SBU Operations Manager (Financial Services & Capital Markets)

Husch Blackwell LLP; Milwaukee (WI); Hybrid; USD 122,000 - 237,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental coverage

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Pre-tax flexible spending account

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Husch Blackwell LLP is seeking an SBU Operations Manager to partner with senior leaders in executing strategic plans across the Financial Services & Capital Markets industry group. The role focuses on cross-functional delivery, budget oversight, and driving operational excellence through process improvements and AI-enabled tooling.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in legal operations or professional services leadership, with strong communication and project-management skills, and a track record of

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Strong communication, analytical, and project-management skills.
• Proven ability to influence and collaborate across functions and levels.
• Understanding of law firm economics, attorney workflows, and client service delivery.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Managing Director and SB leadership to execute strategic plan and growth initiatives.
• Manage strategic projects and ensure objectives and key results are delivered.
• Monitor industry trends, including AI in legal delivery, and translate into recommendations.
• Serve as liaison between SBU and firm-wide operations.
• Identify and implement process improvements to raise efficiency, quality, and consistency.
• Support SBU leadership on recruitment, onboarding, and talent development.
• Monitor workload and suggest staffing to balance client needs and development.
• Prepare regular reports for MD and SBU leadership.
• Support business development and client relationship initiatives, including AI tools.

Skills

Communication

Analytical

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Legal operations knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Familiarity with legal tech

Job description

Husch Blackwell LLP is a full-service litigation and business law firm with multiple locations across the United States, serving clients with domestic and international operations. At Husch Blackwell we believe that diverse, equitable and inclusive teams lead to better outcomes. Husch Blackwell is committed to retaining, recruiting, developing, and promoting talented lawyers and business professionals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We foster an engaged, diverse, and inclusive team culture of accountability and purpose that makes our Firm and our communities better. Our firm is committed to attracting and retaining professionals who value each other and the service we provide by embracing Teamwork, Collaboration, Client Service, and Innovation. If you are a motivated professional looking for a long-term fit where you can grow in a role, and will be valued and empowered, then we invite you to apply to our SBU Operations Manager position, supporting the Financial Services & Capital Markets industry group. This position may be based in the Central or Mountain time zones, with a preference for location in a city with a Husch Blackwell office.

Strategy Implementation

• Partner with the Managing Director and SBU leader in executing the SBU’s strategic plan, including business growth, client development, and market positioning initiatives.
• Manage the execution of strategic projects, ensuring objectives are met and key results are delivered.
• Monitor industry trends and the competitive landscape, including the evolving role of AI in legal service delivery, and translate relevant developments into actionable recommendations for SBU leadership.
• Support cross-functional projects that enhance SBU effectiveness.

Operational Excellence & Process Improvement

• Identify, design, and implement process improvements to increase efficiency, quality, and consistency across the SBU, escalating recommendations to leadership as needed.
• Facilitate the SBU’s use of the firm’s AI capabilities, connecting attorneys with the tools and support needed to transform how legal work is delivered and elevate client service.
• Develop and maintain best practices and procedures that support operational excellence across the SBU.
• Serve as liaison and escalation point between the SBU and firm-wide operations functions (e.g., conflicts, pricing, business intake, integration) as well as other departments (e.g., Business Development, Finance, People), driving resolution on cross-functional issues to ensure seamless service delivery.

Financial Management

• Compile, analyze, and maintain budgeting, forecasting, and variance-analysis data, providing the Managing Director with a preliminary assessment to support review of the SBU's financial performance.
• Collaborate with Finance to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and prepare regular reporting and actionable insights for SBU leadership.
• Work with Pricing Team to make sure the SBU's pricing strategy keeps pace with how AI is changing the delivery of legal work.
• Conduct review of attorney requests for write-downs, write-offs, and new business intake, and escalates matters relevant to pricing, profitability, and client-matter management to leadership.

Human Capital Management

• Support SBU leadership on recruitment, onboarding, integration, and talent development activities.
• Collaborate with People Business Partners on feedback and performance-management processes within the SBU, including supporting improvement plans for underperforming timekeepers.
• Monitor workload allocation and utilization and recommend staffing solutions to leadership to balance client needs and professional development.
• Contribute to a positive, inclusive, and high-performing team culture.

Additional Responsibilities

• Prepare and present regular reports and updates to the Managing Director and SBU leadership.
• Support business development, client relationship management, and other special projects as assigned, including initiatives related to the firm’s AI tools and capabilities.

Position Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5+ years of experience in legal operations, practice management, or professional services leadership.
• Strong understanding of law firm economics, attorney workflows, and client service delivery.
• Exceptional communication, analytical, and project management skills.
• Proven ability to influence and collaborate across functions and levels.

Preferred Attributes

• Experience in an AmLaw 100 or similarly complex law firm environment.
• Familiarity with legal technology platforms and data analytics tools.
• Detail-oriented with a hand-on approach to execution.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of essential functions, responsibilities, or requirements. The Firm will provide reasonable accommodations as necessary to allow an individual with a disability to apply for and/or perform the essential functions of a position. If you need assistance to accommodate a disability, please contact HR.

Compensation And Benefits

Employees are entitled to compensation commensurate with skill and experience. The exact compensation will vary based on skills, experience, location, and other factors permitted by law.

• State of Colorado: $125,000 - $222,000
• State of Illinois: $122,000 - $237,000
• State of Minnesota: $135,000 - $224,000

The above salaries do not include a discretionary bonus, however bonus opportunities are non‑guaranteed, and are dependent upon individual and firm performance. Full-time employees receive benefits including: medical and dental coverage; life insurance; short-term and long-term disability insurance; pre-tax flexible spending account for certain medical and dependent care expenses; an employee assistance program; Paid Time Off; paid holidays; participation in a retirement plan program after meeting eligibility requirements; and more.

EOE/Minority/Female/Disabled/Vet. Principal Applicants Only.