New locations. New business ventures. New career opportunities. Working at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is a challenging and rewarding experience. Our firm is recognized as the leader in providing legal and business advice to technology and growth companies at all stages of development. Our broad spectrum of practices and entrepreneurial spirit allow our staff exceptional opportunities for professional growth and exploration.
Research & Information Services Manager, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati seeks a versatile individual to lead a team of talented researchers in the research and information services department at the Firm’s Palo Alto office. Our firm is recognized as the leader in serving technology and growth companies at all stages of development. With an exceptionally innovative client list, the firm seeks to hire forward-thinking individuals who both provide superb day-to-day client service and also take an innovative approach to their work and develop smart solutions. Our broad spectrum of practices and entrepreneurial spirit allow our staff exceptional opportunities for professional growth and exploration.
Summary of Position
The Research & Information Services Manager, reporting to the Director of Knowledge, Research & Information Services, will strategically align the firm’s library collection and reference librarian services with the needs of the firm’s practice groups. This position will promote the current services of the library throughout all offices of the firm and develop new services that anticipate the information needs of the firm’s attorneys and staff. The Research & Information Services Manager will demonstrate a commitment to strong service values along with sound professional judgment, discretion and diplomacy.
With the library function reporting into the firm’s Knowledge Management Department, this position will partner with the knowledge management team to optimize access to both internal (KM) and external (library) information. This position will establish the library and research department as a proactive team able to formulate and implement creative approaches, solutions and value that fit the needs of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati attorneys and their innovative clients.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the library department in continually developing new and innovative solutions that deliver value to our attorneys and clients.
Establish strong relationships with attorneys and practice group leaders to understand their priorities and align the collection, staff and services with the current and future needs of the attorneys.
Evaluate current workflows and establish best practices for library department processes.
Assess library technology needs and work with stakeholders to implement new technology, processes or workflows as may be needed.
Guide development and delivery of targeted research and information resources to persona-driven intranet pages.
Assess the value of the resources in the collection, both print and online; initiate resource changes when appropriate, and oversee associated attorney messaging and change management .
Develop a resources collection development policy and procedure for objective evaluation of new and renewed resources.
Formulate the annual library budget, manage to budget, and align future spend to the strategic goals of the firm’s practice groups.
Manage an experienced team of technical services and reference librarians, and empower them to take on new challenges.
Manage vendor relations and lead contract negotiations; perform forecasting analyses and competitor assessments that inform such negotiations.
Promote library and research services throughout the firm.
Oversee the development and promotion of library resources and services training.
Foster collaborative relationships between the library, knowledge management, marketing, conflicts, and other departments to support their competitive and business intelligence needs.
Liaise with all administrative departments to effectively collaborate on initiatives that enhance the firm’s service to clients.
Manage research and operational needs in national and international offices.
Special projects and additional duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Master’s degree in library/information sciences.
6-10 years law library experience with 3-5 years of supervisory experience.
Experience evaluating and implementing resource monitoring, ILS and related workflow systems.
Experience collecting and analyzing metrics to measure the value of library services.
Experience identifying key performance indicators for library and research services; experience systemically track service levels and the value of third-party resources impacting client successes.
Experience leading vendor contract negotiations; calculating budget forecasts and managing to budget.
Project management experience.
In-depth understanding of the content and functionality of key legal and business research tools.
Experience with intranet content publishing and SharePoint.
Understanding of knowledge management systems is a plus.
Exceptional written and verbal communication and skills.
Strong MS Office skills, particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
Other Requirements:
Position will be based in the firm’s Palo Alto, California, location, with some flexibility to work in part from the firm’s San Francisco office.
We offer a highly competitive salary and benefits package.
