Head of Practice Management & Strategy

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 215,000 - 285,000; Full time

Job summary

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is seeking a Director of Practice Management to serve as a trusted advisor to practice and industry leaders. The role blends business consulting, operational leadership, and cross-functional collaboration to turn priorities into action.

The Director reports to the Senior Director of Practice Management. The position emphasizes strategic planning, project leadership, and partnership with Finance, Marketing, and Talent teams to optimize performance and profitability

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in business administration, practice management, or business operations within a professional services environment (e.g. legal, consulting, financial).
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex projects in a collaborative manner within a matrix organization
• Exceptional strategic business planning skills, with the ability to develop long‑range initiatives that align organizational goals with market opportunities and operational capabilities
• Strong project management and prioritization skills
• Strong financial acumen and budgeting skills
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
• Exceptional executive presence and presentation skills
• Sound independent judgment, tact, and discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information
• Ability to build trust and lead through influence
• Adaptability, initiative, and a positive, can‑do attitude in a fast‑paced evolving environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, project management tools, and business intelligence tools
• Proficiency in Salesforce or other CRM, with tableau reporting a plus

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact and strategic partner to industry and practice group leadership on all strategic and operational matters.
• Lead development of practice/industry group business plans aligned to the firm strategic plan in coordination with business professional teams.
• Lead project management of Practice/Industry key initiatives.
• Organize and execute periodic Practice/Industry group meetings with agendas and follow-up.
• Foster engagement and a positive, collaborative culture.
• Partner with Finance in development of revenue budgets and forecasts.
• Partner with Business Professional teams in development, prioritization and management of budgets.
• Partner with Finance/Practice Analytics to improve performance metrics and profitability.
• Support Pricing team in development and approval of alternative fee arrangements.
• Partner with Marketing and Business Development to align resources and support go-to-market strategies.
• Provide input to Client Development and Marketing initiatives (CRM, Website, Brand).
• Support client satisfaction programs and Salesforce data cleanliness efforts.
• Collaborate with Talent Engagement and Talent Acquisition on staffing and recruitment.
• Lead lateral hire integration and support performance reviews.
• Provide input on training needs to Talent Learning and Development.
• Collaborate with General Counsel and Risk Management on new client intake and approval processes.
• Partner with Technology and Knowledge Management on AI and use cases.
• Deliver data-driven performance reporting to address gaps.
• Drive process improvement and share best practices across teams.
• Maintain documentation of processes and policies.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic planning

Project management

Financial acumen

Communication

Executive presence

MS Office

Salesforce

Tableau

Education

Bachelor’s degree

MBA preferred

Tools

Salesforce

Tableau

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is seeking a Director of Practice Management to serve as a trusted advisor to practice and industry leaders. The role blends business consulting, operational leadership, and cross-functional collaboration to turn priorities into action.

The Director reports to the Senior Director of Practice Management. The position emphasizes strategic planning, project leadership, and partnership with Finance, Marketing, and Talent teams to optimize performance and profitability