Director: Global HR Operations

Overview

Mayer Brown is an international law firm positioned to represent the world’s major corporations, funds, and financial institutions in their most important and complex transactions and disputes. We are recognized by our clients as strategic partners with deep commercial instincts and a commitment to creatively anticipating their needs and delivering excellence in everything we do.

We are a collegial, collaborative firm where highly motivated individuals with an unwavering commitment to excellence receive the opportunity, support, and development they need to grow, thrive, and realize their greatest potential all while supporting the Firm’s client service principles of excellence, strategic partnership, commercial instinct, integrated strengths, innovation, and collaboration across our international firm.

If you enjoy working with team members whose defining characteristics are exceptional client service, initiative, professionalism, responsiveness, and adaptability, you may be the person we are seeking to join our Human Resources department in our New York, Chicago, or London office, as a Director: Global HR Operations.

As the Director: Global HR Operations, you will take responsibility for defining the strategic direction for the HR Operations team and administering the programs, polices and key imperatives that support the business and deliver a rewarding career experience for our people. You will lead and develop a team of trusted advisors, both technical and operational, overseeing all HR processes, systems, data, reporting, global mobility, HR compliance and other operational matters. You will foster a common purpose and commitment among the team, leading by example and strike a balance of challenge and support to empower them to perform at their highest level and deliver exceptional client service. Together, you will provide centralized services, program support and budget oversight to the HR team and our various Centers of Expertise (COE) with the aim of enhancing the employee experience.In conjunction with the Director of HRIS, you will serve as the liaison with the IT function to advance the technology roadmap for each of the COEs including compensation, benefits, global mobility, recruitment, talent management & community building, and learning & development. You will actively identify and manage risk and compliance issues, which will involve working closely with the General Counsel’s office on privacy, subject access requests, compliance training, regulatory requirements, background and conflicts checks, law licenses and visa status tracking.You will represent the HR function in all matters related to cross-functional processes, data and systems integration. This group informs and prioritizes all Firm technology projects including system implementations, upgrades, data governance and privacy considerations. You will also form part of the Business Intelligence Committee which governs all data reporting and analytics and implementation of background checking. You will exercise a high degree of independent judgment and decision-making. Of utmost importance is your ability to build and strengthen relationships at all levels and work collaboratively in delivering solutions.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Managing and developing the HR Operations team in-line with the strategy and ensuring all activity is adequately resourced
• Aligning and efficiently operating the global HR business processes, projects and systems that support them
• Project planning, implementation and operational oversight of all employee lifecycle processes, including but not limited to performance evaluations, competencies, client and office secondments mobility, retirement/succession planning, leaves of absence, job descriptions, onboarding and exits
• Getting to know and understand the regional HR teams and those running HR processes in each office, as well as the Senior Leaders across Legal and Business Services
• Work with HRIS team to manage HR data integration with other Firm systems
• Develop standardized procedures and process expertise across the team, liaising with all offices to ensure that the Operations team is delivering
• Cross-functional liaison and work planning, particularly relating to Technology, Business Reporting and General Counsel
• Overseeing all projects relating to HR Operations to ensure they are delivered efficiently
• Taking a Leadership role within the HR function to ensure all core HR processes,  are fit for purpose and support the achievement of the Firm’s strategy
• Management and development of the HR Knowledge Library and the internal Shared Services teams – based in Chicago (Americas time zone) and London (UK time zone)  - to drive global operational standardization, efficiency and expertise, and an exce