Careers at Drexel

Job Summary

The Director of Legal Administration provides strategic, financial, and operational leadership for the Office of the General Counsel (OGC). This role supports the Senior Vice President & General Counsel (SVP & GC) and manages the administrative, budgetary, personnel, and operational functions of the office. The Director ensures efficient, compliant, and effective legal operations and serves as a key liaison to Budget, Human Resources, Facilities, and other administrative partners.  

Essential Functions

• Executive Support to the SVP & GC
  • Serve as senior administrative partner to the SVP & GC, providing high level executive, operational, and strategic support.
  • Manage complex calendars, scheduling, and meeting logistics; prepare briefing materials and collateral for internal and external meetings; prepare correspondence and track workload. • Coordinate travel arrangements and related reimbursements.
  • Assist with special initiatives, projects, and time sensitive matters as directed by the SVP & GC, including but not limited to Conflict-of-Interest Program for trustees and compliance with annual external and internal audits.
• Budget & Financial Management.
  • Serve as Budget Manager for the OGC with responsibility for financial planning, oversight, and reporting.
  • Act as primary liaison to the Budget Office on budgeting, forecasting, and preparation of annual budget submissions.
  • Manage all aspects of the OGC finances, including monitoring expenditures, preparing financial reports and analysis as needed, facilitating informed decision making and promoting fiscal responsibility.
  • Oversee vendor and outside counsel engagements; prepare engagement letters and process invoices using procurement system (Ariba).
  • Prepare all check requests for payment of OGC bills; prepare and track all travel reimbursements, petty cash transactions and deposits; prepare monthly credit card reconciliations for the OGC and the SVP & GC.
• Personnel & Human Resources Administration
  • Manage personnel administration for the Office of SVP & GC, including employment actions and transactional processes (e.g., EPAF, PageUp).
  • Serve as liaison to Human Resources on recruitment, onboarding, employee relations, and policy interpretation.
  • Supervise and manage Legal Assistant, including setting performance expectations, conducting evaluations, and supporting professional development.
  • Support staff planning and organizational alignment within the OGC.
• Office Management & Operations
  • Direct day to day administrative and operational functions of the OGC.
  • Oversee ordering and management of office supplies, equipment, and services.
  • Maintain professional organization memberships, subscriptions, and other office resources.
  • Serve as liaison to Facilities on space planning, maintenance, file management, record keeping, and general office needs.
  • Oversee management of office website, assist with preparation of office annual report.
  • Establish and maintain administrative procedures to improve efficiency, consistency, and compliance.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree or the equivalent combination of education and work experience. (Please review the Equivalency Chart for additional information.)
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience providing senior level administrative, operational, and financial support within a legal office or similarly complex environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing departmental budgets, including forecasting, monitoring expenditures, reconciling accounts, and preparing financial reports.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including data analysis and reporting to support legal and financial operations, such as:
  • Analyzing outside counsel invoices and legal billing data to identify trends, variances, and cost drivers.
  • Using pivot tables, formulas, lookup functions, filters, and summary reports to manage large datasets related to legal spend.
  • Developing budget to actual analyses, accrual tracking, and forecasting models.
  • Creating clear, executive level financial reports to support decision making.
• Experience managing vendor and external counsel payment processes, including invoice review and compliance with billing guidelines.
• Working knowledge of contract administration and recordkeeping practices.
• Proven supervisory experience, including staff performance management and development.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem solving skills, with the ability to manage confidential information with discretion.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends to assist with unexpected urgent matters that may arise.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work effectively with senior leadership and administrative partners.

Location

• University City - Philadelphia, PA

Additional Information
This position is classified as Exempt, grade N. Compensation for this grade ranges from $ 90,430.00 to $ 135,640.00 per year. Please note that the offered rate for this position typically aligns with the minimum to midrange of this grade, but it can vary based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review.

Applicants are encouraged to explore the Professional Staff salary structure and Compensation Guidelines & Policies for more details on Drexel’s compensation framework. For information about benefits, please review Drexel’s Benefits Brochure.

Special Instructions to the Applicant
Please make sure you upload your CV/resume and cover letter when submitting your application.

A review of applicants will begin once a suitable candidate pool is identified.