Work Allocation Coordinator Americas

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Job description

Firm Summary White & Case is an elite global law firm serving leading companies, financial institutions and governments worldwide. Our long history as an international firm means we are perfectly placed to help our clients resolve their most complex legal challenges wherever they may be. With lawyers operating from more than 40 locations, working in virtually every country of the world, we have invested heavily in building a high-quality full-service practice competing at the top of the market. We are distinguished by our on-the-ground presence in the world's key financial markets and our strengths in handling complex cross-border work. It's not just about our global network of offices; it's the global interconnectedness of the Firm that our people, and our clients, value most. We work well together across geographic and practice boundaries. It's one of the reasons we attract and retain cross-border work. And why we attract a diverse group of people. Our lawyers are globally minded, enterprising, collaborative and committed to excellence. Diversity is a core value of our Firm and it has been recognized with numerous awards and top rankings around the world. Our people represent 90 nationalities and speak 80 languages. Position Summary We are looking for a Work Allocation Specialist to join our New York or Washington DC office, supporting our Litigation practice group. This position presents an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting the development of legal talent. The Work Allocation Specialist will engage directly with associates to understand their interests and objectives, in order to provide access to the experiences and relationships they need to build their careers. The role is heavily people focused, built on establishing strong working relationships with a number of key stakeholders across the Firm. This role will focus on the effective management of the junior-associate pool, specifically the Litigation Pool. New associates joining the firm are assigned to either a Corporate or Litigation pool, for one year. The Work Allocation Specialist will seek to ensure that all Litigation pool associates are appropriately staffed and utilized at all times, while balancing the pursuit of a rich and well-rounded associate experience with the immediate needs of the business The successful candidate will be a team-player who is ambitious, focused on client service, and passionate about his/her work. He or she will be eager to take on the challenges of exceling in a global law firm and high-performance culture. This individual will have exemplary academic credentials, as well as a genuine interest in associate development and matter/resource management. Prior experience with resource management in a professional services setting, preferably a law firm, is required. We offer high-quality work, a competitive salary package and an opportunity to be part of a truly global organization. Our People Advisory Team Trusted advisor or career coach, project manager or strategist, recruitment administrator, talent expert or experienced generalist? As part of our global People (Advisory) team, you can expect to utilize and develop your skills across every aspect of talent management. We lead and manage significant projects to attract, retain and engage the best people, and we are recognized for our ability to get the job done. We're proud of our high performance work ethic, as well as the central role that we play in fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture. Through extensive contact with partners and business services leaders, we are trusted to offer advice and implement changes that help our teams perform at the highest level and deliver outstanding client service. Working with us will provide you with a uniquely broad range of experience to draw on throughout your career. Duties and Accountabilities1 Resource Management Ensure matters are appropriately staffed in an efficient and timely manner through effective allocation of work for Law Clerks, Associates and Counsel. Monitor current and anticipated lawyer utilization; assess individual capacity, and staff accordingly. Assist in smoothing utilization levels when possible Maintain integrity of data, such as associate availability and billable/non-billable time, through standard processes. Communicate regularly with designated staffing partners and associates to develop trust and credibility with key stakeholders and to ensure a nuanced understanding of business activity, needs, and capacity across the team. Engage directly with associates, via the first-year pool, to identify and capture primary areas of interest while supporting skills development. Monitor and record individual attainment of these interests over time. In allocating work, strike an appropriate balance between accommodating associate interests and meeting the needs of the business. Actively maintain one-on-one relationships with associates in order to develop detailed understanding of associate goals and preferences, to provide deployment-related coaching. Provide regular data and reports; share insights on the impact of new approaches with leadership and key stakeholders. Maintain clear, effective lines of communication, keeping all stakeholders informed on initiatives, developments, business issues, and other critical topics. Foster a collaborative, collegial, high-performing team committed to professional excellence. Escalate senstitive or high-risk staffing situations to Litigation Pool Manager, as appropriate. Practice Management Gain exposure to the broader functions of the People Advisory team by working with colleagues across the department to help with secondments, relocations and other projects. Help drive Firm engagement initiatives. Liaise with Partner and Senior Associates to monitor pool associate performance (and feedback) and allocate an appropriate range of work. Work closely with Learning & Development and the Professional Support Lawyer(s) to recommend appropriate and relevant training to support pool associates. Education and Qualifications Prior experience in associate development, work allocation, and/or resource management, ideally within a large professional services environment Strong commercial and business awareness Outstanding skills in diplomacy and negotiation Strong project management skills Client service focus Strong judgment Proactive and resourceful; takes initiative Excellent written and oral communication skills Persistent and resilient Persuasive; ability to drive change through influence Strong technology skills Experience working with resource management software is a plus Excel proficiency is required Flexibility with working outside of standard business hours to address staffing requests, as needed Location and Reporting Location New York, New York or Washington, DC This role reports to the Litigation Pool Manager, People Advisory The Firm may modify and amend this job description at any time at its sole discretion. Nothing herein creates a contract of employment or otherwise modifies the at-will nature of employment. 1The above is a general description of the essential duties associated with this position and does not represent an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all duties.