Senior Manager of IT Demand & Intake

About Kirkland & Ellis

At Kirkland & Ellis, we don't just meet the standard for legal excellence - we set it. Our culture is built on teamwork, ingenuity and an unwavering commitment to continuous growth. We tackle the most sophisticated legal challenges with bold ideas and innovative solutions, powered by the exceptional experience and ambition of our 7,000+ people, including 4,000+ attorneys, across 22 offices worldwide. Our dedicated professionals share our lawyers' commitment to excellence and show up each day to do meaningful work that helps drive global business, investment and innovation forward.

What You'll Do

Are you skilled at bringing structure and strategic focus to complex technology requests? As the Senior Manager, IT Demand & Intake, you will lead the Firm's end-to-end intake process, ensuring each request is clearly defined, strategically aligned, and properly assessed before moving forward. You'll collaborate across Information Technology (IT) and business teams to validate scope, evaluate business value, and support prioritization decisions that shape the Firm's technology roadmap.

This role is ideal for a highly organized, detail-oriented professional who excels at problem-solving, communication, and guiding stakeholders through structured processes. The position supports a hybrid work model in line with Firm standards.

• Manage Technology Intake by serving as the primary contact for new requests and ensuring submissions meet readiness standards.
• Facilitate Key Discussions to confirm objectives, scope, feasibility, timelines, and required resources.
• Assess Strategic Alignment by analyzing value, risk, cost, and dependencies, partnering with business and IT teams to clarify needs.
• Advance Requests Through the Lifecycle by maintaining accurate intake records and ensuring timely progression.
• Support Prioritization & Governance through request categorization, preparation for leadership review, and identification of overlaps or sequencing challenges.
• Analyze Resource & Budget Impacts with IT Finance and IT leaders to inform scheduling and funding decisions.
• Deliver Clear Reporting with forecasts, dashboards, and updates that support Firm-level planning and transparency.
• Guide Stakeholders by communicating decisions, setting expectations, and providing training on intake processes.
• Coordinate Cross-Functional Handoffs with Project Management, Vendor Management, and resource owners as work transitions into execution.
• Drive Process Improvements by refining workflows, templates, and governance standards to ensure consistency and efficiency.

What You'll Bring

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Business, or related field (or equivalent).
• Experience: 8+ years in Information Technology (IT) project management, business analysis, portfolio management, or demand management.
• Large-Firm Experience: Background in a matrixed organization.
• Intake & Planning Expertise: Strong understanding of demand intake, portfolio prioritization, and strategic alignment.
• Analytical Strength: Ability to assess value, risk, cost, and dependencies.
• Stakeholder Facilitation: Skilled in leading discussions and influencing without direct authority.
• Communication Excellence: Clear written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Organizational Capability: Ability to manage multiple requests and maintain accurate data.
• Technical Skills:
• Preferred Certifications: Project Management Professional (PMP), Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP), Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP), Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation, or similar.

If you're excited to shape how technology demand is evaluated, prioritized, and delivered across the Firm, we'd love to hear from you!

Compensation

The base salary range below represents the low and high end of the salary range for this position in Chicago. This range may differ based on your geographic location and cost of living considerations. At Kirkland & Ellis, we consider compensation more than just a base salary. We offer an exceptional range of flexible benefits including comprehensive healthcare, paid time off, and retirement. We also offer personal support and tailored learning and development opportunities all designed to help you realize your full potential both in life and at work.

Compensation Range:

Chicago: $170,000 - $190,000

How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in Kirkland & Ellis LLP. To complete an application and submit your resume, please click "Apply Now."

Don't meet every job requirement? That's okay! If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't perfectly fit every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right person for this role or others at Kirkland.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee's race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.