Senior Director of Administration

Cricket Wireless LLC.; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 250,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Benefits package

Job summary

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is seeking a Senior Director of Administration to lead the real estate portfolio and firmwide administrative operations. You will collaborate with the CFO and leadership to shape policies, manage multiple offices, and drive operational excellence across the enterprise.

The role requires extensive experience in real estate, facilities, budgeting, and multi-location leadership, with travel to all firm locations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive leadership in admin/real estate/facilities.
• Experience running multi-location operations with large teams.
• Deep knowledge of real estate strategy, leases, and space planning.
• Strong budgeting, forecasting and cost control abilities.
• Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills; strong communication.
• Willingness to travel to all firm locations.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to Directors of Administration across offices.
• Oversee national real estate portfolio incl. lease negotiations and strategy.
• Lead facilities management, space planning, renovations and capital projects.
• Manage procurement, budgets, vendor and contractor relationships.
• Drive firmwide projects on openings, relocations and redesigns.
• Report real estate and admin performance to CFO and leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Real estate strategy

Facilities management

Budgeting

Vendor management

Change management

Strategic thinking

Communication

Travel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or related field

MBA preferred

Job description

Overview

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is a multidisciplinary, integrated national professional services firm with eleven offices and hundreds of attorney, consulting, business, and administrative professionals. Manatt is seeking a Senior Director of Administration. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and serving as a key member of the Firm’s Business Professional Leadership Team, this role leads the Firm’s real estate portfolio and firmwide administrative operations. The Senior Director of Administration provides strategic oversight of all office locations, including real estate, facilities, space planning, and office administration, and directly manages the Firm’s Directors of Administration across offices who supervise administrative professionals, including secretarial and administrative staff. This leader drives operational excellence, consistency, and alignment with the Firm’s overall strategy to maintain a high-performing, service-oriented administrative function across the enterprise.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Administration Oversight — Provide leadership, direction and support to Directors of Administration across all locations; ensure consistency in operations, service delivery, and alignment with Firm standards. Partner with the CFO and Firm leadership to develop and implement consistent administrative strategies, policies and best practices. Foster a unified, high-performing administrative culture aligned with the Firm’s “One Manatt” approach. Evaluate and optimize administrative structures, workflows and service models to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Real Estate & Facilities Management — In partnership with the CFO and external brokers, oversee and assist with oversight of the national real estate portfolio, including lease negotiations, renewals, and long-term occupancy strategy. Lead all aspects of facilities management, including space planning, office utilization, renovations, maintenance, and capital projects. Partner with external brokers, landlords, architects and vendors to execute real estate transactions and office buildouts. Ensure all offices meet operational, security, and client-service standards.
• Operations & Vendor Management — Oversee procurement related to facilities and administrative operations, ensuring cost-effectiveness and alignment with Firm needs. Manage key vendor and contractor relationships across all offices. Develop and monitor budgets related to real estate and administration, ensuring fiscal discipline and transparency.
• Project & Change Management — Lead and execute firmwide projects related to office openings, closures, relocations, and redesigns. Identify opportunities for process improvements and implement solutions to enhance operational performance across offices. Manage complex, multi-office initiatives, ensuring timelines, budgets and deliverables are met.
• Collaboration & Communication — Serve as a primary liaison between Firm leadership, administrative teams and business professionals to ensure alignment and communication. Provide regular reporting and insights to the CFO and leadership on real estate strategy, administrative performance and key initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in administration, real estate and/or facilities management within a legal, consulting or professional services environment.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing multi-location office operations and leading distributed, large teams.
• Deep knowledge of real estate strategy, lease administration, space planning and facilities operations.
• Proven ability to lead large-scale initiatives, manage competing priorities and drive execution.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting and cost management related to real estate and operations.
• Exceptional leadership and people management skills, with a track record of developing high-performing teams.
• Proven ability to unite and lead diverse team members effectively, fostering a cohesive and productive environment.
• Superior communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Analytical skills including attention to detail and logical thinking with extensive office management and administration experience.
• High level of discretion, judgment and professionalism in handling confidential matters.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness and ability to travel to all Firm office locations.

Compensation & Benefits

The base annual pay range for this role is between $250,000-$300,000. The base pay offered will vary based on skills, qualifications, experience, and location, and will consider internal equity. A full range of medical, financial and/or other benefits dependent on the position will also be offered.

EEO & Compliance

EEO/AA EMPLOYER/Veterans/Disabled. Manatt is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, physical or mental disability, religion, creed, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, sex or gender (including gender identity, gender expression, status as a transgender or transsexual individual, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), age (over 40), genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, sexual orientation, political activity or affiliation, genetic information or any other protected class or characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Consistent with the American Disabilities Act, applicants may request accommodations needed to participate in the application process. This employer uses E-Verify and may require documentation per Form I-9. For details, see the related compliance information and contact options in the job posting.