Assistant Director: Digital Workplace and Productivity Platforms
Overview
Mayer Brown is an international law firm positioned to represent the world’s major corporations, funds, and financial institutions in their most important and complex transactions and disputes. We are recognized by our clients as strategic partners with deep commercial instincts and a commitment to creatively anticipating their needs and delivering excellence in everything we do.
We are a collegial, collaborative firm where highly motivated individuals with an unwavering commitment to excellence receive the opportunity, support, and development they need to grow, thrive, and realize their greatest potential all while supporting the Firm’s client service principles of excellence, strategic partnership, commercial instinct, integrated strengths, innovation, and collaboration across our international firm.
If you thrive in a collaborative environment that values exceptional client service, initiative, professionalism, responsiveness, and adaptability, we invite you to consider joining our Information Technology department in our Chicago office as an Assistant Director: Digital Workplace and Productivity Platforms.
The Assistant Director: Digital Workplace and Productivity Platforms is a senior technology leader responsible for the strategy, transformation, engineering, and lifecycle management of the Firm's end-user computing, desktop applications, endpoint platforms, and digital workplace services globally. This role will lead the ongoing transformation of the Firm’s desktop technology and end-user services to cloud-based, automated, and agile operating models, partnering closely with Infrastructure, Security, Data, Platforms, and Support leadership to deliver secure, stable, and modern user experiences at scale. The role is accountable for building a high-performing organization, driving measurable service improvement, and ensuring the Firm's user-facing technology estate evolves in line with business needs and enterprise architecture.
Responsibilities
Essential Functions:
Digital Workplace Strategy & Transformation
- Define and execute a global digital workplace and desktop applications strategy aligned with Firm priorities, enterprise architecture, and user needs
- Lead the continued transformation of end-user computing, application delivery, and workplace services toward cloud-based, automated, and agile operating models
- Establish roadmaps, priorities, governance, and success measures for strategic initiatives across endpoint, desktop applications, workplace experience, and service modernization
Endpoint, Application & Cloud Engineering
- Own the global endpoint environment, including Windows endpoints, mobile platforms, endpoint lifecycle standards, and enterprise desktop application delivery
- Oversee modern endpoint management capabilities, including Intune, device management, software deployment, and lifecycle automation
- Lead virtual workspace and cloud-based end-user computing platforms, including Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, and related Microsoft technologies, as appropriate
Cross-Functional Technology Leadership
- Partner closely with Infrastructure, Security, Data, Platforms, Service Management, and Support leaders to define and deliver an integrated end-user technology roadmap
- Ensure user-facing technologies are aligned to enterprise standards for architecture, security, observability, automation, supportability, and resilience
- Act as a senior stakeholder and collaborator on cross-functional initiatives that impact endpoint, identity, access, productivity, application delivery, and workplace experience
Automation, AI & Service Improvement
- Drive automation-first service design and support models to improve stability, reduce manual effort, and increase operational efficiency
- Identify and implement practical AI-enabled and data-driven capabilities that enhance IT operations, user productivity, support quality, and service insight
- Introduce proactive monitoring, predictive analytics, and continuous improvement practices to reduce recurring issues and improve service outcomes
Security, Risk & Compliance
- Embed security-by-design principles into endpoint, desktop application, and digital workplace services in partnership with Security leadership
- Ensure services meet Firm requirements for compliance, endpoint protection, patching, configuration standards, and secure access
- Support the maturation of Zero Trust-aligned controls and secure operational practices across the user technology estate
Digital Employee Experience & Service Quality
- Measure and improve digital employee experience across devices, applications, and workplace services using meaningful operational and experience-based metrics
- Own service quality, resilience, and continuous improvement for digital workplace and desktop application services
- Drive root-cause reduction, standardization, self-service, and automation to improve stability and reduce service friction
Leadership & Organizational Development
- Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing global team, including managers and technical professionals, with clear accountability for performance and outcomes
- Build organizational capability in modern endpoint management, cloud services, automation, agile delivery, and service excellence
- Create strong operating rhythms, role clarity, and cross-team collaboration to support delivery at scale
Vendor, Financial & Portfolio Management
- Manage vendors, contracts, licensing, and budgets across the digital workplace, endpoint, and desktop application portfolio
- Optimize spend, commercial performance, and service value while maintaining resilience and user experience
- Provide leadership visibility into priorities, risks, service performance, roadmap progress, and investment needs
Qualifications, Experience and Personal Attributes
Education/Training/Certifications:
Professional Experience:
- 10+ years of progressive IT experience across end-user computing, digital workplace, desktop engineering, productivity platforms, or related enterprise technology domains
- Significant people leadership experience, including leading managers and technical teams in a global, multi-location environment
- Demonstrated experience leading large-scale transformation of desktop, endpoint, and workplace technologies toward cloud-based, automated, and service-oriented operating models
- Proven experience partnering across infrastructure, security, platform, support, and architecture teams to deliver integrated technology solutions
- Experience operating in a complex, high-expectation professional services environment preferred
Technical Skills:
- Deep understanding of enterprise endpoint management, desktop application delivery, and modern digital workplace services
- Strong knowledge of Microsoft end-user and cloud technologies, including Intune, Microsoft 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, and related management and automation capabilities
- Experience with software deployment, endpoint lifecycle automation, virtual desktop technologies, and secure remote access platforms
- Strong understanding of endpoint security principles, configuration standards, patching, compliance, and operational resilience
- Familiarity with digital employee experience, monitoring, observability, and service management practices
Performance Traits:
- Executive presence and strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively across senior leadership, peers, technical teams, and vendors
- Strong strategic thinking, judgment, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to balance innovation, resilience, standardization, risk, and user experience
- Ability to lead through change, influence without direct authority, and align diverse teams around common outcomes
- Strong customer and service orientation, with the ability to anticipate needs and exercise sound independent judgment
- Ability to work under pressure, manage shifting priorities, and deliver against deadlines in a demanding global environment
- Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, confidentiality, and discretion
- Continuous improvement mindset with the courage to challenge legacy practices constructively
Management Accountabilities
- Manages processes for direct reports in regard to performance appraisals, annual compensation, goal setting, coaching, and performance counseling
- Accountable for organizational design, talent development, succession planning, and recruitment for the function
- Owns operational budget analysis, recommendations, vendor oversight, and commercial decision support
- Establishes priorities, governance, and effective delegation to improve workflow efficiency and service delivery outcomes
Physical Requirements
- May require occasional lifting of up to 20 lbs.
- May require travel to other offices as needed
This description is not exhaustive, and the Firm may modify it at any time at its sole discretion; nothing herein creates an employment contract or alters the at-will nature of employment.
We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits, including medical/dental/vision/life/and AD&D insurance, 401(k) savings plan, back-up childcare and eldercare, generous paid time off (PTO), as well as opportunities for professional development and growth.
We are committed to providing equal opportunity and reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities and disabled veterans. To request an accommodation related to the application process or interview, please email [email protected]. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
Mayer Brown works with select external search firms that have been vetted against our standards. Firms without a contract or agreement with Mayer Brown are not authorized to represent that they are working with the Firm, nor are they entitled to placement fees. Mayer Brown does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruiters. Submission of an unsolicited CV to Mayer Brown or any of its Partners or employees will not establish any right of priority for the submitting agency.
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