Director, Legal Innovation & Operations (Legal Spend & Firm Management)

Company Description

NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our global theme park destinations, consumer products, and experiences. We own and operate leading entertainment and news brands, including NBC, NBC News, NBC Sports, Telemundo, NBC Local Stations, Bravo, and Peacock, our premium ad-supported streaming service. We produce and distribute premier filmed entertainment and programming through our powerhouse film and television studios, including Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Animation, and Focus Features, and the four global television studios under the Universal Studio Group banner, and operate industry-leading theme parks and experiences around the world through Universal Destinations & Experiences, including Universal Orlando Resort, home to Universal Epic Universe, and Universal Studios Hollywood. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. Visit www.nbcuniversal.com for more information.

Our impact is rooted in improving the communities where our employees, customers, and audiences live and work. We have a rich tradition of giving back and ensuring our employees have the opportunity to serve their communities. We champion an inclusive culture and strive to attract and develop a talented workforce to create and deliver a wide range of content reflecting our world.

Job Description

Reporting to the SVP, Legal, AI Innovation & Legal Operations, the Director owns the operating strategy, roadmap and execution for the Legal Department’s financial management, outside counsel and external-provider management, e-billing and related governance, within the broader strategy, priorities and resource parameters established by the SVP.

Responsibilities:

• Advise and partner closely with attorneys, Finance, HR, Procurement, law firms and other external providers to improve cost predictability, deliver measurable financial savings, strengthen provider performance, and support informed decision-making
• Establish matter-level financial management standards, including matter budgets, accruals, reporting, forecast updates, variance thresholds and escalation requirements
• Own the Outside Counsel Guidelines and related governance, and drive firm compliance with billing, staffing, and other applicable terms
• Manage the full external provider lifecycle, including firm selection, competitive RFPs, onboarding and offboarding, engagement terms, panel and preferred-firm strategy, scorecards, business reviews, and performance intervention
• Lead annual and off-cycle rate negotiations, rate benchmarking, alternative fee arrangements, and other value-based pricing models
• Own the e-billing platform and invoice review workflow, including timekeeper rates, accruals, automated and manual review rules, and escalation of noncompliance, billing leakage, or inappropriate staffing
• Lead the business-side implementation, migration and optimization of legal e-billing and spend-management platforms, including requirements, data conversion and validation, process redesign, reporting validation, user adoption and vendor transition; partner with technology teams on technical implementation, integrations and ongoing support
• Own the commercial and financial management of Legal Operations technology and service vendors, including sourcing support, pricing, contract and renewal strategy, budget management and vendor performance, in partnership with the SVP, applicable business owners and Procurement
• Report quarterly on spend, forecast accuracy, savings and cost avoidance, billing compliance, firm performance, and vendor performance, with clear recommendations for action
• Lead, coach and develop direct report(s); establish clear priorities and performance expectations; review work product; provide actionable feedback; and support the direct report(s) professional development

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience
• 8+ years of experience in Legal Operations, Legal Finance, Outside Counsel Management, Strategic Sourcing, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience managing complex budgets, forecasts, accruals and financial reporting within a large organization
• Experience managing outside counsel guidelines, panel programs, firm selection, evaluations, scorecards, and business reviews
• Experience serving as a business owner, senior administrator, or functional lead for an e-billing, matter-management, or legal spend-management platform
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and experience analyzing and presenting complex financial and operational data

Desired Characteri