Manager, Awards & Recognition

About the role

You will own the end-to-end strategy and execution of regional and practice-specific award submissions for Gibson Dunn's global recognition program. You will synthesize complex legal work into compelling narratives that position the firm for top honors across leading publications. You will partner closely with business development and communications teams to identify and elevate the best nominees and proof points. You will leverage technology and structured workflows to enhance efficiency and consistency at scale. This role requires exceptional judgment, strong editorial control, and a commitment to high-quality storytelling. You will report directly to the Associate Director, Awards & Recognitions and act as a key strategic partner to firm leadership.

Key facts

What you'll do

Manage the full calendar, intake, and workflow for a portfolio of regional and practice-specific award programs, driving each submission from identification through approval and final filing.

Partner with business development and communications teams across practice areas and regional offices to source high-quality nominees and gather the narratives, proof points, and supporting materials required for each submission.

Draft, edit, and refine entries for global legal and business publications, sharpening strategic narratives and applying strong editorial judgment to position candidates and matters effectively.

Maintain precise, up-to-date trackers for all active submissions, including deadlines, status, and a rolling log of wins and announced matters.

Contribute to a centralized content library of award language, lawyer narratives, and proof points to accelerate speed, consistency, and quality across future submissions.

Provide weekly award-program updates to firm leadership, including the CEO and COO, highlighting progress, risks, and key achievements.

Collaborate with the team awards specialist to balance workloads, cross-check data, and ensure consistency across multiple programs.

Identify and implement improvements to templates, trackers, folder structures, and workflows to make the program more efficient, organized, and scalable over time.

Serve as the primary point of contact for internal stakeholders on awards-related queries, ensuring timely responses and clear communication.

Proactively monitor industry award deadlines and requirements to ensure the firm meets all submission criteria and remains competitive.

Support the development of training materials or playbooks to standardize best practices for future award cycles.

Champion the use of technology and AI tools where appropriate to enhance research, drafting, and data management without compromising accuracy or compliance.

Requirements

Exceptional writing and editing skills, with the demonstrated ability to distill complex legal information into clear, compelling narratives for sophisticated audiences.

Resourcefulness and sound judgment, with the capability to connect disparate information, identify the right sources, and gather the necessary materials to advance projects efficiently.

Strong editorial judgment and confident decision-making regarding positioning, candidate selection, and storytelling, with the willingness to push for higher standards.

Excellent stakeholder management skills, including the presence and influence to engage partners, practice group leaders, and business development teams across the firm.

Strong project management abilities, with the capacity to prioritize competing deadlines and drive multiple workstreams from concept to completion in a fast-paced environment.

A strategic, execution-oriented mindset that enables operation with speed, precision, and sound judgment in dynamic and high-pressure situations.

Highly organized, detail-focused, and resilient, with an unwavering commitment to accuracy, quality, and consistency in all deliverables.

Technologically fluent, with experience using AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot, as well as other productivity technologies to improve efficiency and output quality.

Bachelor's degree is required; a degree in journalism, communications, or a related field is strongly preferred.

A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in writing, editing, communications, public relations, or content-driven marketing and business development roles.

Proven experience producing outcome-driven content for sophisticated internal and external audiences in complex, regulated environments.

Demonstrated success coordinating multiple stakeholders and managing concurrent workstreams in deadline-driven settings.

Track record of working directly with senior leaders and subject-matter experts to advance organizational objectives.

Experience gathering, organizing, and presenting data to support content development and reporting initiatives.

Familiarity with legal practice areas such as litigation and corporate transactions is a preferred qualification.

Nice to have

No additional preferred items specified beyond those listed in the Requirements section.

Practical notes

This is a full-time position with compensation band beginning at $145,000 and subject to performance-based discretionary bonuses.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the locations of Los Angeles or New York.

No formal visa sponsorship details are specified in the source materials.

No application deadline is communicated in the provided source information.