Managing Director

BJRC Recruiting; Toronto; On-site; CAD 140,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

A Toronto-based boutique law firm is seeking a Managing Director to lead the business and operational side of the organization. The role reports to senior partners and focuses on strategy, planning, execution, and firm management to create leverage for partners to focus on clients and growth.

The successful candidate will provide practical, hands-on leadership across operations, people, finance, technology, and risk management while driving accountability and coordinating with partners on

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience within a law firm or professional services context.
• Ability to lead people and oversee multiple business functions simultaneously.
• Strong financial and operational acumen.
• Experience working with partners, owners, boards, or senior decision-makers.
• Excellent judgment, communication, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Practical, hands-on management style balancing strategy and operations.
• Experience as Managing Director/COO or equivalent is an asset.
• Law firm experience is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day business operations of the firm.
• Coordinate HR, finance, technology, marketing, administration, and legal support.
• Drive accountability across initiatives and projects.
• Proactively resolve operational issues before escalation to partners.
• Provide leadership to HR and oversee recruitment, onboarding, and performance management.
• Partner with finance on budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, and reporting.
• Monitor financial and operating metrics and support pricing and profitability.
• Support strategic planning and execution with reliable analysis for decision-making.
• Oversee technology investments and cybersecurity and information governance.
• Foster relationships with partners, lawyers, directors, and staff.

Skills

Senior leadership

People leadership

Cross-functional ops

Financial acumen

Stakeholder mgmt

Strategic thinking

Hands-on management

Law firm exp

Operational risk

Job description

Our client is an established Toronto-based boutique law firm that has built a strong reputation in the legal market and is seeking a Managing Director to lead the business and operational side of the organization.

Reporting to the senior founding partners, the Managing Director will oversee the firm's core business functions and work closely with the partnership on strategy, planning, execution, and firm management.

This is a broad leadership mandate for a practical, hands‑on operator who can bring structure and accountability across the organization while creating leverage for the partners to focus on clients, business development, and firm strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Firm Operations & Leadership

• Lead the day‑to‑day business operations of the firm.
• Coordinate activities across HR, finance, technology, marketing, administration, and legal support.
• Drive accountability across key initiatives, projects, and recurring operational priorities.
• Proactively identify and resolve operational issues before they escalat to the partners.

People & Organizational Leadership

• Provide leadership and direction to the firm's HR function.
• Oversee recruitment, onboarding, performance management, employee engagement, and workforce planning.
• Act as a senior escalation point for employee relations and organizational matters.
• Build strong relationships across partners, lawyers, directors, and staff.
• Partner with the finance function on budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, and financial reporting.
• Monitor key financial and operating metrics.
• Support pricing, collections, profitability, and other commercial initiatives.
• Provide the partners with reliable information and analysis to support decision‑making.
• Support the partners in strategic planning and execution.
• Track progress against strategic and operational priorities.
• Oversee technology investments, systems improvements, and process optimization.
• Support the firm's adoption of AI and other productivity‑enhancing technologies.
• Ensure appropriate focus on cybersecurity, business continuity, and information governance.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience within a law firm, professional services firm, or comparable organization.
• Demonstrated ability to lead people and oversee multiple business functions simultaneously.
• Strong financial and operational acumen.
• Experience working closely with partners, owners, boards, or other senior decision‑makers.
• Excellent judgment, communication, and problem‑solving capabilities.
• Practical, hands‑on management style with the ability to move between strategic priorities and operational detail.
• Experience as a Managing Director, COO, CAO, Director of Operations, Executive Director, or equivalent senior leader is an asset.
• Law firm experience is preferred but not required.

Why This Opportunity

This is an opportunity to take on a highly influential leadership role within an established and respected professional services firm. The successful candidate will work closely with the Partners to professionalize and strengthen the business side of the firm, improve coordination and accountability across functions, and ensure the organization has the infrastructure and leadership required to operate effectively.

For a senior operator who enjoys being the person who connects the dots, solves problems, and turns strategic priorities into execution, this is an opportunity to have a meaningful impact across the entire organization.