Senior Director, Spend Management

Epiq; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 175,000 - 225,000; Full time

Job summary

Epiq seeks a Senior Director of Spend Management to lead spend strategies across legal and business units, driving cost efficiency and financial transparency. You will guide Outside Counsel programs, manage budgets, and collaborate with legal operations, procurement, and finance to optimize spend.

The role requires 10+ years in spend management or related fields, strong analytics, and experience with ELM platforms.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in spend management, procurement, or financial operations.
• Experience with legal operations and ELM platforms (e.g., CounselLink, Legal Tracker, Onit, TeamConnect, Passport).
• Big 4 Consulting or equivalent experience is a plus.
• Exceptional analytical, writing, and communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel and PowerPoint.
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business Administration, or related field; MBA or JD is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of spend management strategies across legal and business departments.
• Advise on Outside Counsel management programs, including selection, performance evaluation, and relationship development.
• Design and implement cost control initiatives, including budgeting, forecasting, and spend analytics.
• Collaborate with legal operations, procurement, and finance teams to align spend strategies with business goals.
• Manage large-scale projects involving legal spend assessments, benchmarking, and internal and external resource optimization.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external service providers.
• Ensure high-quality consulting, advisory, and project management services related to spend management.
• Contribute to the evolution of service offerings and methodologies in the spend management domain.
• Utilize legal technology such as enterprise legal management (ELM) systems and modern AI tooling to enhance spend visibility and control.

Skills

Spend management

Outside counsel management

Budgeting

Forecasting

Spend analytics

Vendor management

Executive presentations

Project management

Financial operations

Legal spend optimization

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance or Business

MBA or JD (a plus)

Tools

CounselLink

Legal Tracker

Onit

TeamConnect

Passport

Job description

At Epiq, your work contributes to complex, global legal outcomes. You'll join a values-driven community where integrity guides decisions, relentless service sets the bar, and we thrive on big challenges together. We invest in your growth with enterprise-wide learning and mobility. We celebrate who you are, and we respect life beyond work with flexibility that’s recognized externally. Enabled by modern platforms and AI, you’ll do the most meaningful work of your career and see your impact at scale.

Job Description

We are seeking a highly motivated and strategic leader to join our team as Senior Director of Spend Management. This role is ideal for a dynamic professional with deep expertise in financial operations, procurement strategy, and legal spend optimization. The successful candidate will lead initiatives that drive cost efficiency, vendor performance, and financial transparency across the legal and business operations landscape.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of spend management strategies across legal and business departments.
• Advise on Outside Counsel management programs, including selection, performance evaluation, and relationship development.
• Design and implement cost control initiatives, including budgeting, forecasting, and spend analytics.
• Collaborate with legal operations, procurement, and finance teams to align spend strategies with business goals.
• Manage large-scale projects involving legal spend assessments, benchmarking, and internal and external resource optimization.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external service providers.
• Ensure high-quality consulting, advisory, and project management services related to spend management.
• Contribute to the evolution of service offerings and methodologies in the spend management domain.
• Utilize legal technology such as enterprise legal management (ELM) systems and modern AI tooling to enhance spend visibility and control.

Key Competencies

• Skilled in developing compelling presentations and reports for executive audiences.
• Strong project management skills with a track record of delivering measurable results.
• Ability to synthesize financial data and legal spend trends to drive actionable insights.
• Ability to lead workshops, working sessions, and other qualitative information gathering methods
• Confident communicator with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Comfortable with the uncomfortable; able to shape undefined client needs into a compelling story.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for continuous improvement and innovation.

Desired Skills & Experience

• 10+ years of experience in spend management, procurement, or financial operations, preferably within legal or professional services.
• Experience with legal operations and ELM platforms (e.g., CounselLink, Legal Tracker, Onit, TeamConnect, Passport) strongly preferred.
• Big 4 Consulting or equivalent experience is a plus.
• Exceptional analytical, writing, and communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel and PowerPoint.
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business Administration, or related field; MBA or JD is a plus

The Compensation range for this role is 175,000.00 to 225,000.00 USD annually and may be eligible for an annual bonus.

• "In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire"
• "Must be authorized to work in the United States for any employer"

Your specific salary will be determined based on several factors:

• Location-based market rate for the role
• Your abilities in relation to the job specification
• Performance during screening and interview
• Pay parity with the wider team in the considered location

Further details about the package will be provided during the initial screening call with the Talent Acquisition Team.

Epiq Leadership Compass

Enterprise Decision Making

Applies deep business and financial insight to guide strategic decisions, resource allocation, and thought leadership.

• Use financial and market expertise for long-term direction
• Build strategic partnerships
• Promote a customer-first mindset
• Allocate global resources for innovation and growth

Cultivates a Growth Mindset

Fosters innovation through curiosity, smart risk-taking, and adaptability - aligning change with strategy for lasting impact.

• Promote curiosity and forward-thinking
• Build a culture of innovation through partnerships
• Drive innovation to meet client needs
• Lead innovation with a clear vision
• Align innovation with market trends

Builds Talented Teams

Builds and develops inclusive, high-performing teams aligned to strategic goals for exceptional talent and business results.

• Focus on employee engagement
• Build a strong talent pipeline

Fosters Relationships & Collaboration

Builds trust and alignment through open communication, shared goals, and strong partnerships to drive collective success.

• Build trust-based partnerships
• Nurture long-term relationships
• Remove collaboration barriers
• Celebrate cross-team success

Engages & Influences

Inspires action and alignment through clear communication, purposeful influence, and a compelling vision.

• Use storytelling to build buy-in
• Align communication with organizational goals
• Guild alignment through strong engagement

Maximizes Performance

Sets and reinforces performance standards that drive results, ensure accountability, and align with Epiq's goals.

• Use data to identify improvement opportunities
• Make informed decisions
• Align team goals with boarder strategy
• Empower teams to manage their own goals
• Translate vision into clear priorities
• Prepare for disruptions with strong change management

It is Epiq's policy to comply with all applicable equal employment opportunity laws by making all employment decisions without unlawful regard or consideration of any individual's race, religion, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expressions, transgender status, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, marital status, age, national origin, genetic information, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, veteran or family status or any other basis protected by applicable national, federal, state, provincial or local law. Epiq's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination based on any of these impermissible bases, as well as any bases or grounds protected by applicable law in each jurisdiction. In addition Epiq will take affirmative action for minorities, women, covered veterans and individuals with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. Epiq is pleased to provide such assistance and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request. Pursuant to relevant law, where applicable, Epiq will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.