Software Application Manager

Brown Rudnick LLP; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Brown Rudnick LLP in San Francisco seeks a Software Applications Manager to lead the strategy, lifecycle management, upgrades, integrations, and retirement of the firm's software applications. You will ensure reliable performance, security, and alignment with attorneys and business professionals, working with leadership, practice groups, vendors, and IT colleagues.

This hands-on role requires strong technical judgment, project management, and the ability to translate legal and business needs

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field is required.
• 5-7+ years managing enterprise business applications in a professional services context.
• Experience managing complex application portfolios and enterprise software projects.
• Strong experience with SaaS, AI, integrations, vendor management and implementations.
• Experience supporting mission-critical systems in a professional services environment.
• Strong cybersecurity, identity management, data protection, and risk understanding.
• Excellent project management, organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment where uptime matters.

Responsibilities

• Lead application strategy, lifecycle management, upgrades, implementations, integrations, and retirement of systems.
• Ensure reliable day-to-day application performance, support, availability, and user experience.
• Collaborate with attorneys and business leaders to translate needs into technology solutions.
• Manage application vendors, contracts, licensing, renewals, SLAs, and performance.
• Lead projects including requirements, testing, implementation, change management, and support.
• Work with IT to ensure security, integration, and alignment with standards.
• Identify opportunities to automate processes and reduce technology complexity and cost.
• Evaluate emerging legal tech offerings (AI, SaaS, automation) for value and TCO.
• Maintain documentation, ownership, integrations, dependencies, and roadmaps.
• Establish governance, standards, and service-management practices.

Skills

Enterprise applications

Vendor management

SaaS applications

AI integrations

Cybersecurity awareness

Project management

Communication skills

Multi-tasking

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Summary

We strive to be enterprising, respectful, inclusive, insightful, and tenacious in every aspect of our business, including our interactions with clients, colleagues, and the communities where we have a presence. We rely on these core values to serve clients in key practice areas and industries – the pillars of Brown Rudnick: crisis management, which includes restructuring, investigations, and special situations; global litigation; life sciences; technology; and brand and reputation protection.

The Software Applications Manager is responsible for strategy, management, support, and continuous improvement of Brown Rudnick’s legal technology applications. This role serves as the primary IT leader for the software application portfolio, ensuring that all products are reliable, secure, well-integrated, cost-effective, and aligned with the needs of attorneys and business professionals.

The Software Applications Manager will work collaboratively with firm leadership, practice groups, business functional departments, vendors, and IT colleagues to manage the full application lifecycle. This is a hands-on role requiring excellent leadership skills, strong technical judgment, business acumen, and project management skills, and the ability to translate attorney and business needs into practical technology solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead application strategy, lifecycle management, upgrades, implementations, integrations, and retirement of systems.
• Ensure reliable day-to-day application performance, support, availability, and user experience, including escalation management for critical issues.
• Collaborate with attorneys, practice groups, and business function leaders to understand firm needs and translate them into effective technology solutions.
• Manage application vendors, contracts, licensing, renewals, service levels, and performance.
• Lead and execute on application-related projects, including requirements gathering, testing, implementation, change management, and post-implementation support.
• Work with IT colleagues to ensure applications are secure, properly integrated, and aligned with firm standards.
• Identify opportunities to automate processes, improve productivity, consolidate applications, and reduce unnecessary technology complexity and cost.
• Evaluate emerging legal technology offerings (AI, SaaS, Automation Workflows, etc.) and make recommendations based on business value, risk, usability, and total cost of ownership.
• Maintain application documentation, ownership, integrations, dependencies, support procedures, and lifecycle roadmaps.
• Establish application governance, standards, and service-management practices across the firm.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field required.
• 5-7+ years of experience managing enterprise business applications, within a law firm or similar professional services environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex application portfolios and enterprise technology software projects.
• Strong experience with SaaS applications, AI, application integrations, vendor management, and technology implementations.
• Experience supporting mission‑critical systems in a professional services environment.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity, identity management, data protection, and risk.
• Excellent project management, organizational, analytical, and problem‑solving skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment where system availability and responsiveness are critical.

Who We Are

Brown Rudnick is a leading international law firm that provides exceptional, client‑driven service in global litigation, crisis management (restructuring, investigations and special situations), brand and reputation management, life sciences and technology. We advise on high‑profile cross‑border matters while providing the kind of personal attention to clients that is typically found at boutiques. Our enterprising and tenacious lawyers serve our clients around the globe from offices in key financial centers in the U.S. and the U.K., and have been recognized by, among others, Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, Benchmark Litigation and Law360 for excellence in their fields.

Salary range based on experience level and location is estimated to be in the range of $130,000-175,000.

Brown Rudnick LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to recruiting, developing, and advancing talented professionals from all backgrounds across the spectrum of diversity. All employees and applicants are evaluated on the basis of their qualifications, consistent with applicable state and federal laws, without regard to race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, religious beliefs, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, national origin, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or another protected characteristic, all as defined by applicable laws.