Senior Business Director

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP (www.manatt.com) is a multidisciplinary, integrated national professional services firm known for its quality and extraordinary commitment to clients. The Firm’s groundbreaking hybrid approach brings together under one roof legal services, advocacy, and business strategy. Our multidisciplinary teams collaborate across market-leading practices in health care, financial services, entertainment, digital & technology, and energy, environmental and real estate, tackling complex business challenges with a unique blend of policy insight, legal excellence, and commercial acumen. The firm has eleven offices across the United States, including over 500 attorneys and consulting professionals and more than 350 business and administrative professionals.

Opportunity:

Manatt is seeking a strategic and operationally focused Senior Business Director who will be a senior leader in the Firm. Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer and working closely with the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Client Development and Marketing Officer, the Senior Business Director will play a pivotal role in driving the business performance, strategic initiatives, and operational excellence of the firm’s practice groups. This role will oversee a team of 3–4 business directors and senior managers and will serve as a key liaison between practice leadership and core business functions including Finance/Practice Analytics, Client and Business Development, Strategic Growth (Talent Acquisition) and Professional Development.

This is a high-impact leadership position designed to ensure the effective management and growth of our practice/business units. The role encompasses a broad range of practice management responsibilities, including strategic planning, business operations, lateral integration, and cross-functional coordination.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Practice Group Oversight

• Serve as the senior business lead for assigned practice groups, ensuring alignment with firm-wide strategic goals and operational priorities.

• Partner with practice group leaders to develop and execute strategic business plans, monitor progress, and ensure initiatives are aligned with long-term goals.

• Ensure the buisness unit is managed to produce profitable revenue growth through the integration of staffing, pricing and service delivery, while ensuring exceptional client service.

• Lead and manage a team of business directors and senior managers supporting individual practice groups.

• Facilitate cross-practice collaboration and knowledge sharing across departments.

• Provide strategic analysis and recommendations to practice leadership on business performance, growth opportunities, and operational effectiveness.

Lateral Professional Integration

• Lead the business integration of lateral professionals, ensuring timely and accurate completion of the Lateral Professional Questionnaire (LPQ).

• Coordinate meetings, introductions, and strategic planning to support the successful onboarding and business development of lateral hires.

• Serve as a strategic partner to the Lateral Integration team and practice leadership to oversee and follow up on the end‑to‑end integration of lateral hires, ensuring a high‑touch, experience that supports connectivity, visibility, mentorship, and cross‑practice collaboration across the firm.

• Oversee and coordinate orientation and continuity support for lateral hires, proactively ensuring access to essential resources, key relationships, and business tools throughout the integration lifecycle.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Act as a central liaison between practice groups and firm departments—including Finance/Practice Analytics, Client and Business Development, Strategic Growth (Talent Acquisition), Professional Development.

• Facilitate requests and deliverables between practice groups and business services teams to ensure operational excellence.

• Support the development and execution of business plans, marketing strategies, and client development initiatives in partnership with relevant teams.

• Collaborate with internal departments to resolve operational challenges and implement best practices.

Project Management & Operational Excellence

• Drive execution of key practice group initiatives, ensuring timely delivery and measurable outcomes.

• Research, identify, and implement opportunities to improve practice group operations, leveraging internal and external resources.

• Actively investigate and recommend practice technologies and process improvements to enhance efficiency and client value.

Leadership & Team Development

• Mentor and develop direct reports, fostering a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Provide strategic guidance and oversight to ensure consistent execution across practice groups.

• Lead by example with executive presence, strong communication skills, and the ability to influence and align stakeholders.

• Support professional development, training, and succession planning within practice groups.

• Encourage and support investments in practice group culture, team building, and engagement.

Qualifications:

• MBA required and Bachelor’s degree required.

• Minimum of 10+ years of experience in business operations, practice management, or strategic leadership within a professional services environment (legal, consulting, finance, etc.).

• Proven experience managing teams and leading cross-functional initiatives.

• Exceptional executive presence, communication, and presentation skills.

• Strong financial and analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving capabilities.

• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive change.

• Exceptional strategic business planning skills, with the ability to develop long‑range initiatives that align organizational goals with market opportunities and operational capabilities.

• Demonstrated strength in project management, including the ability to lead complex, cross‑functional initiatives from planning through successful execution

• High level of discretion, judgment, and professionalism.

• Strong client-service orientation and ability to communicate complex information effectively across all levels of the firm.

• Comfortable working independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and business intelligence tools.

The base annual pay range for this role is between $250,000-$350,000. The base pay to be offered will vary and depend on skills and qualifications, experience and location. A full range of medical, financial and/or other benefits dependent on the position will also be offered.

EEO/AA EMPLOYER/Veterans/Disabled

Manatt is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, physical or mental disability, religion, creed, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, sex or gender (including gender identity, gender expression, status as a transgender or transsexual individual, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), age (over 40), genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, sexual orientation, political activity or affiliation, genetic or and any other protected classes or characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Consistent with the American Disabilities Act, applicants may request accommodations needed to participate in the application process.