Chief of Staff, Business Administration

DLA Piper•New York, NY

1d•$250,000 - $300,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Chief of Staff, Business Administration, working in collaboration with and in support of the firm’s strategic initiatives, provides senior-level administrative, operational, and strategic support to the Chief. The role is designed to help advance departmental priorities, enable effective decision-making, and ensure disciplined execution across initiatives sponsored by the Chief. Serving as a trusted partner, the Chief of Staff, Business Administration helps manage competing priorities, coordinates cross-functional efforts, prepares materials that support executive decision-making, and ensures follow-through on key commitments. This role requires strong judgment, discretion, organizational acumen, and the ability to operate effectively within a complex, matrixed professional services environment.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience supporting senior leaders or executive-level teams.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Proven organizational and project management capabilities.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
High level of professionalism, discretion, and emotional intelligence.
Strong collaboration and stakeholder management skills.
Comfort leveraging technology and productivity tools to improve efficiency and workflow effectiveness.
8 years’ experience in professional services, legal, financial, or other complex corporate environments with experience supporting senior business leaders strongly desired.
Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with clients, lawyers, business professionals, and external audiences.
Produce high-quality work and respond to correspondence in an efficient, timely, and professional manner.
Meet deadlines, manage competing priorities, and commit to meeting high standards.
Comply with firm policies and procedures.
Maintain confidences as required in a law firm environment.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (e.g., MBA) is a plus.

Responsibilities

Develop a strong understanding of the Chief's role, departmental objectives, and operational priorities to support effective planning and execution.
Develop and maintain a strong understanding of the firm’s business strategy, operating model, and strategic priorities to help align initiatives sponsored by the Chief with broader Firm objectives.
Provide strategic context and perspective to support effective execution, ensuring initiatives are positioned and sequenced in a manner that advances Firm- and practice-level goals.
Track progress against key initiatives and commitments, highlighting risks, dependencies, and follow-up needs to ensure accountability.
Prepare briefing materials, presentations, and summaries that enable informed, efficient decision-making.
Assist with prioritization of requests and initiatives to help protect focus and align efforts with strategic goals.
Support the coordination and execution of special projects and initiatives on behalf of the Chief.
Serve as a central point of coordination between the Chief, senior Firm leadership and internal business professional teams to ensure timely communication and delivery of key workstreams.
Facilitate meetings by preparing agendas, coordinating materials, documenting outcomes, and monitoring follow-through on action items.
Support department-wide planning activities, including goal-setting, budgeting cycles, and operational reviews, as applicable.
Coordinate internal events, leadership meetings, and departmental forums to ensure effective logistics and execution.
Collaborate closely with Firm leaders, including Practice Group Leaders (PGLs) and Vertical Chairs, to support alignment, information-sharing, and coordinated execution of cross-functional priorities.
Serve as a connector between the Chief, Firm leadership, and key governance stakeholders to facilitate alignment on strategy, initiatives, and execution expectations.
Demonstrate an understanding of the business drivers, challenges, and priorities of core practices and verticals to anticipate needs and tailor support accordingly.
Build effective working relationships with peers across departments to support collaboration and information flow.
Manage sensitive communication and information with professionalism and discretion.
Partner closely with the Chief’s Executive Assistant to ensure alignment across calendars, meetings, and priorities.
Represent the Chief in meetings or discussions as delegated, primarily for information gathering, coordination, and follow-up purposes.
Ensure consistent preparation and follow-through related to internal leadership engagements.
Support governance processes, reporting cadence, and documentation associated with departmental initiatives.
Maintain a high degree of confidentiality across all aspects of the role.
Apply sound judgment when handling sensitive issues, escalations, or time-sensitive matters.