Sr Manager Billing Administration

Sr. Manager Billing Administration

DLA Piper is, at its core, bold, exceptional, collaborative and supportive. Our people are the backbone, heart and soul of our firm. Wherever you are in your professional journey, DLA Piper is a place you can engage in meaningful work and grow your career. Let's see what we can achieve. Together.

Summary: As a Sr. Manager Billing Administration in collaboration with and in support of the firm's strategic initiatives, you will manage all aspects of the e-Billing, Service Desk, and Billing Operations Support functions. You will be responsible for ensuring established service levels are met and exceeded through tracking and monitoring team metrics. You will identify areas for improvement and implement enhancements to processes or practices. You will provide training to billing team members, lawyers, and other support staff to ensure consistency in application across the firm.

Location: This position can sit in any of our U.S. offices and offers a hybrid work schedule.

Responsibilities:

• Manages the performance of a consolidated Legal Billing Administrative Team responsible for areas such as e-Billing, Accounting Service Desk, Matter Creation, Rates Administration, and various Operations Support teams / processes to meet and exceed service delivery standards of a large dynamic legal billing department.
• Ensures first-level support for all clients is timely, accurate, and complete.
• Reviews, aggregates, and communicates relevant, critical service trending data to Billing leadership to assist with overall billing effectiveness.
• Responsible for ensuring the team meets or exceeds performance standards and metrics.
• Creates an environment of continual process improvement. Evaluates, plans, and implements improvements in business processes and practices.
• Regularly communicates with and solicits feedback from all Billing teams to continually refine and improve performance.
• Proactively identifies automation opportunities and technology improvements to billing tools; prioritizes efforts and drives improvement tasks to completion.
• Executes process improvement solutions to billing problems, using data analysis and optimization tools to support strategic process improvement plans.
• Establishes and enforces support policies, including service level agreements, escalation processes, ticket handling, and customer satisfaction monitoring and measurement.
• Works closely with e-Billing staff on new client e-billing set-up. Reviews new entries for accuracy and ensures all relevant data has been entered.
• Ensures billing rates are entered correctly. Monitors for accuracy and updates.
• Leads a variety of different projects. Develops plans, schedules, and resources aimed at expanding service delivery, including the development of new technology. Serves as subject matter expert to internal and external cross-functional teams including accounting, billing, and information technology.
• Analyzes business processes and analyzes process flows based on analyses to ensure that the most effective processes are in place.
• Continually researches and remains current on best practices. Identifies, documents, and communicates system and procedural issues across departments. Liaises with leads in other departments to develop best practices and implement solutions.
• Works closely with 3rd party vendors on resolution of technical or system issues. Confirms systems are working properly and that issues have been resolved.
• Facilitates regular communication of Service Desk results and trends to the Billing department.
• Manages and monitors requests coming into billing support teams such as a Finance / Billing Service Desk, various other administrative team, and e-Billing processes. Addresses escalated and complex issues independently. Facilitates resolution with appropriate resources.
• Other duties as assigned.

Desired Skills:

• Two plus years' experience managing second tier managers supporting administration and service staff in a high-traffic, first level contact Legal Billing Customer Service setting.
• Must have experience working with, establishing standards for, and managing a networked tracking system to create, manage, report on and resolve call tickets and escalate support requests.
• In-depth understanding of Service Desk operations and using telephone and email support techniques particularly in the area of assisting users with immediate response requirements.
• Working knowledge of Financial Systems, specifically familiarity with invoice creation and electronic invoicing in legal systems such as Elite or Aderant.
• Must have strong proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills required to interact with staff and timekeepers.
• Must be a strategic, creative and innovative thinker.
• Must be team-oriented and have ability to work effectively and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment which may require long hours to meet workload needs.
• Must have strong attention to detail.
• Ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex problems required.
• Must have proven analytical skills.
• Has ability to work independently and is able to take direction well.
• Has ability to lead and manage a diverse team and provide training and guidance to ensure consistent application of billing procedures across the team.
• Must exercise sound judgment and decision-making skills.

Minimum Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, Accounting, Finance, or a similar field.

Preferred Education:

• Master's Degree in Accounting, Finance, or a similar field.

Certificates:

• Customer Service certification desired, such as SDI, HDI, ITIL preferred.

Minimum Years of Experience:

• 8 years of experience in an accounting or billing environment, preferably in a law firm or professional services organization.

Essential Job Expectations:

• Effectively communicate, verbally and in writing, with clients, lawyers, business professionals, and third parties.
• Produce deliverables, answer phone calls, and reply to correspondence in an efficient and responsive manner.
• Provide timely, accurate, and quality work product.
• Successfully meet deadlines, expectations, and perform work duties as required.
• Foster positive work relationships.
• Comply with all firm policies and practices.
• Engage in both physical and sedentary activity, such as (a) working at a computer for extended periods of time, including on-screen reading and typing; (b) participating in digital/virtual conference calls; (c) participating in meetings as needed.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
• Perform all other duties, tasks or projects as assigned.