Senior Manager, Engagement & Development – Americas

White & Case LLP•New York, NY

3d•$174,400 - $261,600•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Engagement & Development will lead the design, execution and continuous improvement of engagement, talent and culture initiatives. In addition to taking on some global responsibilities, the Senior Manager will drive the Engagement strategy across the Americas, planning, implementing, and overseeing the Firm’s Engagement programs on a regional platform. The Senior Manager will serve as a key advisor to the Engagement & Development leadership, collaborating with stakeholders globally and working closely with Affinity Network leaders and other stakeholders in the Americas region to deliver best-in-class engagement solutions and ensure regional needs are addressed within the Firm’s overall strategy.

Requirements

10+ years’ experience in people engagement, HR or related fields.
Experience managing direct reports.
Experience in a similar role preferably in a legal or professional services environment.
Bachelor’s level degree or equivalent experience.
Excellent collaboration, communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships at all levels.
Sound judgment with the ability to make commercial, ethical and strategic decisions that are in the best interest of the Firm.
Demonstrated strategic-thinking skills, with the ability to align Engagement initiatives to Firm priorities, anticipate future needs, and translate long-term objectives into actionable plans.
Strong project and change management skills to deliver Engagement initiatives with colleagues across global network and Americas business services (HR and non-HR) teams.
Solid understanding of employment law, employee relations and engagement best practices.
Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret and report statistical data for internal Firm presentations.
Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office Packages (in particular Word, Excel and PowerPoint), Smartsheet and iManage.
Credible ambassador for White & Case and for the legal profession more widely; able to adapt communication style to a variety of audiences and countries.
Proactive self-starter who is able to self-manage and also work as part of team, with the ability to work in a fast-paced, intellectually rigorous environment.
Strong commercial/business acumen with the ability to influence strategic thinking/direction through creative and pragmatic issue resolution.
Demonstrated exceptional quality of writing, with the ability to skillfully craft influential messages to gain buy-in across audiences.
Demonstrated ability to effectively facilitate complex group discussions and lead interactive workshops with diverse stakeholders.
Flexibility to travel and work evenings and weekends.

Responsibilities

Create an exceptional people experience in the Americas, tied to our global engagement strategy, grounded in the Firm's values and driven by initiatives that build connection and strengthen our culture of excellence.
Implement the global Engagement mandate in the Americas region by designing, implementing and continuously improving key initiatives such as the People’s Voice Survey and other high-impact events and programs to build connection and strengthen our culture of excellence and high performance.
Oversee the People’s Voice Survey and related pulse checks, analyze results, and partner with regional leadership (Office Executive Partners and Regional Section Heads) to develop and monitor action plans, ensuring accountability and measurable progress across the Americas.
Strategically plan and execute high-impact global and regional events by aligning event objectives with Engagement and Firm priorities, ensuring seamless collaboration across cross-functional teams.
Exercise sound commercial judgment and rigorous risk assessment in the design and execution of Engagement initiatives, ensuring alignment with Firm strategy, client expectations and applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
Direct daily operations and conduct regular performance reviews for up to three direct reports. Manage global project-based teams and allocate and coordinate work accordingly.
Provide strategic direction and advisory support to Affinity Network leaders and Partner Sponsors across the Americas, with a focus on maximizing their impact and alignment with the Engagement strategy. This includes leaders representing several local Women’s Affinity Network chapters in the region, in addition to the Americas chapters of the Firm’s Asian, Black, Beyond Barriers, Middle Eastern and North African, and Spectrum LGBTQ+ networks. Affinity Networks are directly linked to Firm culture and behavior and have a sizeable impact on recruitment, retention and Firm performance.
Oversee regional, engagement-related communications, including social media, internal communications and surveys (e.g. HRC Corporate Equality Index).
Work in collaboration with the Recruitment Team to continue to implement best practice in the Firm’s recruitment efforts. Support efforts to strengthen student intake from non-traditional backgrounds. Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure fairness in recruiting decisions.
Represent the Firm at industry conferences, seminars, and professional associations, staying abreast of trends and best practices in people engagement. Identify and recommend strategic sponsorship, partnership and professional development opportunities across the Americas.
Collaborate with function leadership, team members and key stakeholders to set budget goals and spending guidelines and ensure they are followed. Drive a culture of financial stewardship, promoting cost awareness and responsible spending across the function.
Partner with the Associate Director, Engagement and Development and Chief Engagement & Development Officer on special projects as needed.