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Associate Director, Patent Operations
Associate Director, Patent OperationsBuchanan Legal Professional Services • San Francisco, CA, United States
Associate Director, Patent Operations

Associate Director, Patent Operations

Buchanan Legal Professional Services • San Francisco, CA, United States
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Director, Patent Operations

A prestigious, innovation-driven global law firm is seeking a Director, Patent Operations to lead the strategic and operational vision for its high-performing Patent Practice Group. This is a senior leadership role responsible for driving operational excellence, scaling global workflows, and partnering with firm leadership to shape the long-term infrastructure of a world-class IP practice. This role will be hybrid and can sit in Boston, DC, NYC, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Santa Monica, or Seattle.

Base pay range

$225,000 - $280,000 per year.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead and execute the operational strategy for the Patent Practice Group across all U.S. offices.
  • Drive multi-year planning, workflow optimization, and scalable process design (including Patricia and 3rd-party tools).
  • Oversee all patent operations teams—docketing, international filings, and legal support (13 total direct reports).
  • Establish and enforce firmwide operational standards, metrics, and best practices.
  • Lead major change initiatives involving technology implementation, restructuring, and process redesign.
  • Partner with Finance, IT, HR, Risk, and IP leadership to ensure seamless operational integration.
  • Manage patent technology platforms and key vendor relationships.
  • Deliver executive-level reporting using KPIs and operational data to inform strategy and performance.
  • Serve as a thought leader on industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices.

Qualifications

  • 10+ years in patent prosecution operations, with 5-7+ years in senior leadership.
  • Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or certifications (MBA, PMP, Lean Six Sigma) preferred.
  • Deep expertise in U.S. and foreign patent processes, prosecution workflows, and docketing systems.
  • Proven experience scaling and transforming operations for large, global IP teams.
  • Strong leadership skills with success managing managers and multi-office teams.
  • Exceptional communication, analytical, and stakeholder management capabilities.

    • Seniority Level

    Director

    Employment Type

    Full-time

    Job Function

    Legal and Management

    Industries

    Law Practice and Legal Services

    #J-18808-Ljbffr

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