Associate Director of Administration - New York

Latham & Watkins LLP; New York; Hybrid; USD 250,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

401(k) plan

Paid holidays

PTO

Well-being programs

Professional development

Employee discounts

Affinity groups

Job summary

Latham & Watkins LLP is seeking an Associate Director of Administration – New York to lead strategy and delivery of professional and administrative support functions in the New York office. The role will oversee Attorney Support, Executive Assistant, and Early Career teams, aligning resources with client needs and firm objectives.

The position offers potential flexibility with hybrid and in-office arrangements.

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree is required.
• Eight or more years of progressive leadership experience in professional services, legal services, administration, operations, HR, talent development, workforce management, or related functions.
• Experience leading managers and developing high-performing teams.
• Significant experience managing service delivery with workforce planning, operational effectiveness, and customer service.
• Track record of building strong cultures focused on service excellence, accountability, and development.
• Experience leading organizational change and partnering with senior leaders on strategic planning and talent initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Establishing service delivery standards, operating expectations, and accountability frameworks across core verticals.
• Evaluating and enhancing support models, staffing, workflows, and organizational structures to align with evolving needs.
• Leading the Attorney Support, Executive Assistant, and Early Career leadership teams to ensure effective operations and development.
• Partnering with office leadership, HR, and Learning & Development to develop workforce strategies for business objectives and talent pipelines.
• Leading hiring, onboarding, training, mentoring, succession planning, and retention initiatives for professional support teams.
• Protecting confidential and proprietary information intrinsic to the firm.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Relationship management

Influencing skills

Workforce planning

Organizational effectiveness

Operational management

Talent development

Organizational change

Strategic planning

Workforce strategy

Talent management

Business operations

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

About Latham & Watkins

Latham & Watkins is one of the world’s leading global law firms advising the businesses and institutions that drive the global economy. We are the market leaders in major financial and business centers around the world. Our investment in people, commitment to innovation, and focus on the future empower you to build an incredible career and thrive as an exceptional professional in a supportive culture. If you aspire to be the best, and work with the best, this is where you belong.

About the Role

The Associate Director of Administration – New York is an integral part of Latham’s Office Administration team. This role will be responsible for leading the strategy, delivery, and continual evolution of key professional and administrative support functions within the New York office, while leveraging Attorney Support, Executive Assistant, Early Career, and other support models, including, but not limited to, centralized administrative support teams, to ensure exceptional service to attorneys, clients, and business services professionals. This role will be located in our New York office. Please note that this role may be eligible for a flexible working schedule that allows for a hybrid and in-office presence.

Responsibilities & Qualifications

Other key responsibilities include:

• Establishing service delivery standards, operating expectations, and accountability frameworks that promote service excellence, operational effectiveness, and a consistent client experience across core verticals
• Evaluating and enhancing support models, staffing approaches, workflows, organizational structures, and service delivery strategies to ensure resources remain aligned with evolving business and client needs across core verticals
• In collaboration with local and global colleagues within and outside core verticals, providing leadership and oversight for the Attorney Support, Executive Assistant, and Early Career leadership teams, ensuring effective operations, employee development, accountability, and service excellence
• Partnering with office leadership, practice leadership, Human Resources, Business Services Recruiting, and Learning & Development to develop workforce strategies that support business objectives, strengthen talent pipelines, and position the organization for future workforce needs within and outside core verticals
• Leading hiring, onboarding, training, mentoring, succession planning, and retention initiatives designed to attract, develop, and retain high-performing professional support teams capable of delivering superior service
• Protecting and maintaining any highly sensitive, confidential, privileged, financial, and/or proprietary information that Latham & Watkins retains

We’d love to hear from you if you:

• Demonstrate exceptional leadership, communication, relationship management, and influencing skills necessary to work effectively with individuals at all levels of the firm
• Exhibit a demonstrated ability to build, develop, and lead high-performing teams committed to superior service for internal and external clients
• Possess a strong workforce planning, organizational effectiveness, operational management, and service delivery expertise

And have:

• A bachelor's degree
• A minimum of eight (8) years of progressive leadership experience within professional services, legal services, administration, operations, human resources, talent development, workforce management, or related business services functions
• Demonstrated experience leading managers and developing high-performing teams
• Significant experience managing service delivery functions with responsibility for workforce planning, operational effectiveness, talent development, accountability, and customer service
• Proven success building strong organizational cultures focused on superior support, accountability, development, and service excellence
• Demonstrated experience leading organizational change and implementing operational improvementsExperience partnering with senior leaders on strategic planning, workforce strategy, talent management, and business operations initiatives

Benefits & Additional Information

Successful candidates will not only be provided with an outstanding career opportunity and welcoming environment, but will also be provided with a generous total compensation package with bonuses awarded in recognition of both individual and firm performance. Eligible employees can participate in Latham’s comprehensive benefit program which includes:

• Healthcare, life and disability insurance
• A generous 401k plan
• At least 11 paid holidays per year, and a PTO program that accrues 23 days during the first year of employment and grows with tenure
• Well-being programs (e.g. mental health services, mindfulness and resiliency, medical resources, well-being events, and more)
• Professional development programs
• Employee discounts
• Affinity groups, networks, and coalitions for lawyers and staff

Latham & Watkins is an equal opportunity employer. The Firm prohibits discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status (including veterans of the Vietnam era), gender expression, marital status, or any other characteristic or condition protected by applicable statute.

Pay Range

USD $250,000.00 - USD $300,000.00 /Yr.