Director of Practice Operations; Houston or Washington DC

The Director of Practice Operations is a strategic leader responsible for driving operational excellence and supporting the growth of the energy practice initially, and then additional practices at Steptoe LLP. This role partners with the energy Practice Group Leader (PGL), as well as other PGLs, business services teams, and firm leadership to implement a scalable and sustainable framework for practice management across the firm.

The Director will help align business and operational resources to meet client development, financial, and talent goals while fostering cross-functional collaboration and innovation.

• Collaborate initially with the energy practice group and business leaders to develop strategic growth plans, and over time collaborate with additional groups.
• Partner with PGL(s) to define practice priorities and business objectives, and then assess implementation of same.
• Contribute to firm-wide initiatives, ensuring alignment with long-term strategy.
• Contribute to aligning business and operational resources to meet client development, financial, and talent goals while fostering cross-functional collaboration and innovation and focusing on growth of profitable revenue for practice group(s).

• Design and implement practice management structures to support long-term scalability.
• Lead operational process improvements and change management initiatives.
• Establish KPIs and reporting frameworks to track operational performance and strategic goal progress.

• Collaborate with Finance to obtain reporting and monitor financial metrics (e.g., utilization, billings, collections, write-downs) and work with lawyers for them to meet financial performance expectations.
• Lead practice budgeting and forecasting efforts.
• Oversee revenue goals, expense control, and client reporting.
• Collaborate with pricing teams to assess rate structures and alternative fee arrangements.

• Support attorney development and retention by partnering with People Operations (including Talent Acquisition, Professional Development, Training and Learning).
• Provide first-level vetting of candidates.
• Monitor workload and implement resource allocation protocols.

• Work with Marketing and Business Development to implement growth, client, and business initiatives.
• Monitor business development budgets and ROI on client outreach.
• Support cross-practice collaboration and facilitate client targeting strategies.

• Drive adoption of legal tech tools and knowledge-sharing platforms.
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes through innovation and automation.

• Serve as a liaison between legal professionals and business services departments (e.g., Finance, Marketing, etc.).
• Ensure integrated support for practice operations across functions.

• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Minimum 8–10 years of experience in law firm management, legal operations, or professional services leadership
• Demonstrated experience in operational leadership, team management, and strategic execution
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, reporting, and data analysis
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and business analytics tools
• Proven ability to influence and collaborate across stakeholder groups
• Exceptional communication, organizational, and project management skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment

• Advanced degree (MBA, JD, or related field)
• Experience with practice management or legal operations in an AmLaw firm
• Familiarity with practice management software, business intelligence platforms, and document management systems
• Exposure to legal pricing, profitability models, or alternative fee arrangements

• Strategic thinker with a solution-oriented mindset
• High emotional intelligence and interpersonal savvy
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to guide cross-functional teams
• Ability to thrive in a hybrid, collaborative, and…