Senior Manager, Legal Recruiting & Associate Life

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP•Chicago, IL

11d•$180,000 - $210,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Legal Recruiting & Associate Life oversees lateral and campus recruitment for the Chicago office and supports orientation and integration for new associates. The role also partners with the global HR team on Firmwide initiatives, including talent assessment, learning and development, and wellness. It reports to the Director, Administration in Chicago, with a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Director of Legal Talent – Regional Strategy. This is a hybrid role requiring at least three days in the office based on business needs. The position leads attorney recruitment and the summer associate program, develops recruitment strategies, and manages associate mentoring, engagement, work assignments, and absence requests. It also supports attorney training and CLE efforts, advises and connects attorneys with Firm resources, conducts exit interviews, manages the budget, and contributes to additional projects and initiatives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
At least 10 years of recruiting experience in a professional services firm or comparable environment.
Strong business and financial acumen.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong collaborative leadership and management skills, with demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment.
Professional presence and credibility to liaise with partners and senior professionals.
Ability to exercise tact, discretion, and sound judgment while maintaining strict confidentiality regarding personnel information.
Highly organized, with strong attention to detail.
Self-starter able to work autonomously and take projects from concept through implementation.
Creative problem-solving and strategic thinking skills.
Proven interpersonal skills and ability to advance office needs and objectives while maintaining a positive work environment and culture.
Positive, proactive approach to work.
Ability to anticipate the needs of management and the office.

Nice To Haves

Lateral and campus recruiting experience in the legal field.

Responsibilities

Oversee lateral attorney and campus recruitment for the Chicago office.
Create and implement a strategic plan for lateral recruitment and office growth.
Create and implement the campus recruiting strategy for the full law student recruitment cycle, from recruiting events through interviews and offers.
Travel to law school events as needed.
Ensure Firm marketing materials align with the recruiting strategy, including promotional and educational materials, industry surveys, and the website.
Manage the summer associate program, including coordinating and attending events and overseeing work assignments, evaluations, and reviews.
Provide direction to associate assignors.
Direct summer associates on use of the tracking database.
Compile performance review materials for partners.
Support orientation and integration for new associates and coordinate formal mentoring assignments for incoming associates and laterals.
Develop and coordinate associate events to foster morale, collegiality, and teamwork, including events with the Firm’s Inclusion team and the Chicago office inclusion network.
Manage associate work assignments and absence requests to ensure adequate staffing.
Assist the Corporate Training Manager and CLE Compliance Specialist with Chicago office attorney training and CLE efforts.
Serve as an advisor and liaison between associates and partners; direct attorneys to Firm resources and coordinate available support to address concerns or problems.
Oversee and maintain Chicago office mentoring programs.
Conduct exit interviews for departing associates.
Manage the budget to ensure resource allocations align with the Firm’s financial goals.
Support additional projects and initiatives and perform other duties as assigned.