Custom Development - Team Lead

Job Description

At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard-working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to join us.  Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place.

Custom Development, Team Lead

The global law firm of K&L Gates LLP has an immediate need for a Custom Development Team Lead to join its Pittsburgh office.  Candidates must be self-starters who possess the ability to work independently and as part of a team. Excellent communication skills and a commitment to providing the highest quality client service are strongly preferred.

Primary Responsibilities

• Responsible for all aspects of software development process, including but not limited to: process, adherence to the methodology, code standards, architecture goals, quality control, and department procedures (time reporting, status reporting, expectations agreements, etc.). This is done to assure quality and consistency of the work product of the Custom Development department. 

• Responsible for all aspects of the management of the assigned staff in the department including staffing, compensation, performance management, training and development, administrative forms/procedures, succession planning and to motivate the team to achieve business objectives and maintain a favorable employee relations climate.  Responsible for managing the Programmer/Analyst and Jr. Programmer/Analyst roles.

• Investigate and facilitate the development of new approaches and techniques for possible implementation individually or through staff. 

• Assess the relative impact of emerging technology to strategic operating needs and interpret its meaning in relation to the Firm and raises awareness.

Secondary Responsibilities

• Manage the evaluation, selection, acquisition and implementation of tools utilized by the Custom Development function.  Partner with key vendors such as Microsoft, Metastorm, IntApp, Handshake, etc. to ensure that the Firm is fully leveraging the investment in their tools. 

• Proactively and routinely meet with vendors to identify opportunities for training and development as well as maintain communication on future versions and strategic direction and how it relates to our environment.  Ensure that communication with supported areas within the firm is frequent, timely, open and responsive. 

• Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders to further understand their business needs.  Provide advice and guidance in requirements definition, business process redesign and managing change, planning and prioritization. 

• Work closely with other peer members of the Application Development Leadership group and IT management at large.  Work closely with peer managers at all touch points of the Custom Development function and SDLC and with their responsible function.

Education Required

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Computer Science or Information Systems

Experience Required

• 5+ years overall experience in application development

• 2+ years of applicable experience managing mid-sized application development teams

• Strong experience with the following applications, tools and development languages:  Visual Studio 2005/2008/2010, C#, VB.Net, JavaScript, jQuery, Ajax, ASP.NET both MVC and Webforms, Team Foundation Server, MS SQL Server, IIS, .NET 2.0 - .NET 4.0, SharePoint architecture, MS SQL Reporting Services, mobile development tools/techniques

• Strong experience with development design patterns (Singleton, Factory, etc.), OOP, MVC, TDD/Unit Testing, and software architecture concepts

• Strong experience in continuous integration including automated builds, source control management, and automated deployment

• Intimate knowledge of Agile software development practices including SCRUM methodologies

• Ability to multi-task, work under pressure, think analytically, and communicate effectively

ABOUT THE FIRM

K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with approximately 2,000 lawyers across five continents. We have experienced dramatic growth in the past decade and now rank among the largest U.S. based law firms in the world.  We take pride in constantly striving for innovation, imagination and an entrepreneurial spirit. We come up with big ideas and then roll up our sleeves to get the job done, guiding our clients through their most complex issues in a variety of industry sectors and across multiple regions of the world.

The industry recognition the firm has garnered in the past five years emanates from the foundation of a global community aligned on behalf of our clients. The people at K&L Gates are committed to working together to create a legacy for each other, the firm, our clients, and the communities in which we serve. We thrive in an inclusive and socially conscious environment that embraces diversity and takes a holistic approach to the career evolution of all our professionals.

To learn what makes us different from other law firms, including our collaborative approach, entrepreneurial spirit, and our commitment to diversity, check out our video, “Grow Your Career at K&L Gates.”

If you agree that we are different from other law firms - and the right place for you to grow your career - please apply for this position.  For more information or to view other job opportunities, please click here to go back to our careers page.

Notice: We participate in E-Verify in certain Firm locations for purposes of verifying employment eligibility.

BENEFITS

We offer a dynamic work environment and excellent benefits.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Firm is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Firm that employment decisions shall be based on merit, qualifications and competence. Employment practices shall not be influenced or affected by virtue of a person’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, military status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. This policy governs all aspects of employment including, without limitation, recruiting, hiring, compensation, benefits, promotion, assignment and dismissal. In addition, it is the Firm’s policy to provide an environment that is free of unlawful harassment of any kind including, without limitation, that which is sexual, racial, age-related, disability-related or ethnic background-related.