Senior Manager, Legal Operations in Toronto

Upwork Inc.'s family of companies connects businesses with global, AI-enabled talent across every contingent work type including freelance, fractional, and payrolled. This portfolio includes the Upwork Marketplace, which connects businesses with on-demand access to highly skilled talent across the globe, and Lifted, which provides a purpose-built solution for enterprise organizations to source, contract, manage, and pay talent across the full spectrum of contingent work.

You will be joining the award-winning Legal & Policy team. We support every business unit and function in the company to unlock opportunity and win with integrity. We enable, accelerate, and protect Upwork’s business in a collaborative and innovative manner at a world-class level.

In this role, you serve as a strategic partner to the Chief Legal Officer and work closely with the entire Legal team, as well as cross-functional stakeholders, to ensure Legal programs run smoothly. You oversee all facets of the Legal team’s operations, play a key role in day-to-day support, and make an impact by driving efficiency, optimizing processes, scaling resources, and supporting strategic goals.

Because you have a holistic view of how we operate, you are the culture carrier and the glue that holds our team together. You foster a collaborative environment where team members feel supported, valued, and connected.

Responsibilities:

• Budget Management: Oversee the department budget by partnering with FP&A and Accounting on monthly accruals, forecasts, and annual planning. Identify vendor savings opportunities to self-fund incremental resources.
• Vendor Management: Oversee law firm and other vendor billing. Manage POs and invoices, and track vendor spend and alternative fee arrangements.
• Technology Implementation: Play a key role in driving AI initiatives and pushing adoption across the team. Evaluate and manage the Legal tech stack.
• Process Development & Improvement: Identify resource gaps, streamline workflows, and drive operational efficiencies across the Legal team.
• Team Leadership & Culture: Promote team culture through events, recognition, and operating cadences that keep the Legal team connected and engaged. Plan and coordinate in-person team offsites. Manage agendas for team meetings.
• Reporting & Analytics: Collect and analyze team metrics, compiling them into monthly and quarterly business reports. Prepare executive presentations, reports, and documentation.
• Strategic Initiatives: Manage team-wide and cross-functional projects to support strategic initiatives, ensuring successful execution.

What it takes to catch our eye:

• You have 5+ years of experience in Legal operations, business operations, strategic project/program management, or related fields with progression into increasing responsibility and strategic scope, preferably with an in-house Legal team.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing a department budget.
• Experience using AI and automation tools to improve efficiency; experience with evaluating and implementing AI tools is a plus.
• Exceptional communication skills, organizational skills, and attention to detail.
• Ability to influence across all levels of the organization.
• Ability to scale operations as the department grows.
• Proven record of deploying systems end-to-end, and developing solutions to reduce routine escalations to senior team members.
• Demonstrated success managing complex initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
• A self-starter with the ability to work autonomously.
• Ability to build strong partnerships across Legal, and with cross-functional partners and outside counsel.
• Handle highly confidential and sensitive information with professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Comfortable learning new systems and tools quickly.

Come change how the world works. Upwork is establishing its first international operational hub in Toronto, Canada, and this role will require 3 days per week in office.

We’re proud to offer benefits that go beyond the basics, including healthcare coverage for you and your family, RRSP/DPSP retirement plans, mental health support, wellness reimbursement program, supplemental vacation, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Benefits:

• healthcare coverage for you and your family
• RRSP/DPSP retirement plans
• mental health support
• wellness reimbursement program
• supplemental vacation
• an Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

Upwork is committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workforce. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law.