Talent Recruiting Manager

Dechert LLP; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 130,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Dechert LLP seeks a Talent Recruiting Manager to lead, develop, and execute the US entry-level associate recruiting strategy across the firm’s US offices. The role focuses on attracting top talent, managing full-cycle recruitment and the summer program, and aligning with the firm’s strategic goals and culture.

The position partners with firm leadership to anticipate hiring needs, improve processes, and enhance candidate experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or HR certification preferred.
• 7+ years of law firm administration or legal recruiting experience required.
• Systems include Vi, Microsoft Suite, Outlook, WorkDay.

Responsibilities

• Oversee US fall campus and summer associate recruiting across Dechert offices.
• Advise hiring partners and practice group leaders on recruiting strategy and market considerations.
• Promote the firm’s brand to law students and candidates.
• Build relationships with law schools, student organizations, universities, and external recruiters.
• Plan and execute recruiting initiatives with Legal Talent and Marketing to improve firm profile.
• Manage full-cycle recruiting for students, summer associates, and associates.
• Coordinate background checks and new-hire paperwork with relevant departments.
• Provide recruiting metrics and insights for committees and planning.
• Manage post-offer processes and candidate engagement during the program.
• Design and administer US summer program including events and feedback processes.
• Mentor recruiting staff and ensure team effectiveness.

Skills

Legal recruiting experience

Stakeholder management

Team mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree or HR certification

Tools

Vi

Microsoft Suite

Outlook

WorkDay

Job description

The Talent Recruiting Manager will lead, develop, and execute the US entry-level associate recruiting strategy, using advanced legal recruiting expertise, independent judgment, and market insight to attract top talent across the firm’s US offices.

This role is responsible for attracting top talent, managing the full-cycle recruitment process and summer program, and ensuring alignment with the firm’s strategic goals and culture.

The role partners closely with firm leadership to anticipate hiring needs, solve complex recruiting challenges, recommend best practices, and continuously improve the candidate and summer associate experience.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Legal Recruiting:

• Oversee and coordinate US fall campus recruiting and summer associate recruitment programs across multiple Dechert offices, partnering with other offices as needed to ensure a consistent, high-quality recruiting experience.
• Partner with hiring partners, practice group leaders, and department leadership to anticipate and assess attorney hiring needs, advise on recruiting strategy and market considerations, and align recruiting efforts with the firm’s strategic growth plans.
• Serve as an ambassador of the firm by sharing firm information, promoting the firm’s brand, and identifying opportunities to enhance visibility with law students and candidates.
• Build and maintain relationships with law schools, student organizations, universities, external recruiters, and professional organizations to support fall interviewing, strengthen the firm’s talent pipeline, and increase market visibility.
• Coordinate with the Legal Talent Department and Marketing team to plan, implement, and drive recruiting initiatives, campaigns, website content, NALP updates, and promotional materials that improve the firm’s profile at targeted schools and in key markets, recommending enhancements based on recruiting trends, candidate feedback, and competitive market practices.
• Manage the full-cycle legal recruiting process for law students, summer associates, and associates, including sourcing, reviewing candidate materials, screening resumes, responding to inquiries, collecting candidate information, scheduling interviews, monitoring interview progress, and following up on evaluations.
• Coordinate with Legal Recruitment staff and administrative departments, including Talent and Conflicts, to complete background, conflicts, references, bar status, and other recruitment-related checks and new hire paperwork.
• Provide recruiting materials, metrics, and statistics for hiring committee meetings and other stakeholder updates, translating data into insights and recommendations that support recruiting priorities, resource planning, and decision‑making.
• Manage the post‑offer process, including attorney follow‑up, offer communications, offer dinners, return visits, and related candidate engagement activities.
• Design and administer US summer associate programming, including social events, training calendars, work allocation coordination, feedback processes, committee updates, exit interviews, and mid‑summer and final reviews, independently planning priorities, resources, and timelines to support a consistent, high‑quality program experience.
• Partner with lawyers on summer committees to ensure summer associates receive appropriate work opportunities, meaningful feedback, and a strong overall program experience, influencing stakeholders and resolving non‑routine issues to maintain program quality and engagement.
• Mentor recruiting staff, including training, performance feedback, coaching, and counseling to support team effectiveness and professional development.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage applicant tracking and work with Risk & Compliance to ensure compliance with data privacy legislation.
• Provide regular reporting and analytics on recruitment metrics and trends.
• Ensure a positive candidate experience throughout the hiring process.
• Stay informed of industry trends and best practices in legal and professional services recruitment and apply that knowledge to recommend process improvements, strengthen recruiting programs, and enhance the firm’s competitive position.
• Mentor junior recruiting staff, fostering professional growth and development.
• Ability to function in a collaborative organization and be a team player in a fast‑paced and energetic recruiting team, while exercising sound judgment, influencing across teams, and independently managing competing priorities.
• Other duties and special projects as requested

QUALIFICATIONS / SKILLS

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or HR certification preferred.
• 7+ years of law firm administration or legal recruiting experience required, with demonstrated experience independently managing complex recruiting programs, advising stakeholders, and improving recruiting processes.
• Systems required Vi, Microsoft Suite, Outlook, WorkDay

At the time of this posting, the salary range for this position in Washington, D.C. is between $130,000.00 – $140,000.00 annually. Actual compensation is commensurate with job related knowledge, skills, experience, and location of the position.