Ballard Spahr has a new position available for a Manager of Professional Development – Direct Support who will collaborate with our Chief of Real Estate and Office Operations, Directors of Office Administration, and  IT Technology Training Team to develop a training program that will include standardized training on “core” skills and focus on defined skill requirements which includes administrative skills, practice group skills and soft skills.

The direct support staff consists of Legal Support Assistants (LSAs), Legal Administrative Assistants (LAAs) and a Team Coordinator who work as high performing teams that are cross-trained to complete work within multiple departments and from multiple attorneys.

Our Manager will develop competency/skill requirements and training curricula, manage performance expectations and goals for continued growth, set goals for high performing teams and identify training when needed to develop those skills.

The Manager of Professional Development – Direct Support, in conjunction with the Directors of Office Administration will:

• review internal reporting (such as the Administrative Resource Center (ARC) and BigHand dashboards);
• obtain feedback from fee-earners, and work with department and practice group leadership to develop and administer standards for required skills; and
• assess direct support staff skills against those standards and tailor recruiting, training, and cross-training programs to address skill gaps
• assist in the development of a knowledge management portal for support staff

While the Manager and the Directors of Office Administration will seek input from lawyers on a regular basis, the ultimate assessment of proficiency and development goals will be the responsibility of the Director of Office Administration.  The program will include training paths for direct support staff to achieve the skills necessary for promotion/progression from LSAs up through Team Coordinator.

The selected candidate will be highly self-motivated and self-directed, have a creative and open-minded approach, solid interpersonal and communication skills and have strong problem solving skills to know when to decide and/or when to seek additional input.  Leadership, organizational, project management and time management skills are essential to be successful in this position. 

Bachelor's degree in a related field and a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in training and/or learning and development. Experience working in a law firm or professional services environment preferred. Must be highly computer literate with proficiency in MS Office 2016 and be knowledgeable with industry specific software.  This a hybrid position primarily working remotely with the flexibility to be on-site periodically as needed if located in Atlanta, Baltimore, Delaware, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Sioux Falls, Salt Lake City or Washington, D.C.

Ballard Spahr is committed to increasing diversity in the legal profession and to supporting the communities where we live and work. People from all backgrounds are valued and integrated into every part of the firm. Diverse candidates including women, people of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, and individuals with a disability are encouraged to apply.

The health, safety and well-being of our Ballard community is a top priority. Therefore, all lawyers and staff are required to be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment. We believe this is the most prudent position to take in order to meet our obligation to provide as safe of a workplace as possible. The firm will provide exemptions and accommodations for medical and religious reasons consistent with applicable law.

The Firm is not accepting resumes from search firms for this position.

Excellent compensation, a comprehensive benefits package and a generous paid time off program is offered.  For immediate consideration, please visit our career page https://jobs.silkroad.com/BallardSpahr/Careers and apply online. 

Ballard Spahr is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a culturally diverse environment. The firm encourages applications from a diverse pool of candidates and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, age, national origin, handicap or disability, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, transgender status, sex stereotyping, genetic information, ancestry, veteran status or any other category protected by applicable law.