leaves and potential next steps in their professional careers.
- Meet with associates and counsel to welcome them to the firm and provide them with resources available to them through the Professional Development Department.
- Identify individual associate and counsel training gaps and propose solutions.
- Provide support to the Directors, Assigning Partners, and Practice Group Chairs regarding counsel needs including utilization. Provide ongoing analysis of utilization; track skills and experiences needed to help optimize lawyer development opportunities and assist with data analytics relating to the counsel population.
- In collaboration with others, support the Counsel Evaluation process, including by reviewing evaluation information and debriefing with Practice Group Chairs afterward.
- In collaboration with others, support the annual Goals Meetings of the special counsel population.
- Oversee process of attorney personnel changes, including by managing junior team members who maintain department databases, focusing on integrating information kept in various technology platforms, and collaborating with other departments as we share information.
- Collaborate with Directors of Professional Development to develop a robust system for measuring the effectiveness and ROI of coaching programs (internal and external), utilizing data-driven insights to inform strategy, suggest adjustments and make improvements.
- Develop and implement strategies to create a pipeline of external opportunities for lawyers, both by collaborating with others on secondment opportunities and keeping abreast of potential in-house roles for associates looking to transition out of the firm.
- Assist Directors with department budget for initiatives and programs.
- Manage/Supervise the more junior members of the Professional Development team in the DC office.
- Monitor current trends and best practices in legal talent and professional development - implement new innovations, as appropriate, to ensure the firm’s efforts are innovative and cutting edge.
- Uphold high standards of confidentiality, discretion, and integrity, particularly with respect to all sensitive and/or confidential firm and client information to which this position will have access.
Qualifications
- A minimum of five years of broad-based career development experience. Significant experience in legal, consulting, or other professional services organizations, preferred.
- Demonstrated success establishing, developing, and managing robust career development functions in a national or international, multi-office environment.
- Expert understanding of best practices in professional development and career development.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work effectively in a consensus-driven organization and to create consensus-based support for strategies and processes.
- Dynamic energy level.
- Passion for driving change and delivering innovative solutions.
- Excellent written and verbal skills.
- A highly organized and self-directed approach to work with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously. Impeccable attention to detail.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Sound judgment.
- An undergraduate degree required; an advanced degree in organizational development, human resources, social sciences, a related field or J.D. preferred.
- Coaching experience and certification preferred.
Status: Exempt
Reports To: Professional Development Director - Counsel
Workplace Type: Hybrid (Monday – Thursday in office)
Salary range: $140,000 - $176,000 depending on candidate experience and location.
Candidates hired for staff positions with a minimum work schedule of 30 hours per week are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package, including healthcare insurance. Learn more about benefits at Covington.
https://www.cov.com/en/careers/staff/benefits
View Covington job applicant privacy notice here:
https://www.cov.com/en/job-applicant-privacy-notice
Covington & Burling LLP is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any aspect of employment, including hiring, salary, promotion, discipline, termination, and benefits, on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, sexual orientation, family responsibility, disability (including physical handicap), or any other improper criterion.
Covington will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with applicable laws, including the California Fair Chance Act, the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.
