Director of Engagement

Saul Ewing • Chicago, IL

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Engagement is responsible for designing and leading a firm-wide strategy to strengthen engagement, inclusion, and retention across the talent life cycle. The Director will serve as a central point of coordination for firm member experience initiatives, including engagement and retention programming, inclusion initiatives, and onboarding and integration of new attorneys, as well as creating meaningful feedback loops that help the firm identify trends and intervene where appropriate. This role will work collaboratively with Attorney Recruiting, Professional Development, Human Resources, Office & Group Operations, Marketing & Business Development, and firm leadership to ensure firm members feel connected, supported in their transition points, and positioned for long-term success. The Director will also help advance a culture of direct feedback and coaching, while serving as a strategic resource for particularly complex situations and identifying when outside coaching or other additional support may be appropriate. This individual reports to the Chief Talent Officer and is a key member of the Talent leadership team, contributing to the strategic direction and formulation of firm-wide policies, systems, and initiatives related to firm member experience, inclusion, retention, and engagement.

Requirements

• Knowledge of legal industry best practices with respect to engagement, integration, retention, inclusion initiatives, and coaching-informed talent support.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and spoken, and the ability to establish credibility, build trust, and develop positive working relationships with firm leadership, attorneys, business professionals, and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality, discretion, and sound judgment in sensitive attorney matters.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously and coordinate across numerous stakeholders in a dynamic and complex environment.
• Ability to analyze trends, identify risks and themes, and translate qualitative and quantitative information into practical recommendations.
• Knowledge of change management principles and demonstrated ability to support complex initiatives by aligning stakeholders, managing communication, and maintaining engagement during periods of change.
• Executive presence, intellectual curiosity, and a service-oriented mindset.
• Ability to create clarity and consistency in a fast-paced environment while remaining flexible and solutions-oriented.
• Ability to encourage accountability and appropriately navigate the balance between providing support and reinforcing direct communication between attorneys and firm leaders.
• Outstanding organizational skills, attention to detail, and time management skills.
• Demonstrated professionalism, flexibility, and composure under pressure.
• Strong computer proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite applications including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook, and the ability to learn new software applications quickly.
• Bachelor's degree required
• Significant relevant experience in a law firm or comparable professional services environment, including work related to attorney development, recruiting, integration, engagement, inclusion, or retention.
• Experience working collaboratively with firm leadership and cross-functional business teams to develop and implement strategic initiatives.
• Experience designing or managing programs related to the attorney life cycle.
• Experience supervising staff and managing projects across multiple stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

• Graduate or law degree preferred.
• Coaching certification or meaningful coaching experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the firm's engagement strategy, including initiatives that strengthen connection, belonging, retention, and firm citizenship across offices, departments, and practice groups.
• Own the design and continuous improvement of attorney integration and onboarding processes for lateral partners, counsel, associates, and patent agents, in collaboration with Attorney Recruiting, Professional Development, Business Development, Office and Group Operations, and other firm stakeholders.
• Serve as a strategic point person for new attorneys during critical transition periods to ensure they understand firm processes, make important internal connections, and receive appropriate guidance, resources, and introductions.
• Oversee attorney exit interview processes and related retention analytics, identifying themes, systemic issues, and opportunities for improvement in attorney experience, management practices, and transition support.
• Develop key performance indicators, reporting mechanisms, and recurring insights related to integration, engagement, retention, and departure trends, and share takeaways with Talent leadership and other firm leaders, as appropriate.
• Lead and support initiatives intended to increase engagement and retention, including efforts to strengthen connections across offices and practice groups, improve transition support, and create meaningful opportunities for participation in firm life.
• Partner with the Manager of Inclusion and Engagement to oversee the firm’s engagement survey process and follow-up, including synthesizing results, ensuring consistent and visible action planning across practice groups and offices, and integrating engagement survey insights and action steps with other firm priorities and initiatives.
• Partner with the Manager of Inclusion and Engagement, DEI Committee leadership, resource groups, Professional Development, Attorney Recruiting, Pro Bono leadership, and partner leaders to support inclusive programming, conference participation processes, engagement opportunities, and initiatives that promote connection and advancement across the firm.
• In collaboration with Professional Development and firm leadership, reinforce a culture of direct, timely, and constructive feedback by helping leaders provide support and guidance, while appropriately directing attorneys back to mentors, supervising partners, and practice group leaders for substantive career and performance conversations.
• Provide light-touch coaching support and strategic guidance in complex or sensitive situations, while identifying when external coaching, advising, or other specialized resources may be more appropriate than internal intervention.
• Partner with the Talent Team and firm leadership to support change management efforts for Talent Team and firmwide priorities, including developing communication strategies, supporting adoption, and managing the impact of organizational change on engagement and retention.
• Support summer associate and new attorney orientation, attorney retreats, resource group programming, and special events where engagement, inclusion, and transition support are central to the program goals.
• Develop and manage budgets and external resources related to engagement and inclusion efforts and outside coaching resources.
• Keep abreast of developments and best practices in the legal industry related to engagement, inclusion, integration, retention, coaching, and culture, and identify opportunities for innovation or greater efficiency.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned by manager.

Benefits

• The pay for this position will be determined based on relevant skills, experience, education, external market data, internal equity, and other job-related factors.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director