Senior Billing Manager

Gibson Dunn is a leading global law firm, advising clients on significant transactions and disputes. Our exceptional teams craft and deploy creative legal strategies that are meticulously tailored to every matter, however complex or high-stakes. The firm’s work is distinguished by a unique combination of precision and vision.

Based in Los Angeles, Century City, Orange County, San Francisco, or Palo Alto, the Senior Billing Manager will be an integral part of the Billing Team. The Senior Billing Manager will provide exemplary internal and external client customer service and support on behalf of the Billing Department, while ensuring an adherence to firm and client policies.

The Senior Billing Manager will need to demonstrate considerable independent judgment, diplomacy, and initiative in resolving problems and handling confidential matters, including coordinating with involved parties to ensure that appropriate communication is consistently maintained. The candidate must be very flexible and highly committed to quality, customer service, teamwork and supporting Firm and department goals in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities include:

• Managing, training, motivating, and leading a team of direct reports (comprising of Billing Managers, Billing Supervisors, Sr. Billing Specialists, and Billing Specialists) and contributing to the development, training, and advancement of the team by setting goals for performance and deadlines that comply with the Billing Department’s plans and vision.
• Regularly meeting with Billing Managers and Billing Supervisors to identify problematic inventory for members of the Billing Team, addressing roadblocks preventing billing submissions, and providing recommendations to the Billing Leadership Team regarding the best course of action for their direct reports to undertake to resolve issues.
• Coordinating with the Billing Management Team to identify the major competencies required for all levels of the Billing Team, where deficiencies in these competencies exist, and administering training to their team members to correct deficiencies.
• Expertly managing the WIP, A/R, and on-account inventories of assigned team’s partners and offering guidance to ensure inventories are accurate and up to date.
• Liaising with billing attorney/secretary, members of the Billing and eBilling Teams, and various teams within Accounting, Finance, and Pricing to coordinate corrective action when addressing and resolving issues preventing billing by providing expert-level, subject matter support.
• Performing ad hoc analyses of complex client accounts regarding billing histories, matter performance metrics, and reduced and rejected invoices, and presenting this information that adheres to the highest level of client service standards and expectations within a law firm and professional services environment.
• Managing complex Alternative Fee Arrangements (AFAs), including fixed fees, blended rates, caps, and retainers, and ensuring accurate tracking and client reporting of fee arrangement performance.
• Working collaboratively with the Billing Supervisors and Managers as a team member to support current billing processes, schedules, and workloads that promote effective work practices for the Billing Team and completing special projects and ad-hoc requests regarding various issues as needed.
• Driving process improvement and technology adoption initiatives, including evaluating and implementing billing automation tools and AI-assisted invoice review to increase team efficiency and accuracy.

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated ability to lead, develop, and retain high-performing billing teams across multiple offices or time zones, including conducting performance evaluations and succession planning.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment, considerable tact in resolving problems and handling confidential matters.
• Strong strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate billing data and trends into actionable recommendations for firm leadership.
• Applicant should be able to manage competing requests and prioritize according to firm and client deadlines.
• Advanced proficiency in data analysis and financial reporting, including Excel and billing system reporting tools.
• Position requires outstanding written and verbal communication skills and excellent organizational skills.
• Applicant must have exemplary customer service, be highly motivated, team-oriented and have an ownership mentality.
• Flexibility to work overtime and weekends, based on department needs, is required.

Experience:

• College degree is preferred, but not necessary.
• Minimum of ten years of legal billing experience, including a minimum of five years in a management or senior leadership role, is required.
• Experience managing billing operations across multiple offices or jurisdictions, including familiarity with international billing requirements, is strongly preferred.
• Relevant experience working in a similar position in a law firm of 500+ lawyers or similar professional services organization preferred.
• Experience working with eBillingHub or BillBlast is preferred and experience working with Aderant billing software is a plus.
• Candidate must have strong technology skills, including MS Office Suite, and an ability to leverage technology in work processes.
• Demonstrated experience with process improvement, change management, or billing system implementations is a plus.

Gibson Dunn will consider for employment qualified Applicants with Criminal Histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of local law.

The annual compensation range for this position is $250-300k. The salary offered within this range will depend upon qualifications and other operational considerations.

Benefits offered for this position include health care; retirement benefits; paid days off, including sick time, and vacation time; parental leave; basic life insurance; Flexible Spending Accounts; as well as discretionary, performance-based bonuses.