Senior Manager, Information & Research Services

The role

Lead and manage the firm's Library function, overseeing legal and business research, electronic resource management and information support for attorneys and business professionals. Supervise Information & Research Services staff, manage vendor contracts and the budget, and drive AI-enabled research workflows.

What you will do

• Work on the Knowledge Management leadership team and contribute an information and research services perspective to KM strategy.
• Supervise and mentor Electronic Resources Librarians and Research Librarians, coordinate workload and support their professional growth.
• Lead and continuously improve information and research services operations, policies, procedures and service standards.
• Oversee the portfolio of electronic research resources such as Lexis, Bloomberg Law and ALM, including evaluation and renewal.
• Develop and maintain an electronic resource management system covering subscriptions, license terms, costs and vendor contacts.
• Negotiate agreements and subscriptions and maintain relationships with information vendors.
• Oversee the Information & Research Services budget, track variances and allocate resources.
• Track and report usage of electronic resources to inform renewal and negotiation decisions.
• Develop research guides, tools and self-service resources, and a research knowledge base.
• Set standards and guardrails for AI-assisted research and identify opportunities to integrate Generative AI tools.

Required qualifications

• At least 7 years of experience in legal research, library services, electronic resource management or a related role in a law firm or professional services setting.
• Master of Library Science (MLS) or Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) from an ALA-accredited institution.
• Deep expertise in legal and business research, electronic resource management and library operations.
• Proven ability to lead, manage and mentor a team.
• Strong knowledge of research platforms including LexisNexis, Westlaw, Bloomberg Law, ALM and PACER.
• Demonstrated experience managing vendor relationships, licensing agreements and research budgets.
• Experience using and evaluating AI tools in a professional setting.
• Strong project management, critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Proven experience delivering live and virtual training.
• Advanced knowledge of SharePoint Online, Microsoft 365 and iManage Cloud.

Nice to have

• Direct leadership experience managing a research or library team is strongly preferred.
• An additional advanced degree in a relevant field (JD, MBA) is a plus.
• Familiarity with how large language models behave and where they fail; experience with context engineering is a plus.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with match.
• Medical, dental and vision insurance.
• Disability and life insurance.
• Generous PTO plan.
• Ample opportunities for professional development and advancement.
• Access to corporate discount plans and other benefits.

Before you apply

• Wilson Elser accepts submissions from recruitment agencies only with an active, signed fee agreement dated as of 7/1/2024.
• The firm participates in the federal E-Verify program for work authorization checks on new hires.

About the company

Wilson Elser is a national law firm with more than 1,400 attorneys across 46 offices nationwide. The firm is recognized among the top 100 law firms by The American Lawyer.