Head of Legal Operations & Chief of Staff

Okta
San Francisco, CA
On-site

Who this role is best for

Candidates with legal operations experience and cross-functional leadership skills in high-growth tech environments will find this strategic and operational leadership role with a focus on global alignment and AI integration.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with 10+ years in legal operations or strategic business roles in high-growth tech environments
    — “10+ years in legal operations, chief of staff, or strategic legal/business operations within a high-growth tech environment.
  • Individuals who have led cross-functional initiatives and driven alignment between legal and corporate functions
    — “Connect leadership across Legal Department specialties ... ensure legal programs align directly with business goals.
  • Candidates experienced in managing global budgets and vendor relationships in a high-velocity environment
    — “Manage global Legal Department operating budgets and external legal spend in partnership with Finance.

Things to consider

  • This role requires a deep understanding of legal technology and AI tools for daily workflow integration.
    — “incorporate practical AI tools into daily workflows.
  • The position demands a high level of executive presence and influence across C-suite levels.
    — “Ability to partner effectively with C-suite leadership and influence cross-functional teams.

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience in scaling legal operations and implementing AI-enabled technologies.
    — “Proven success scaling legal operations, implementing CLM/e-Billing and AI enabled tech.
  • Emphasize leadership in cross-functional initiatives and ability to drive alignment across departments.
    — “Connect with chiefs of staff and leadership across all company departments to ensure legal strategy and budgets align directly with business goals.
  • Showcase your ability to create operational dashboards and track legal performance metrics.
    — “Establish legal KPIs and operational dashboards to track team performance, turnaround times, and department ROI.
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Company

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • Direct and scale enterprise-wide Legal Operations infrastructure
  • Oversee evaluation and rollout of legal technology stacks
Typical background
Experience in legal operationsProven success in managing legal budgets and technology

Skills & requirements

Required

Legal OperationsVendor ManagementBudget OversightWorkflow AutomationLegal Technology

Preferred

Cross-functional CollaborationStrategic InitiativesLegal Kpis

About the role

Original posting from Okta

Secure Every Identity, from AI to Human

Identity is the key to unlocking the potential of AI. Okta secures AI by building the trusted, neutral infrastructure that enables organizations to safely embrace this new era. This work requires a relentless drive to solve complex challenges with real-world stakes. We are looking for builders and owners who operate with speed and urgency and execute with excellence.

This is an opportunity to do career-defining work. We're all in on this mission. If you are too, let's talk.

Role Overview

The Head of Legal Operations & Chief of Staff is a strategic and operational leadership role serving as the operational proxy to the Chief Legal Officer (CLO) while directly leading and managing the Legal Operations function.

Reporting to the CLO, you will bridge legal practice and corporate functional areas, drive vendor and budget efficiency, lead legal technology and AI use cases, and streamline cross-functional workflows to scale Okta's global legal operations in a high-velocity environment.

The role will also serve as a key driver of company and department initiatives and culture, including through department programs, events and day to day practices.  You will seek to create an environment where our employees and business partners can get more successfully completed, understand our business strategy and operations, and feel a greater sense of impact and company ownership.  

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Proxy & Executive Partnership

CLO Advisory & Representation: Serve as trusted proxy and advisor to the CLO in executive forums and key decision-making bodies.

Department Alignment: Connect leadership across Legal Department specialties (Commercial, IP, Privacy, Corporate, Compliance and other teams) to ensure legal programs align directly with business goals.

Organizational Alignment: Connect with chiefs of staff and leadership across all company departments to ensure legal strategy and budgets align directly with business goals.

Special Initiatives: Lead high-impact, cross-functional legal and corporate programs from design through execution.

Legal Operations & Technology Leadership

Operational Strategy: Direct and scale enterprise-wide Legal Operations infrastructure, intake models, and workflow automation.

Legal Tech & AI Roadmap: Oversee evaluation and rollout of legal technology stacks (CLM, e-Billing, entity management) and incorporate practical AI tools into daily workflows.

Metrics & Analytics: Establish legal KPIs and operational dashboards to track team performance, turnaround times, and department ROI.

Vendor & Outside Counsel Management: Direct outside counsel guidelines, fee negotiations, billing compliance, and alternative fee arrangements.

Business Operations & Financial Stewardship

Budget Oversight: Manage global Legal Department operating budgets and external legal spend in partnership with Finance and the legal leadership team.

Process Modernization: Frictionless workflow redesign between Legal and key cross-functional partners (Sales, Finance, Security, Product).

Planning & Execution: Lead QBRs, annual planning, and resource allocation across the global Legal organization.

Core Qualifications

Experience: 10+ years in legal operations, chief of staff, or strategic legal/business operations within a high-growth tech environment.

Legal Operations Mastery: Proven success scaling legal operations, implementing CLM/e-Billing and AI enabled tech, creating and improving legal department processes and managing outside counsel spend.

Financial & Business Acumen: Strong background managing departmental budgets, vendor negotiations, and data-driven reporting.

Executive Presence and Management: Ability to partner effectively with C-suite leadership and influence cross-functional teams, as well as manage cross functional teams.

Education: Bachelor’s degree required; JD or MBA strongly preferred.

Key Competencies & Leadership Attributes

Executive Influence & Collaboration: Trusted advisor with exceptional judgment, discreet handling of sensitive matters, and a track record of partnering across C-suite levels to drive alignment.

Strategic & Operational Execution: Highly organized and outcome-driven problem solver who balances strategic vision with hands-on execution under tight deadlines.

Cross-Functional Leadership: Skilled team manager and relationship builder who leads cross-functional initiatives and influences without authority across diverse, matrixed teams.

Modern Tech Proficiency: Fluent in Google Workspace, MS Office, and enterprise project management platforms to drive workflow efficiency.

PID: P9516_3530823

#LI-Hybrid

Below is the annual base salary range for candidates located in San Francisco Bay Area. Your actual base salary will depend on factors such as your skills, qualifications, experience, and work location. In addition, Okta offers equity (where applicable), bonus, and benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), flexible spending account, and paid leave (including PTO and parental leave) in accordance with our applicable plans and policies. To learn more about our Total Rewards program please visit: https://rewards.okta.com/us.   

The annual base salary range for this position for candidates located in the San Francisco Bay area is between: $238,000—$327,000 USDThe Okta Experience

Supporting Your Well-Being 

Driving Social Impact 

Developing Talent and Fostering Connection + Community

We are intentional about connection. Our global community, spanning over 20 offices worldwide, is united by a drive to innovate. Your journey begins with an immersive, in-person onboarding experience designed to accelerate your impact and connect you to our mission and team from day one.

Okta is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, or status as a protected veteran. We also consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and convictions records, consistent with applicable laws.

If reasonable accommodation is needed to complete any part of the job application, interview process, or onboarding please use this Form to request an accommodation.

Notice for New York City Applicants & Employees: Okta may use Automated Employment Decision Tools (AEDT), as defined by New York City Local Law 144, that use artificial intelligence, machine learning, or other automated processes to assist in our recruitment and hiring process. In accordance with NYC Local Law 144, if you are an applicant or employee residing in New York City, please click here to view our full NYC AEDT Notice.

Source: Okta careers

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