Manager, Work Allocation

Our People team is responsible for managing and enhancing all aspects of human resources and employee experience. Our team oversees talent acquisition, including recruiting, interviewing and onboarding new hires, ensuring that the Firm attracts and retains top legal talent and business services professionals. We develop and implement HR policies, manage employee relations, and administer compensation and benefits programs to ensure a fair and supportive work environment. Additionally, the People team focuses on training, professional development, work allocation, mobility and fostering a positive workplace culture. We also handle performance management, employee engagement, and compliance with labor laws and regulations. Through our comprehensive HR strategies and initiatives, the People team ensures that the Firm’s workforce around the world is motivated, skilled and mobilized to deliver on the Firm’s objectives.

Position Summary

We are looking for a Work Allocation Manager to join our Washington DC or New York office. This new position presents an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting the development of legal talent for our practices.  The Work Allocation Manager will engage directly with associates to understand their interests and objectives in order to provide access to the experiences and relationships they need to build their careers. This role is heavily people focused, built on establishing strong working relationships with several key stakeholders across the Firm. The Work Allocation Manager will seek to ensure that the associates are appropriately staffed and utilized, while balancing the pursuit of a rich and well-rounded associate experience with the immediate needs of the business. The successful candidate will be a team player who is ambitious, focused on client service, and passionate about their work. They will be eager to take on the challenges of excelling in a global law firm and high-performance culture. This individual will have exemplary academic credentials, as well as a genuine interest in associate development and matter/resource management. Prior experience in a professional services setting, preferably a law firm, is required. We offer high-quality work, a competitive salary package and an opportunity to be part of a truly global organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Resource Management
• Support associates through balanced, transparent and consistent work allocation and targeted professional development
• Manage staffing requests and collaborate with Staffing Partners
• Monitor and report on work allocation KPIs to practice leadership
• Conduct regular check-ins with associates to discuss career interests, professional development needs, and collect feedback
• Ensure matters are appropriately staffed in an efficient and timely manner by monitoring current and anticipated lawyer utilization and assessing individual capacity
• Maintain clear, effective lines of communication, keeping all stakeholders informed on initiatives, developments, business issues, and other critical topics
• Escalate sensitive or high-risk staffing situations to the Associate Director, Work Allocation
• Liaise with the Regional Section Head and Staffing Partners to monitor associate performance (and feedback), development and career aspirations
• Gain exposure to the broader functions of the People Advisory team and work closely with the respective People Advisory Manager to collectively support associates and partners
• Help drive Firm engagement initiatives
• Work closely with the Senior Manager, Junior Associate Experience regarding junior associate development
• Work closely with Learning & Development and the Professional Support Lawyer(s) to ensure associates are receiving appropriate training opportunities

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Prior experience in associate development, work allocation, and/or resource management, ideally within a large professional services environment
• Strong commercial and business awareness
• Outstanding skills in diplomacy and negotiation
• Strong project management skills
• Client service focus
• Strong judgment
• Proactive and resourceful; takes initiative
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Persistent and resilient
• Persuasive; ability to drive change through influence
• Strong technology skills
• Experience working with resource management software is a plus
• Excel proficiency is required
• Flexibility with working outside of standard business hours to address staffing requests, as needed

Location, Hours and Compensation

• This is a full time role being considered in New York or Washington D.C.
• Compensation range: $136,000-$165,000

This role reports to

Associate Director, Work Allocation

Equal Opportunities

White & Case is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and is committed to creating a fair workplace. It is our Firm’s policy to recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law.

Applicants who are interested in applying for a position and require an accommodation during the process should contact [email protected].

Benefits at White & Case

White & Case LLP offers a comprehensive suite of benefit programs to all eligible employees, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and disability coverage, 401(k) retirement savings, vacation time, and leave programs (including parental leave). Exempt roles are also performance bonus eligible.

The Firm may modify and amend any job description at any time in its sole discretion. Nothing herein creates a contract of employment or otherwise modifies the at-will nature of employment.

The above is only a general description of the essential duties associated with this position and does not represent an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all duties.

Note to Recruitment Agencies

Our internal Recruitment team manages all aspects of lateral hiring. All agencies must have signed terms of business—specific to the relevant office—before submitting any candidates. CVs or applications sent directly to White & Case partners or employees will also not be considered formal introductions. If you have questions, please contact the relevant Recruitment team. We work with our preferred suppliers when engaging agencies.