Professional Development Manager

Professional Development Consortium (PDC); Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 124,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

Sidley Austin LLP in Dallas, TX seeks a Professional Development Manager to support the professional development of lawyers in the Dallas office, based on-site. You will build relationships with leaders across the firm to implement local, regional, and firmwide programs that enhance development, engagement, and client service.

Reporting to the Dallas-based Professional Development Director, you will supervise a Dallas-based Professional Development Specialist, mentor staff, oversee CLE

Qualifications

• J.D. degree and legal background required.
• Minimum of 5 years of work experience in learning and development, law, or related field.
• Minimum of 2 years of supervisory experience.
• Ability to format presentations, graphs, charts, and other visual methods of presenting information.
• Ability to work effectively across offices and time zones.
• Occasional travel to other US offices.

Responsibilities

• Assist in local and regional implementation of the firmwide strategic direction for attorney professional development.
• Develop and deliver regional and firmwide training offerings that meet professional, business, and client-service goals.
• Coordinate and implement orientation programs and lateral attorney integration initiatives; support summer associate training.
• Track and evaluate the quality and quantity of attorney training opportunities and produce related reports.
• Produce professional development resources and communications as needed.
• Assist with Texas CLE compliance tracking and communication to Texas-admitted lawyers.

Skills

Relationship building

Communication

Project management

Attention to detail

Interpersonal skills

Analytical thinking

Discretion/Confidentiality

Time management

MS Office

Team collaboration

Education

J.D. degree

Tools

MS Office

Job description

The Professional Development Manager will be based in Dallas, TX and will have primary responsibility for supporting the professional development of lawyers in Sidley’s Dallas office.

Drawing on superior relationship‑building skills, the Manager will conduct ongoing formal and informal outreach to individual lawyers; leaders at the practice, office, and committee level; and other key stakeholders to facilitate dialogue and maintain a practice of continuous needs assessment on matters of professional development.

The Manager will collaborate broadly within and beyond the Professional Development team to create and implement local, regional, and firmwide programs and initiatives to advance our lawyers development, engagement, and satisfaction; meet our clients needs; and ensure the satisfaction of relevant continuing legal education and other requirements.

The Manager will collaborate with the firms broader Learning & Development team, report to a Dallas-based Professional Development Director, and supervise, develop, and mentor a Dallas-based Professional Development Specialist.

Remote/WFH? No

Sidley Austin LLP 2323 Cedar Springs Suite 2600 Dallas, Texas 75201 United States

Duties And Responsibilities

Lawyer Orientation, Integration, and Training

• Assist in local and regional implementation of the firmwide strategic direction for attorney professional development.
• Develop and deliver regional and firmwide training offerings that meet professional, business, and client-service goals. Propose, design, introduce, and support new initiatives as needed.
• Collaborate with the Director and appropriate firm committees to deliver and continually enhance attorney orientation programs and lateral attorney integration initiatives, coordinate and implement summer associate training, respond to identified training and development needs, and otherwise further attorney training and development.
• Track and evaluate the quality and quantity of attorney training opportunities, including collecting relevant data and producing related reports.
• Produce professional development resources and craft professional development communications as needed.

CLE Compliance

• Assist with and oversee the Professional Development Specialists tracking of lawyers’ Texas CLE compliance.
• Communicate with Texas-admitted lawyers in Dallas regarding their compliance status; work with the Professional Development Specialist, Director, and Office of General Counsel to help ensure 100% compliance for Texas-admitted lawyers firmwide.
• Assist with tracking other CLE compliance requirements for Texas-based attorneys licensed elsewhere, as identified and delegated by the Director.

Career Development and Mentoring

• Promote a work environment that helps lawyers reach their highest potential.
• Counsel lawyers on career-development matters as needed.
• Help support firm mentoring programs, including implementing training and other resources for mentors and mentees.

Employee Development and Management

• Help train, develop and mentor the Professional Development Specialist.
• Conduct annual performance reviews.

Required

Education and/or Experience:

• J.D. degree
• A minimum of 5 years of work experience in learning and development, law, or related field
• A minimum of 2 years of supervisory experience
• Ability to format presentations, graphs, charts, and other visual methods of presenting information
• Ability to work effectively across offices and time zones
• Availability to travel occasionally to other offices within the US

Preferred

• Texas practice experience
• Adult education and program design experience
• Teaching or public‑speaking experience
• Familiarity with CLE rules and regulations
• Experience with a global or national law firm

Other Skills And Abilities

• Superior relationship building skills and judgement
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
• Able to work harmoniously and effectively with others
• Able to preserve confidentiality and exercise discretion
• Able to work under pressure
• Able to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines and priorities
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including the ability to create visual methods to present information

Target Salary Range For This Role Is

$124,000 – $155,000 if located in Texas

Salaries vary by location and are based on numerous factors, including, but not limited to, the relevant market, skills, experience, and education of the selected candidate. Our compensation package also includes bonus eligibility and a comprehensive benefits program. Benefits information can be found at Sidley.com/Benefits.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the Duties and Responsibilities above satisfactorily and meet the requirements. The requirements listed above are representative of the minimum knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. If you need such an accommodation, please email [e-mail] (current employees should contact Human Resources).

Sidley Austin LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.