The Senior Manager of Professional Development (Senior Manager) will work in coordination with the Professional Development team, Managing Partners for Legal Personnel (MPLPs), Practice Group & Multi-Practice Assigning Partners (Assigning Partners), and Practice Group leadership in all areas of legal talent management, including supporting attorney onboarding and integration, performance review processes, and participating in workforce planning.
As a member of the Professional Development team, the Senior Manager will be involved in all facets of attorney coaching, training, and professional development, including career development, mentoring, professional skills training, and other skill development programs that support the professional and career success of attorneys.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Work closely with Directors, MPLPs, Assigning Partners, and Practice Group leadership to help lawyers seek out appropriate breadth and depth of work experiences and maximize firm, practice group and office resources.
- Meet regularly with practice groups to discuss their associate and counsel pipeline and work closely with practice groups on performance management and associate development, including advancement, coaching and training.
- Regularly check in with associates at all levels of seniority to provide advice and coaching on all aspects of career growth and development, including career planning and management, time and project management, work/life integration, transitions to/from leaves and potential next steps in their professional careers.
- Provide ongoing analysis of workloads and track skills and experiences needed to make staffing recommendations, taking into account practice group needs as well as associate development goals.
- Identify associate career development needs, design and manage the implementation of programs relating to attorney career development.
- Create and maintain relationships within the firm at all levels, establishing a reputation as a trusted advisor to practice group heads, MPLPs, Assigning Partners and Associates.
- In collaboration with other members of the Professional Development team, oversee the administration of performance evaluation processes, focusing on the associate and interim process.
- Oversee, monitor, and continuously improve the attorney mentoring programs, including developing and implementing communications, training initiatives, and related programming and events.
- Manage fall and lateral associate onboarding and integration processes for the Washington, D.C. office (including fall orientations and new associate onboarding series).
- Manage and further develop our Integration Liaison Program, through which associates receive level-specific support, guidance and advice that is key to their career progression and growth.
- Manage, supervise and develop the more junior members of the Professional Development team in the Washington DC office, providing appropriate growth opportunities and guidance.
- Monitor current trends and best practices in legal talent and professional development and implement new innovations, as appropriate, to ensure the firm’s efforts are innovative and cutting edge.
- Participate in multi-office professional development projects on a variety of topics.
- Perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time.
- 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 8 - 10 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 along with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and strong attention to detail.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to exercise independent judgment in methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.
- Ability to work effectively both as a part of a team and independently.
- An undergraduate degree required; an advanced degree in organizational development, human resources, social sciences, a related field, or a J.D. preferred.
- Coaching experience and certification a plus.
Status: Exempt
Reports To: Director of Professional Development
Workplace Type: Hybrid
Salary range: $178,000 - $210,000 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.
