Location: New York or Washington, DC
Schedule: 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
FLSA: Exempt
Position Type: Full-Time/Regular
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. We are currently seeking a Director of Well-Being in the Human Resources department, reporting to the Chief Human Resources Officer.
The role can reside in the New York or Washington, DC office with hybrid work capabilities and will be responsible for directing and overseeing strategic and tactical well-being programs, initiatives and solutions to enhance the physical, emotional, financial and community/social well-being of our global population. Responsibilities also include the continuous evaluation and measurement of well-being initiatives to foster and support a positive and inclusive workplace culture that prioritizes the holistic wellness of our lawyers and business professionals. The Director of Well-Being is expected to serve as a positive role model and mentor, and to perform all responsibilities with a commitment to providing superior service to the firm's attorneys, advisors and staff, efficient and effective departmental operations, and an atmosphere of teamwork and continuous improvement.
Key responsibilities of this position include : Strategic Program Oversight - Direct and lead the firm's global BeWell well-being program, including events and other programming tailored to the evolving needs and interests of our personnel, and in support of the firm's pillars of well-being: physical, mental, financial and social/community.
- Oversee the firm's well-being technology platform and associated well-being financial incentive program, ensuring that the firm's well-being technology remains effective, creative, engaging and market-leading.
- Serve as the primary senior contact and active strategic participant with wellness organizations with which the firm partners, and programs and products the firm utilizes; and oversee the identification and roll-out of new vendors and products.
- Oversee the firm's global on-site mental health advisor program, mental health awareness programming, and Guide (EAP) program.
- Oversee the HealthEquity/WageWorks Fitness and Well-Being Reimbursement program, ensuring it continues to engage with and meet the needs of firm personnel in support of their fitness and overall well-being.
- Oversee the firm's charitable giving platform and vendor relationship in support of social well-being, working with firm leadership on giving campaigns and programs.
- Attend external well-being conferences, summits and other programs, and otherwise monitor well-being trends and advise on potential new and creative ways to address global well-being challenges in the legal industry and more broadly.
Strategic Collaboration - Benefits: Assist with benefit design that supports well-being.
- Talent: Assist in designing and executing well-being programming for lawyer and business services orientations, onboarding and academies; partner training, etc.
- Leave Administration, Legal Personnel and Practice Management: Develop and oversee well-being programs that support personnel returning from leaves of absence, with special focus on mental health-related leaves.
- DEI: Advise on and assist with well-being efforts that support and intersect with the firm's diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging efforts.
Strategic Data Collection & Analysis, Metrics and Reporting - Design, manage and analyze well-being metrics and progress towards firm well-being goals based on feedback from engagement surveys, assessments, evaluations, external survey results, etc., with the goals of measuring the impact and effectiveness of programming and developing a culture of data-driven decision-making.
- Oversee the creation of all well-being-related communication materials and maintenance of an updated library for external client surveys, industry surveys, firm social media outlets, legal press interviews, etc.
- In consultation with the CHRO and Chief Talent Officer, prepare and effectively manage the budget allocated to well-being programs, ensuring maximum impact and measurable return on investment.
Qualifications (Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities): - 4-year college degree required; an advanced degree preferred
- Minimum of 5 years of related strategic and tactical wellness program development experience, preferably in a law firm or other professional services organization, with at least 2 years of experience in a managerial or supervisory capacity
- Certification in wellness coaching, health promotion or related fields a plus
- Demonstrated senior-level expertise and knowledge of holistic well-being resources, policies, practices and legal requirements pertaining to wellness programs
- Demonstrated knowledge of and passion for holistic wellness to include physical, financial, psychological and community initiatives, including physical fitness, nutrition, mental health and stress management.
- Demonstrated senior management and leadership knowledge, skills and abilities, including the ability to leverage internal and external business relationships in support of department and firm goals
- Ability to establish and build credibility as a knowledgeable and trusted senior advisor and function as a strong role model within the firm
- Demonstrated experience in the principles of change management, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
- Superior emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills, including strong oral communication skills and the ability to engage and motivate personnel at all levels of the firm
- Demonstrated project management and organizations skills, and strong attention to detail.
- Excellent communications skills, including the ability to draft and execute complex communications including policies, procedures, instructional documents, etc.
- Ability to work independently and with a team
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and adjust to changing priorities in a professional manner
- Willingness and ability to assume new tasks and responsibilities, with a consistent growth mindset
- Ability to work well under pressure, facilitate solutions, and meet deadlines and milestones for assigned projects
- Unfailing commitment to the confidentiality of firm, department and employee information; discretion and demonstrated common sense; and adherence to the firm's guiding principles
- Demonstrated knowledge of MS Office, including Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint
- Ability to work extended hours to fulfill time-sensitive responsibilities
- Availability to travel as necessary
The base salary range for this position in New York and Washington, DC is $200,000 to $240,000. Additional information about benefits and rewards can be found here .
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP participates in E-Verify for purposes of verifying employment eligibility #LI-DNI
