Chief of Legal Operations

Description

This position is eligible for teleworking, which is currently one day per week. New hires are eligible to apply 30 days after their effective hire date.

Opening:

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is North America's largest transportation network, serving a population of 15.3 million people across a 5,000-square-mile travel area surrounding New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut. The MTA network comprises the nation’s largest bus fleet and more subway and commuter rail cars than all other U.S. transit systems combined. MTA strives to provide a safe and reliable commute, excellent customer service, and rewarding opportunities.

Position Objective:

The MTA Legal Department is creating a new role for a strategic and detail-oriented Chief of Legal Operations focused on ensuring efficient operations across the department, including setting departmental operations strategy, coordinating legal initiatives among senior leaders, and establishing, analyzing, and reporting on key KPIs/metrics across units. This role will oversee major operational responsibilities and initiatives for the department and proactively identify operational and process improvements while considering legal department needs, MTA-wide business needs, and industry best practices.

To date, many of these responsibilities have been independently led by different units of the Legal department. This role would enable a more comprehensive and end-to-end strategic vision for legal operations, with central oversight and reporting of interrelated initiatives and goals.

Responsibilities:

• Strategic planning: Support MTA leadership in defining and implementing an operational strategy for the Legal Department, with ongoing prioritization. Define operational strategies related to internal/external resourcing, technology, and service improvement goals. Maintain dashboard and report on progress across goals and metrics.
• Program management: Oversee all change management projects across the legal department – e.g., manage major initiatives, facilitate decisions, track outcomes and deliverables, and communicate progress to executive leaders.
• Internal organization: Lead and develop projects to improve organizational structure and resourcing – e.g., changes in organizational structure, tracking progress on hiring plan across units, training protocols for legal employees, performance management, and collaboration with Human Resources.
• Technology management: Collaborate with IT to define and implement a long-term IT strategy roadmap, informed by departmental requirements and best practices. Drive continuous improvement in user adoption of new technologies, including overseeing training and user support.
• Process management: Standup reporting/metrics/KPIs to facilitate transparency on processes, enable prioritization of workflows, anticipate implications for MTA business processes, and identify opportunities to improve business outcomes with better workflows (e.g., reduced cycle times, standardized guidelines where relevant).
• External resources: Manage budgets and track outcomes for outside counsel and other suppliers. Maintain and enforce billing guidelines across all sub-departments. Standardize and oversee supplier evaluation/selection processes.
• Financial management: Report on legal department financial budget/forecast and KPIs, while collaborating with the Finance department. Identity opportunities to improve financial outcomes for the legal department.
• Is held accountable for overseeing and evaluating contractor performance, where applicable:
  • Observing the work performed by the contractor;
  • Reviewing invoices and approving them if the work meets contractual standards;
  • Addressing performance issues with the contractor when possible; and
  • Escalating issues to other parties as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Excellent quantitative reasoning and analytical judgment
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to interface effectively with key internal and/or external stakeholders.
• Excellent organizational and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver results in a high-profile, high-pressure environment.
• Strong managerial skills, focused on directing a staff of professional and technical employees in implementing the short and long-term goals and direction of a large, complex legal division.
• Excellent project management skills with demonstrated ability to complete short- and long-term projects effectively and as efficiently as possible.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or comparable applications, i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree. A related master’s degree could be used as a substitute for 1 year of related experience.
• Minimum ten (10) years of relevant professional experience, including at least 4 years as a department head and/or in a managerial or leadership role of a large, multi-faceted, fast-paced private organization or governmental body.
• Prior experience developing strategic plans in a large complex organization.
• Prior experience overseeing large complex projects with responsibility for the full life cycle of the project.
• Prior experience partnering with IT to define and implement long-term technology strategy roadmaps with a focus on adoption of new technologies and training support.
• Prior experience developing financial budgets/forecasts and key performance indicators.

The Following is/are preferred:

• Master’s degree in business administration, government administration, or a related field. 
• Familiarity with legal department operations, best practices, and experience with legal technology platforms is a plus
• Familiarity with legal procedures, either in private or governmental settings

Other Information

May need to work outside of normal work hours (i.e., evenings and weekends)

Travel may be required to other MTA locations or other external sites.

According to the New York State Public Officers Law & the MTA Code of Ethics, all employees who hold a policymaking position must file an Annual Statement of Financial Disclosure (FDS) with the NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government (the “Commission”).

Equal Employment Opportunity

MTA and its subsidiary and affiliated agencies are Equal Opportunity Employers, including those concerning veteran status and individuals with disabilities.

The MTA encourages qualified applicants from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities, including military service members, to apply.