Strategy Manager

DLA Piper•Reston, VA

6h•$100,787 - $160,255•Hybrid

About The Position

DLA Piper is, at its core, bold, exceptional, collaborative and supportive. Our people are the backbone, heart and soul of our firm. Wherever you are in your professional journey, DLA Piper is a place you can engage in meaningful work and grow your career. Let’s see what we can achieve. Together. Summary DLA Piper’s Strategy & Ops function sits under the COO/CFO and exists to turn ambiguous, high-stakes problems into decisions and execution that move the business forward, especially when the issue is cross-functional in nature and does not otherwise have a clear owner. The department is empowered by senior leadership to pursue and deliver opportunities that are too important for the Firm, too messy, and too cross-cutting to sit cleanly in one function. Strategy & Ops is designed to bring direction and momentum in situations that otherwise lack both. The Strategy & Operations Manager is a senior individual-contributor role responsible for leading cross functional, firm priority initiatives from inception through execution, acting as a trusted partner to executive sponsors, functional leaders, and project owners. The role sits at the intersection of strategy, execution, and operational problem solving, and is accountable for ensuring that high impact initiatives progress with clarity, rigor, and momentum. This role is not traditional project management. Rather, it combines program leadership, strategic judgment, and executive communication to help the Firm reliably execute its most critical back-office priorities while shaping future opportunities.

Requirements

4+ years of experience in strategy consulting, internal strategy / operations, corporate development, or a comparable role in a complex organization.
Proven track record leading enterprise‑scale, cross‑functional initiatives with senior stakeholders.
Exceptionally strong executive communication skills (written and verbal).
Comfort operating in ambiguity and shaping structure where none exists.
High judgment, low‑ego collaborator with the ability to influence without formal authority.
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.
Minimum Years of Experience 4 years’ experience in strategy consulting or with related experience or minimum two years' post-MBA experience.
Effectively communicate, verbally and in writing, with clients, lawyers, business professionals, and third parties.
Produce deliverables, answer phone calls, and reply to correspondence in an efficient and responsive manner.
Provide timely, accurate, and quality work product.
Successfully meet deadlines, expectations, and perform work duties as required.
Foster positive work relationships.
Comply with all firm policies and practices.
Engage in both physical and sedentary activity, such as (a) working at a computer for extended periods of time, including on-screen reading and typing; (b) participating in digital/virtual conference calls; (c) participating in meetings as needed.
Ability to work under pressure and manage competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
Perform all other duties, tasks or projects as assigned.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with professional services, legal, or financial services environments preferred.
Dynamic individual with experience in strategy and operations, preferably within a professional services firm setting.
Experience and demonstrated impact in strategy and operations consulting with project management, data and financial analysis, and analytics-based decision-making.
Team players with a growth-mindset, strong critical thinking abilities, a problem-solving approach, strong communication skills, an ability to take ownership of and tackle new challenges in a fast-paced environment, and a great work-ethic.
Strategy and operations consulting within Big Law legal industry or other large professional services firms is preferred.
Master’s degree in MBA or other advanced degree in a relevant field.

Responsibilities

Program & Initiative Leadership Lead complex, cross‑functional initiatives aligned to Firm strategic priorities.
Translate ambiguous executive asks into clear problem statements, success metrics, workplans, and governance structures.
Design and maintain integrated program plans, key decisions, risks, dependencies, and milestones.
Executive & Stakeholder Engagement Serve as a day‑to-day thought partner to executive sponsors and business owners.
Prepare concise executive‑level updates and recommendations for senior audiences.
Proactively surface issues, trade‑offs, and decision points, and drive timely resolution or escalation.
Cross‑Functional Orchestration Build and guide cross‑functional working teams, clarifying roles, responsibilities, and accountability while respecting functional ownership.
Break down organizational silos by aligning functions around shared objectives.
Coordinate selectively with external vendors and advisors to advance projects.
Strategic & Analytical Contribution Partner with leadership to identify high‑impact opportunities, assess feasibility, and shape Firm priorities.
Apply structured problem‑solving, financial reasoning, and data-driven analysis to inform recommendations.
Support development of Firm playbooks, standard operating approaches, and reusable frameworks.
AI‑Enabled Execution & Scale Leverage collaboration tools and AI capabilities to improve efficiency across planning, documentation, reporting, and communications.
Identify repeatable processes suitable for automation and partner in developing AI agents where appropriate.