Senior Manager of Innovation & Emerging Technologies

Kahana & Feld LLP•Irvine, CA

About The Position

The Senior Manager of Innovation & Emerging Technologies leads the firm’s artificial intelligence, emerging technology, and data analytics initiatives, translating legal and business needs into practical, secure, and well-supported solutions. This experienced manager leads a team that evaluates tools, develops use cases, tests solutions, delivers training, supports users, and produces actionable insights. The role brings the firm’s data analysis and reporting capabilities together with its AI and innovation program, develops team skills, balances reporting needs with new initiatives, and works across practice groups and administrative departments to improve how attorneys and business professionals use technology and data. The role works with firm leadership and stakeholders to set a practical roadmap for AI, emerging technology, and analytics; oversees team priorities and delivery; and serves as the subject matter resource for approved tools. It partners with users to identify opportunities, evaluates products, coordinates technical reviews, configures and deploys tools, and develops prompts, workflows, automations, training, and adoption practices. The manager also leads reporting and analytics delivery, establishes quality reviews, supports data governance, reinforces responsible use, and tracks adoption, satisfaction, reliability, and business value. This is a full-time, exempt position with supervisory responsibilities. Work may be performed in a hybrid or remote setting. Travel may be required for up to 10% of the time, domestically by ground and/or air, depending on firm needs. The work is primarily sedentary and takes place in an office environment, with standard office equipment and keyboard use. Physical requirements include occasional exertion of up to 40 pounds, repetitive wrist, hand, or finger movements, close visual acuity, and the ability to walk short distances and/or drive to deliver or pick up materials. Work can be performed with or without accommodations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science, data analytics, business, instructional design, legal studies, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
5+ years of relevant experience in a law firm or leading consulting firm is stated as preferred; substantial hands-on experience leading evaluation, implementation, and adoption of AI solutions is also preferred.
Experience leading and developing a team, including setting priorities, delegating work, managing competing demands, establishing quality expectations, and remaining actively involved in implementation and delivery.
Practical experience with generative AI, large language models, Microsoft 365 tools, and professional services technology, with the ability to become a power user of new platforms quickly.
Experience delivering reports, dashboards, or analytical solutions, and working knowledge of data preparation, data quality, business intelligence, and visualization sufficient to guide and review analysts’ work.
Experience designing and delivering live and virtual technology training, demonstrations, user guides, and learning materials for audiences with varied technical skills.
Understanding of legal workflows, client confidentiality, data protection, information security, responsible AI practices, and human review of AI-generated work.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills, including documenting workflows, testing prompts and outputs, identifying failure modes, organizing pilots, and measuring results.
Excellent written and verbal communication, relationship-building, and organizational skills; an approachable, service-oriented style; sound judgment, discretion, curiosity; and the ability to build trust across the firm.

Nice To Haves

5+ years of relevant experience in a law firm or a leading consulting firm, with substantial hands-on experience leading the evaluation, implementation, and adoption of AI solutions.

Responsibilities

Work with the COO, CIO, Technology Committee, and firm stakeholders to establish a practical roadmap for AI adoption, emerging technology, and analytics.
Lead, mentor, and develop team members; set goals, priorities, and delivery schedules while balancing reporting commitments and approved innovation initiatives.
Serve as the primary point of contact and subject matter resource for approved AI and emerging technology tools, providing hands-on expertise and guiding the team’s delivery.
Partner with practice groups, attorneys, and business professionals to understand workflows, identify opportunities, and translate needs into use cases and requirements.
Evaluate products for business fit, usability, accuracy, cost, and support needs; coordinate security, confidentiality, and integration reviews with technical teams and stakeholders.
Monitor AI developments, vendor roadmaps, legal technology trends, and industry practices and make practical recommendations.
Work with the Enterprise Applications team to configure, test, implement, and deploy innovation tools.
Design, test, and refine prompts, reusable prompt libraries, AI-assisted workflows, and low-code or no-code automations for approved use cases.
Develop and deliver role-based training and adoption programs aligned with firm priorities and user needs.
Promote approved tools and effective practices through clear communications and help users understand where emerging technologies can improve their work.
Collect user feedback and usage data, identify adoption barriers, and improve training, communications, configurations, or workflows.
Provide day-to-day guidance, triage questions, troubleshoot usage issues, and coordinate escalations with vendors and internal technical teams.
Lead development, delivery, and maintenance of accurate reports, dashboards, and analyses using authorized firm data to support operational, financial, practice, and management decisions.
Partner with stakeholders to define reporting requirements, meaningful measures, consistent business definitions, and delivery schedules; explain findings clearly and actionably.
Establish quality review processes for data preparation, analysis, reports, and visualizations, and resolve discrepancies with analysts and data owners.
Identify opportunities to automate recurring reporting.
Partner with firm leaders and stakeholders to implement AI and data governance practices consistent with firm policies, client confidentiality, data-handling standards, and access requirements.
Reinforce responsible use through training, documentation, output verification, and appropriate human oversight; promptly escalate risks and material quality issues.
Track adoption, user satisfaction, reporting reliability, and agreed measures of business value; communicate results and recommend improvements to firm leadership.