Director of Legal Operations
About The Position
Dow Jones is seeking its first head of Legal Operations to establish the function and develop a clear, multi-year strategy. The role has one direct report initially, reports to the General Counsel of Dow Jones, and is part of the Legal leadership team. It supports a global Legal department with expertise across labor and employment, commercial agreements, privacy, intellectual property, M&A, litigation, corporate governance, compliance, media law, and other specialties. The Director will help plan and execute department priorities, track goals and milestones, manage the legal roadmap, and assist with the legal budget. This includes managing outside counsel spend and accruals and exploring value-based fee arrangements. The role will oversee and optimize the Legal technology stack, including CLM, e-billing, IP management, AI integration, and agentic tools. AI-powered solutions and process improvement are initial strategic priorities. The position partners with a globally distributed legal team to harmonize processes, implement technology, and manage change. It oversees law firm and ALSP relationships, including RFPs and partner accountability; structures and coordinates projects across the department; maintains contract templates, playbooks, and training materials; and works with the M&A team on potential transactions and integration efforts.
Requirements
- At least 12 years of operations experience.
- At least 5 years of experience specifically within a Legal Operations function.
- Experience working in operations within a global legal department.
Nice To Haves
- Experience building a Legal Operations function from inception.
- A JD, MBA, or commensurate experience; education is valuable but not required.
- Deep experience with Enterprise Legal Management software, AI-powered legal solutions, agentic tools, and Contract Lifecycle Management platforms.
- A proven track record of leveraging technology for global legal team transformation.
- Experience in the Media/Entertainment or Tech sectors.
- Operational excellence, project management experience, or other experience relevant to navigating a growing international business.
- Collaborative and innovative approach.
- Creative self-starter who takes initiative.
- Ability to balance risk mitigation and business needs.
- Strategic decision-making skills and ability to analyze and explain complex concepts quickly and clearly.
- Strong work ethic and dedication to ethics and professional responsibility.
- High initiative and self-motivation, with the ability to work collaboratively in a congenial team environment.
Responsibilities
- Establish Dow Jones’s Legal Operations function and develop a clear multi-year strategy.
- Track department goals, manage the legal roadmap, and help ensure milestones are achieved.
- Assist with the legal budget, outside counsel spend management, and accruals; identify opportunities for value-based fee arrangements.
- Manage and optimize the Legal technology stack, including CLMs, e-billing, IP management, AI integration, and agentic tools.
- Evaluate current AI tools and scope the need for next-generation agentic solutions, alongside process improvement.
- Partner with the globally distributed Legal team to harmonize processes and drive adoption of new technologies.
- Manage relationships with law firms and ALSPs, run RFPs when needed, and hold partners accountable.
- Provide structure and project management for departmental initiatives, including privacy compliance workflows, contract workflows, and coordination of legal resources on large projects.
- Help build and maintain internal contract templates, playbooks, and training materials.
- Work with the M&A team on potential M&A opportunities and resulting integration efforts.
Benefits
- Comprehensive Healthcare Plans
- Paid Time Off
- Retirement Plans
- Comprehensive Insurance Plans
- Lifestyle Programs & Wellness Resources
- Education Benefits
- Family Care Benefits & Caregiving Support
- Commuter Transit Program
- Subscription Discounts
- Employee Referral Program
- Financial Health Programs
- Cybersecurity Protection
- Competitive and flexible compensation
- Comprehensive benefits package covering health, retirement, and wellbeing, with optional benefits
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Education Level
No Education Listed
