Sr Manager, Legal Operations
Gilead Sciences
August 13, 2026
On-site
San Francisco Bay Area
Corporate Functions
Senior Manager, Legal Operations
Responsibilities
- Manage and continuously optimize a global law firm panel to ensure competitive pricing across practice areas and geographies.
- Support RFP processes and evaluation frameworks assessing quality, value, strategic fit, and price.
- Manage outside counsel agreements (hourly/blended rates, volume discounts, and AFAs such as fixed fees/fee caps).
- Maintain rate benchmarking using market data to support approvals, review cycles, and negotiation strategy.
- Coordinate outside counsel management infrastructure (OCGs, engagement letters, billing policies, matter budgeting, staffing approvals).
- Serve as primary relationship manager for strategic law firm relationships re operations and billing.
- Identify opportunities to shift work to lower-cost providers and ALSPs.
- Support annual legal budgeting and monthly forecasting; track exposure, matters, and budget impact.
- Oversee TeamConnect eBilling/matter management usage (engagement and support).
- Oversee ebilling workflows and coordinate spend reporting/dashboards.
- Develop and maintain SOPs, playbooks, and training; implement billing compliance controls (LEDES, timekeeper rate approvals, guideline validations, invoice review).
- Automate manual billing/reporting workflows to reduce admin burden and improve data accuracy.
- Enhance dashboards/reports, communicate insights to stakeholders, and develop KPIs/scorecards for firm performance.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree and 8 years’ experience OR Master’s degree and 6 years’ experience OR Ph.D.
- 7+ years progressive, hands-on experience in legal operations/legal finance/in-house legal billing with direct responsibility for outside counsel management and/or e-billing in a large complex organization.
- Expertise in rate negotiation, AFA structuring, and billing guideline enforcement.
- Proficiency with enterprise e-billing/matter management platforms (TeamConnect or equivalent).
- Experience with rate benchmarking tools/market data.
- Strong communication; ability to partner across Legal, Finance, Procurement, and IT and influence without direct authority.
- Experience in global pharmaceutical/biotech or similarly regulated industry.
- Familiarity with CLOC or other Legal Ops competency frameworks.
People Leader Accountabilities (Create Inclusion, Develop Talent, Empower Teams)
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary range: $157,590.00–$203,940.00. Eligible for discretionary bonus/long-term incentives, paid time off, and company-sponsored medical/dental/vision/life insurance.
Application
- For current employees/contractors: apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.
Responsibilities
- Manage and continuously optimize a global law firm panel to ensure competitive pricing across practice areas and geographies.
- Support RFP processes and evaluation frameworks assessing quality, value, strategic fit, and price.
- Manage outside counsel agreements (hourly/blended rates, volume discounts, and AFAs such as fixed fees/fee caps).
- Maintain rate benchmarking using market data to support approvals, review cycles, and negotiation strategy.
- Coordinate outside counsel management infrastructure (OCGs, engagement letters, billing policies, matter budgeting, staffing approvals).
- Serve as primary relationship manager for strategic law firm relationships re operations and billing.
- Identify opportunities to shift work to lower-cost providers and ALSPs.
- Support annual legal budgeting and monthly forecasting; track exposure, matters, and budget impact.
- Oversee TeamConnect eBilling/matter management usage (engagement and support).
- Oversee ebilling workflows and coordinate spend reporting/dashboards.
- Develop and maintain SOPs, playbooks, and training; implement billing compliance controls (LEDES, timekeeper rate approvals, guideline validations, invoice review).
- Automate manual billing/reporting workflows to reduce admin burden and improve data accuracy.
- Enhance dashboards/reports, communicate insights to stakeholders, and develop KPIs/scorecards for firm performance.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree and 8 years’ experience OR Master’s degree and 6 years’ experience OR Ph.D.
- 7+ years progressive, hands-on experience in legal operations/legal finance/in-house legal billing with direct responsibility for outside counsel management and/or e-billing in a large complex organization.
- Expertise in rate negotiation, AFA structuring, and billing guideline enforcement.
- Proficiency with enterprise e-billing/matter management platforms (TeamConnect or equivalent).
- Experience with rate benchmarking tools/market data.
- Strong communication; ability to partner across Legal, Finance, Procurement, and IT and influence without direct authority.
- Experience in global pharmaceutical/biotech or similarly regulated industry.
- Familiarity with CLOC or other Legal Ops competency frameworks.
People Leader Accountabilities (Create Inclusion, Develop Talent, Empower Teams)
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary range: $157,590.00–$203,940.00. Eligible for discretionary bonus/long-term incentives, paid time off, and company-sponsored medical/dental/vision/life insurance.
Application
- For current employees/contractors: apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.