Director, Digital & Technology Strategy & Execution
Information TechnologyAll Practice AreasAustin, TX, Boston, MA, Charleston, SC, Charlotte, NC, Chicago, IL, Dallas, TX, Durham, NC, Harrisburg, PA, Houston, TX, Irvine, CA, Kansas City, MO, Los Angeles, CA, Miami, FL, Nashville, TN, New York, NY, Newark, NJ, Palo Alto, CA, Pittsburgh, PA, Portland, OR, Raleigh, NC, San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, Washington, DC, Wilmington, DEJob 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. The Director of Digital & Technology Strategy & Execution leads the operational engine of the Firm's Digital & Technology organization. Reporting directly to the Chief Digital & Technology Officer (CDTO), the role serves as the CDTO's principal execution partner, translating strategy into coordinated delivery across the technology function. The Director holds direct oversight of the Project Management Office (PMO) and the IT Business Relationship Manager (BRM) team, and carries an explicit execution mandate to drive the CDTO's priorities from decision to completion. Compensation Salary $170,513 - $341,034/year 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 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. Please be advised that this position requires successful completion of a background check. In accordance with the Washington State Fair Chance Act, Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance, San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the California Fair Chance Act, and applicable law qualified California and Washington State applicants with criminal history records will be considered. A criminal history will not categorically exclude a candidate from employment, and the Firm will consider relevant factors before making employment decisions based on criminal history information. 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.
The position blends the strategic, cross-functional influence of a chief of staff with the delivery accountability of a portfolio and business-relationship leader. It exists to ensure that digital and technology initiatives are planned, resourced, governed, and delivered with excellence and in alignment with the Firm's strategic objectives.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Chiefs, Practice Groups and Business owners and Senior Administration.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
• Serve as the CDTO's principal execution partner, owning delivery of the CDTO's strategic priorities from decision through to measurable completion.
• Act with delegated authority in defined areas, deputizing for the CDTO in meetings and decisions and representing the technology organization to Firm leadership.
• Translate strategy, OKRs, and roadmaps into coordinated, tracked plans with clear owners, milestones, dependencies, and outcomes.
• Maintain a single, authoritative view of the organization's commitments and progress, proactively surfacing risks and issues and driving them to resolution.
• Prepare executive-ready briefings, decision papers, and materials for management committee and board discussions.
• Provide direct leadership to the PMO, setting the operating model, governance, standards, and delivery methodologies.
• Own the technology project and program portfolio end to end: intake, prioritization, sequencing, resourcing, and benefits realization.
• Establish consistent portfolio reporting across scope, schedule, budget, risk, and value, ensuring timely and accurate status to the CDTO and stakeholders.
• Direct project financial planning and forecasting, aligning portfolio spend with approved budgets and the Firm's investment priorities.
• Mature delivery capability, tooling, and standards, and coach and develop project and program managers.
• Lead the team of IT Business Relationship Managers who connect technology with the Firm's practice groups and business functions.
• Own demand management: capturing, shaping, and qualifying business needs into a prioritized, transparent pipeline.
• Ensure BRMs build trusted partnerships with practice and functional leaders, translating business strategy into technology outcomes.
• Align technology investment with business value and total cost of ownership, and support robust business-case development and prioritization.
• Orchestrate the annual and quarterly planning cadence for the technology organization, ensuring alignment with Firm strategy and budget.
• Establish and run governance forums, decision rights, and portfolio review cadences.
• Define, track, and report the KPIs, OKRs, and operational metrics that measure the health and impact of the technology organization.
• Design and continuously improve the operating rhythm of the Office of the CDTO, including leadership meetings, agendas, goal-setting, and reviews.
• Develop and deliver the technology organization's internal communications, driving alignment and consensus across teams.
• Lead, coach, and develop the PMO and BRM teams, setting objectives, managing performance, and building a high-performing, service-oriented culture.
• Oversee resourcing, recruitment, and retention across the teams.
EXPERIENCE & SKILLS REQUIRED
• Bachelor's degree in business, information systems, computer science, or a related field; an MBA or relevant master's degree is preferred.
• Ten or more years of progressive experience in technology strategy, delivery, or operations leadership, including substantial PMO or portfolio responsibility and business-relationship management.
• Five or more years leading and developing teams, ideally in a chief-of-staff, technology business-operations, PMO, or management-consulting capacity.
• Demonstrated success translating executive strategy into delivered outcomes across a complex, matrixed organization.
• Experience in a professional services, legal, or comparably client-driven environment is strongly preferred.
• Relevant certifications are an advantage, such as PMP, PgMP, or PfMP for project and portfolio management and ITIL or BRMP for service and relationship management.
• Executive presence and the credibility to operate as a trusted advisor
• Exceptional program and portfolio management discipline and operational rigor.t
• Strong financial acumen across budgeting, forecasting, and value and ROI management.
• Outstanding communication, facilitation, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to handle confidential and sensitive matters.
• The ability to prioritize under pressure and keep multiple workstreams on track at pace.
• Sufficient fluency in core technology domains such as cloud, data, cybersecurity, application delivery, and AI to lead cross-functional delivery.