Sr Manager Legal Operations & Planning

Southwest Airlines • Dallas, TX

2d • Onsite

About The Position

As Sr Manager of Legal Operations & Planning, you’ll serve as a strategic and operational partner to Southwest’s Chief Legal Officer, helping ensure the Legal organization and related Teams operate with clarity, discipline, and impact. You’ll lead integrated planning, strengthen operational cadence, and drive cross‑functional coordination across Legal, Governmental Affairs, Labor Relations, and key partner Teams including Finance, People, Technology, and Communications. This role focuses on improving how work gets done—optimizing resources, advancing technology and AI capabilities, strengthening performance insights, and enhancing communication flow. Through thoughtful leadership, data‑driven recommendations, and a focus on continuous improvement, you’ll help elevate the effectiveness of Legal Leadership and support operational excellence across the organizations that protect and enable Southwest Airlines.
Additional Details The culture of Southwest Airlines means we value the camaraderie, collaboration, and innovation that occurs when we come together and interact face-to-face at our vibrant Corporate Campus. Due to the nature of this role, you would be required to work from our Dallas, TX Headquarters facility during business hours. U.S. citizenship or current authorization to work in the U.S. required and no current or future work authorization sponsorship available. We’re committed to fair hiring practices and to making employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other legally protected characteristics. Model the Southwest Way Guide and lead Team Members using SWA talent management practices to coach, develop, and engage Employees Adhere to Company values and competencies to foster a Culture of inclusion, recognition, and support of a safe work environment Invest in Leadership and self-growth through participating in continuous learning and development

Requirements

• Strong business and financial acumen, including the ability to interpret financial reports, optimize spend, and guide leaders using data‑driven insights
• Knowledge of Legal Operations and best practices, including legal technology solutions, process improvement methodologies, and innovation trends occurring in the Legal industry
• Knowledge of data analytics, including extracting insights from data, identifying trends, and applying data-driven decision-making to drive continuous improvement
• Skilled in selecting, implementing, and managing technology solutions, including Matter Management, e-billing, and Contract Lifecycle Management systems
• Skilled in developing and executing technology roadmaps, including prioritizing initiatives, managing vendor relationships, and driving user adoption through training and change management
• Skilled in analysis and ability to apply a methodical and logical approach to problem-solving
• Skilled in communication, the ability to influence others, and build partnerships internally and externally while demonstrating strong problem-solving abilities
• Ability to design KPI frameworks, measure performance against targets, and translate metrics into actionable insights for Leaders
• Ability to lead and inspire teams, manage performance, develop talent, and cultivate a culture of accountability and continuous improvement
• Ability to define and benchmark operational KPIs and support the delivery of KPIs and budget dashboards
• Ability to identify inefficiencies, analyze complex data, and develop long-term operational solutions
• Ability to demonstrate and maintain a high regard for confidential and sensitive information
• Required: High School Diploma or GED
• Required: Bachelor’s Degree
• Required: Demonstrated experience in directly leading team(s)
• Required: Fully functioning, broad knowledge in: Leading through influence and driving cross‑functional initiatives with measurable operational or financial impact Managing vendor/supplier relationships Resource planning and optimization Project management concepts and practices
• Must maintain a well-groomed appearance per Company appearance standards as described in established guidelines
• Must be a U.S. citizen or have authorization to work in the United States as defined by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must be able to comply with Company attendance standards as described in established guidelines
• Must meet confidentiality expectations as to confidential, proprietary, and sensitive personnel information

Nice To Haves

• Preferred: Experience in a large public company
• Preferred: Experience within the aviation industry

Responsibilities

• Lead operational planning, prioritization, and execution across Legal and other functions reporting to CLO to advance the Company’s priorities and foster an environment of continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with leaders across Legal, Governmental Affairs, Labor Relations, and partner departments (e.g., Communications, Finance, People, Technology) to support planning and resource allocation activities.
• Lead the management and optimization of technology solutions, including matter management, document management, contract lifecycle management, e-billing, and AI-powered tools
• Champion the adoption of AI and advanced technologies for workflow, knowledge management, and analytics improvements
• Develop, manage, and optimize KPIs, dashboards, and reporting tools to enhance visibility into performance, workload trends, financial management, and organizational health.
• Assist with the oversight of vendor management across outside counsel, consultants, and other third parties, with a focus on controls, performance evaluation, and cost optimization
• Serve as a strategic partner to the CLO and Department Leadership by providing data-driven insights, operational recommendations, and support for high-priority initiatives.
• Oversee administration operations and collaborate with Department Leadership to prioritize and resource support for specific projects or administrative functions (e.g. calendar management; meeting coordination, matter intake, facilities and onboarding support)
• Coordinate communications, meeting cadences, leadership updates, and planning activities to improve information flow and support effective decision-making across the CLO’s organizations.
• Demonstrates strong people leadership by coaching, developing, and evaluating team members; building a high‑performance culture; and ensuring clear accountability for results
• May perform other job duties as directed by Employee’s Leaders

Benefits

• Fly for free, as a privilege, on any open seat on all Southwest flights (your eligible dependents too)
• Southwest will help fund your 401(k) retirement savings with Company contributions up to 9.3% of your eligible earnings
• Potential for annual ProfitSharing contribution in the Southwest Retirement Savings Plan- when Southwest profits, you profit
• Competitive health insurance for you and your eligible dependents (including pets)
• Southwest offers health plan coverage options that start from the very first day of employment. You will have 30 days to select and enroll in your health plan with coverage retroactively available to your first day of employment.
• Explore more Benefits you’ll love: https://careers.southwestair.com/benefits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees