Manager, Professional Development

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.

At K&L Gates, our Professional Development (PD) team is dedicated to fostering a culture of continuous learning, growth, and collaboration. We design and deliver innovative and impactful programs that support every stage of career development, from new lawyer onboarding to senior leadership training. Working closely with practice areas, firm leadership, and external partners, the PD team plays a critical role in building the skills, experiences, and relationships that enable our lawyers to deliver exceptional client service and achieve their professional goals. Our global approach ensures that lawyers across all offices have access to innovative, high-impact development opportunities tailored to their needs and aspirations.

Position Summary:

The Professional Development Manager is responsible for designing, implementing, and managing initiatives that support the professional growth, training, and career development of our lawyers and allied professionals across global offices. This role works closely with Practice Area Leaders, Office Managing Partners, firm leadership, and the wider People team to implement impactful training and initiatives. This is a hybrid opportunity.
 

Key Responsibilities:

• Training and Development:
  • Design, coordinate, and deliver firm-wide and practice-specific training curricula, including substantive legal skills, leadership, and business development workshops.
  • Partner with internal stakeholders and external vendors to create engaging learning opportunities.
  • In collaboration with the CLE Specialist, monitor CLE requirements; oversee CLE accreditation and reporting processes.
• Career Development and Coaching:
  • Provide guidance and career coaching to associates regarding skills development, practice growth, and firm expectations.
  • Manage mentoring programs and facilitate connection opportunities between lawyers and mentors/sponsors.
• Orientation and Integration:
  • Plan and execute Summer Associate programs, First Year Virtual Academy, and practice-specific First Year training
  • Lead onboarding programs for new lawyers and lateral hires to ensure successful integration into the firm.
  • Partner with HR and recruiting to align onboarding with long-term talent development goals.
• Strategic Initiatives:
  • Lead or contribute to the planning and execution of firm-wide Professional Development events such as the Global Associate Symposium, Leadership College for New Partners, mini-MBA, other experiential programming, and practice-based retreats;
  • Collaborate on talent retention, opportunity & inclusion initiatives, and well-being programs.
  • Analyze metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of professional development programs and recommend improvements.
• Global Coordination:
  • Coordinate with PD colleagues across offices to ensure consistency in development initiatives while allowing for local tailoring.
  • Share best practices globally and foster a cohesive professional development culture across regions.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree required; JD or other advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of demonstrated experience in designing and facilitating education programs and leading talent management initiatives in a multi-office law firm.
• Strong understanding of lawyer career progression and competencies, and a working understanding of CLE requirements.
• Excellent project management, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to build strong relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders across multiple locations.
• Proficiency with learning management systems (LMS) and Microsoft Office Suite; experience with PD/talent development software is a plus.
• High degree of professionalism, confidentiality, and sound judgment.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with a global team.
• This position requires occasional travel to other K&L Gates locations.
• Preferred Attributes:
• Experience working in an international or multi-office environment.
• Ability to balance both managerial and consultative tasks as well as administrative responsibilities of program execution.
• Coaching certification or experience in providing career coaching is a plus.

Note: Nothing in this job description restricts the firm’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this position at any time. Information provided represents the usual method of accomplishing the duties in this job.  Reasonable accommodations will be considered in appropriate circumstances.

Compensation Salary $94,000 - $176,000

The compensation salary for this position will be determined during the interview process and will vary based on multiple factors, including but not limited to prior experience, relevant expertise, current business needs, and market factors.

ABOUT THE FIRM

K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with lawyers located across five continents in more than 40 offices. 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 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.

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.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

BENEFITS

K&L Gates offers our personnel a comprehensive suite of benefits to help meet your needs now and in the future. Depending on your eligibility, options for full-time personnel include:

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 will not be influenced or affected by virtue of a person’s race (including traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles such as afros, braids, locks, and twists), religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, gender, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, familial status, domestic violence victim status, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local 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 prohibited harassment of any kind including, without limitation, that which is based on sex, race, age, disability, ethnic background, or any other category protected by law (including the categories listed above). The Firm complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please contact askHR@klgates.com.