Director of Administration

Summary:

Gibson Dunn is a leading global law firm, advising clients on significant transactions and disputes. Our exceptional teams craft and deploy creative legal strategies that are meticulously tailored to every matter, however complex or high-stakes. The firm’s work is distinguished by a unique combination of precision and vision.

Based in Madrid, the Director of Administration will be responsible for leading the development and ongoing management of our Madrid office. This is a unique opportunity to play a foundational role in shaping Gibson Dunn’s Madrid office, working within a leading global law firm and contributing to its continued international growth.

This is a hands-on leadership role at a critical stage of the office’s development, requiring a candidate who can operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment. The successful candidate will play a key role in establishing operational infrastructure, supporting the integration of lawyers and staff, and ensuring alignment with the Firm’s global standards.

The role reports to the Director/Chief of International Operations and the Partner-in-Charge and works closely with senior stakeholders across the Firm.

Our newly established Madrid office will be the Firm’s 23rd office representing our continued growth in Europe.

Responsibilities include:

Responsibilities range from managing day-to-day business issues to longer term projects and strategic planning. Working closely with the Partner-In-Charge and Firm departments to support the development and implementation of suitable strategies for the business, the Director of Administration:

Office Leadership & Operations

Lead the day-to-day management and ongoing development of the Madrid office

Establish and implement efficient processes, systems, and workflows aligned with firmwide standards

Ensure delivery of high-quality support to lawyers and clients

Act as a key liaison between the Madrid office and global business functions

People & Culture

Oversee all aspects of HR, including payroll, benefits, recruitment, onboarding, performance management, and employee relations

Support the integration of lateral hires and new teams

Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture in a newly established office

Act as a trusted advisor to partners and staff

Regulatory & Compliance

Ensure compliance with Spanish employment law and local regulatory requirements applicable to law firms

Partner with internal teams on governance, risk, and compliance matters

Finance & Vendors

Manage the office budget in coordination with Finance

Establish and manage local vendor relationships

Drive cost efficiency while maintaining service quality

Real Estate & Workplace

Oversee office space, facilities, and ongoing workplace needs

Support office expansion, including fit-out, relocation and space planning as the team grows

Projects & Growth

Lead and contribute to local and global initiatives

Support the continued growth and scaling of the Madrid office

Qualifications:

Hands-on, pragmatic, and solutions-oriented

Comfortable managing ambiguity and change

Strong leadership and interpersonal skills

High level of professionalism and sound judgment

Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational execution

Experience:

10+ years’ experience in a similar role, ideally within legal or professional services

Experience in setting up or scaling operations, ideally in a new office or market entry environment

Strong knowledge of Spanish employment law and local business practices

Proven ability to build relationships and collaborate with senior stakeholders

Fluent in Spanish and English

Gibson Dunn will consider for employment qualified Applicants with Criminal Histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of local law.

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For technical difficulties with our online application, please contact us at staffrecruiting@gibsondunn.com . Our recruiting support team will respond as soon as possible.

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Gibson Dunn is committed to ensuring equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities. We strive to ensure an inclusive and accessible hiring experience. The Firm will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable participation in the application and recruitment process, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, participate in an interview, or otherwise take part in the recruitment process, please contact us at recruiting-accommodations@gibsondunn.com . Please note, this is a dedicated email inbox established exclusively to assist applicants with accommodation request related to the recruitment process. Inquiries about the status of an application or other non-accommodation matter will not receive a response.