Executive Director of Operations

Join the Evolution: Become a Part of MDK as our Executive Director of Operations.

Company Overview

MDK Legal is a 20-year-old law firm with a mission to create uncommon paths to success for our clients and ourselves. We are a known and trusted brand in the residential mortgage and timeshare industries, serving several Fortune 500 companies. Unlike a typical law firm, MDK leverages technology to efficiently process thousands of legal cases with only 30 attorneys, supported by a team of legal assistants, paralegals, technology, and business professionals who provide flat-rate legal services. Our focus is not on billable hours, but on delivering exceptional value. Our clients regard MDK as a “blue chip” firm, reflecting our strong reputation and solid relationships with key decision-makers and influencers.

While we have ambitious goals and take our work seriously, at MDK you will find support and flexibility to pursue your passions outside of work. We take great care in making MDK not just a workplace, but a community.

MDK is a forward-focused and evolving company, with the advantage of a great reputation and a strong financial foundation. Today, we are at a pivotal moment, strategically positioned to grow market share within existing and new sectors. However, to achieve this growth, we recognize the need to reinvent our products, processes, and people. Critical investments are being made in technology, leveraging the benefits of AI and other advancements in automation. Operational transformation is the next step.

Position Summary

We are seeking a strategic, determined, and empathetic Executive Director of Operations (EDO) to lead and optimize all operational functions across the organization. In this senior leadership role, you will oversee a team of approximately 150 associates, representing roughly 60% of the company’s total headcount. Critically, you will be responsible for reimagining MDK’s business operations in seamless alignment with the firm’s long-term strategic goals. The EDO will be a key partner to the firm's leadership, helping to set strategy and create a foundation for a workplace optimized for both high performance and personal connection. When successful, the EDO will have positioned MDK to redefine the legal services industry beyond the billable hours model and toward true partnership with its clients.

The ideal candidate will bring a track record of collaborative leadership matched with a mindset consisting of analytical rigor and first-principles problem solving. You are comfortable leading the design and implementation of operational systems as well as change management or transformation initiatives in a growing business. Previous experience in legal services is not required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership:

• Collaborating with the leadership team, develop and implement a comprehensive operational strategy supporting the firm’s vision and growth objectives.
• Translate that overall strategy into an actionable, measurable plan to transform operations within MDK to a best-in-class function.
• Skillfully balance immediate project needs with long-term technical vision and growth.

Operational Excellence:

• Oversee and constantly improve daily operations to ensure optimal performance, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
• Implement best practices across all operational processes, ensuring adherence to industry standards and compliance with regulatory requirements.

Design and Implementation of Performance Systems:

• Design, develop, and implement robust systems for tracking and measuring business performance and key performance indicators (KPIs) across all departments.
• Ensure that performance measurement systems provide accurate, timely data that drives informed decision-making at all levels of the organization.
• Collaborate with department heads to define relevant KPIs, aligning them with overall business objectives and growth strategies.
• Continuously monitor and refine the performance measurement systems to improve accuracy, relevance, and business impact.
• Analyze operational data to identify areas for improvement and ensure that the firm’s operations meet both internal and external stakeholder expectations.
• Lead the resolution of operational issues, ensuring that any disruptions to business operations are addressed swiftly and effectively.

Team Leadership and Development:

• Recruit, mentor, and develop top talent across all operational departments, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Lead by example, promoting a culture that values transparency, ethical leadership, and high employee engagement.
• Build and nurture a high-performing leadership team that can scale with the company as it grows.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Partner with other executive leaders to ensure alignment between operational execution and business development, technology, legal, HR, and marketing strategies.
• Act as a key liaison between operations and the firm’s partners, providing regular updates on operational progress, challenges, and opportunities.
• Collaborate with external vendors, clients, and partners to enhance service delivery and ensure the firm’s operational excellence.
• Collaborative leader with experience working directly with software and product development teams to ensure alignment between day-to-day development activities and broader company goals.

The responsibilities defined above are not an all-inclusive list, but a general summary of typical duties. Individuals in this position may be asked to perform a wide range of related tasks.

Role Requirements:

Technical

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field. MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
• Experience: 10+ years of experience in senior operational roles, with a proven track record of leading cross-functional teams and scaling operations in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong experience in designing and leading strategic planning processes as well as implementing and measuring the resulting initiatives.
• Experience building best-in-class operations teams in analogous contexts such as fraud detection and prevention (insurance or banking), loan underwriting and risk assessment (banking), actuarial data processing (insurance), or other businesses where high technical competency and integration of advanced technology with skilled personnel provide critical services.
• Extensive experience implementing business operations telemetry to measure business, team, and individual performance.
• Previous experience (which may include consulting) leading business transformation, continuous improvement, or change management initiatives.

Behavioral

• Strong leadership and team management capabilities, with experience overseeing diverse teams across operations and other business functions.
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and first-principle problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to align operational goals with the broader business strategy and lead through change.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets and driving cost-efficiency.

Schedule & Benefits:

Our team works Monday through Friday, general business hours. We offer a hybrid schedule, which allows our employees the flexibility to work from home and in the office.

MDK provides a comprehensive benefit package, which includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Company-paid short-term disability and life insurance.
• 401(k) plan, with an employer contribution.
• Paid time off.

Additional perks:

• Paid time to volunteer in the community.
• Paid holidays.
• Casual dress code.
• The opportunity for career development and advancement.

Click this link to learn more about our benefits: MDK Benefits

Learn more about MDK by visiting www.mdklegal.com  or visit us on LinkedIn or Instagram.

The Manley Law Firm LLC d/b/a MDK and affiliates are Equal Opportunity Employers. We have a no tolerance policy for discrimination at our workplace. We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to all applicants. We respect everyone from fair wages to equal opportunities for growth and movement here at MDK.