Paralegal / Office Operations Manager

J&T; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

J&T seeks an Office Operations Manager to oversee facilities, office operations, and administrative support across all locations. You will lead legal support staff and ensure high-quality, compliant services aligned with client expectations.

The ideal candidate has hands-on legal operations experience and strong leadership to support staff throughout the organization.

Qualifications

• Education: Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Legal Studies, HR, or related field.
• Experience: 1–2 years supervisory or lead experience required.
• Experience: Prior legal assistant or paralegal experience preferred.
• Technical: Proficiency with legal practice management systems and document management software.

Responsibilities

• Oversee legal assistants, paralegals, and office services staff, including hiring, onboarding, training, and performance management.
• Manage staffing allocations, workload distribution, coverage, and shifts based on PTO or remote work.
• Serve as primary contact for attorneys to ensure alignment with practice group needs.
• Coach, mentor, and develop staff with leadership collaboration.
• Coordinate day-to-day tasks for Office Services staff and enforce SOPs.
• Lead through vendor relationships for property management, maintenance, and parking services.
• Assist Executive Director with facility budget projections and variances.
• Oversee mail delivery operations and purchasing of office supplies.
• Ensure health, safety, and regulatory compliance with HR and leadership.
• Collaborate with HR, IT, Finance, and Practice Leaders to align operations with goals.

Skills

Leadership

Staff management

Coaching & mentoring

Vendor management

Budgeting basics

Education

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Legal Studies, HR, or related field

1–2 years supervisory or lead experience in legal/office operations

Tools

Legal practice management systems

Document management software

Microsoft Office Suite

Business productivity tools

Job description

Position Overview The Office Operations Manager is responsible for the oversight and day-to-day management of facilities, office operations, and administrative support functions across all office locations. This role supervises legal support staff and office services staff, ensuring efficient, high-quality support aligned with operational and client service standards.

The ideal candidate brings strong leadership and hands-on experience in legal support functions, enabling them to effectively support staff throughout the organization.

Key Responsibilities

Staff Management

• Directly oversee legal assistants, paralegals, and office services staff, including hiring, onboarding, training, development, and performance management.

• Supervise the allocation of staffing resources, managing workload distribution, coverage needs (permanent and temporary requirements based on PTO/remote work), and shifts in assignments.

• Serve as a primary point of contact for attorneys to ensure effective support and alignment with practice group needs.

• Collaborate with leadership to provide coaching, mentoring, and career development opportunities for staff.

• Coordinate day-to-day tasks for Office Services staff, making operational decisions that promote efficiency.

• Work with the management team to develop, enforce, and train staff and attorneys on best practices, workflows, and standard operating procedures.

• Serve as a backup—and oversee the backup program—for legal assistants, paralegals, and Office Services positions.

Office Operations & Facilities Management

• Serve as the liaison for vendor relationships, including property management, cleaning, maintenance, and parking services.

• Coordinate facility needs across multiple office locations and monitor ongoing service requests through completion.

• Assist the Executive Director with cost center budget preparation by projecting expenses related to facilities, supplies, and services, while identifying and communicating budget variances.

• Oversee internal and external mail delivery operations.

• Partner with Human Resources to ensure compliance with applicable health, safety, and regulatory requirements.

• Oversee office supply inventory and purchasing, including negotiating prices and contracts with vendors and obtaining internal approval for new goods and services.

• Collaborate with leadership, HR, IT, Finance, and Practice Group Leaders to align operational strategies with organizational goals.

• Complete additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Education: Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Legal Studies, Human Resources, or a related field preferred. An equivalent combination of education and relevant experience will be considered.

• Experience:

  • Prior experience as a legal assistant and/or paralegal is required.

  • 1–2 years of supervisory or lead experience required.

  • Progressive experience in legal operations or office management preferred.

• Technical Skills: Demonstrated proficiency with legal practice management systems, document management software, Microsoft Office Suite, and business productivity tools.