Manager, Desktop & Applications Engineering

Summary

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is looking for an experienced Manager, Desktop & Applications Engineering to support our Information Technology Department. Willkie is an elite international law firm of approximately 1,300 lawyers located in 16 offices in six countries. 

 

The Manager, Desktop & Applications Engineering is a senior leadership role within the End User Computing group of the Information Technology department, reporting to the Senior Manager of Advanced Endpoint Engineering. This individual will own the strategy, delivery, and continuous improvement of the firm's desktop environment and enterprise application portfolio, with a particular emphasis on Microsoft 365 cloud-based capabilities and the legal technology stack, including iManage, Litera, BigHand, and related platforms.

 

The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who combines deep technical expertise with a relentless focus on user experience excellence. This person thrives in a fast-paced, high-expectation legal environment and understands that every desktop, every application update, and every escalation directly impacts the productivity of the firm's attorneys and business professionals. The role demands someone who proactively manages the full lifecycle of application deployments and updates, owns Level 3 escalation resolution, and instills a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and engineering rigor across the team. This position will be hybrid with the expectation that work will be conducted in office 2 days a week.

 

At Willkie, we believe great people are the key to our success. As such, we are offering a highly competitive compensation package with exceptional benefits. If you are looking to work in a friendly, collaborative environment that affords unique opportunities to expand your professional development, this role is for you.

Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Development

• Directly lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of desktop engineers and application analysts, setting clear expectations for service delivery, technical excellence, and professional growth.
• Foster a collaborative team culture oriented around continuous improvement, knowledge sharing, and cross-training to ensure bench strength and operational resilience.
• Partner with the Senior Manager of Advanced Endpoint Engineering to shape and execute the End User Computing (EUC) roadmap, aligning desktop and application strategy with the firm's broader technology vision.

Modern Desktop Experience & Microsoft 365

• Drive the firm's modern desktop experience strategy, leveraging Microsoft 365 and cloud-based capabilities, including Microsoft Intune, OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint Online, and Microsoft Edge, to deliver a seamless, secure, and performant end-user environment.
• Oversee the configuration, optimization, and governance of the Microsoft 365 suite, including Office application add-ins, toolbar customizations, and integrations with the firm's legal application ecosystem.
• Champion a cloud-first, modern management approach to endpoint management, transitioning legacy processes toward contemporary, scalable solutions.

Legal Application Management

• Serve as the firm's subject matter authority on legal desktop applications, including iManage Work 10, the Litera Desktop suite (Litera Compare, Innova, Contract Companion), BigHand digital dictation and workflow tools, IntApp Time, and Adobe Acrobat DC.
• Manage the full application lifecycle for legal and business applications, from packaging, testing, and deployment through to patching, version upgrades, and end-of-life transitions.
• Ensure that application updates and releases are rigorously tested, clearly communicated, and deployed with minimal disruption to the user community.

Escalation Ownership & Issue Resolution

• Own Level 3 escalation management for desktop and application issues, driving root cause analysis and permanent resolution with urgency and accountability. Identify, research, and resolve complex application and platform issues, collaborating with software vendors, Microsoft support, and internal infrastructure teams as needed to eliminate recurring problems. Proactively monitor application and system performance using enterprise tools, identify bottlenecks and failure patterns, and implement improvements that measurably enhance stability and user satisfaction.

Engineering & Platform Delivery

• Analyze, design, and implement enterprise application solutions, deploying software with user personalization across physical and virtual desktop environments.
• Integrate and support end-user applications by profiling, configuring, customizing, and troubleshooting within zero-trust or hybrid security frameworks.
• Configure operating system and system-level settings, and manage user, system, and enterprise policies via Group Policy, Intune, and related tooling to optimize performance, security, and the overall desktop experience.
• Maintain clear, thorough, and current technical documentation for all supported applications, configurations, and standard operating procedures.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related technical discipline is preferred.

• Candidates should bring 7 to 10 years of progressive experience in desktop engineering, application integration, or systems engineering, with a strong preference for experience in a large law firm or professional services environment.

• Prior experience directly managing or leading a team of engineers or analysts is required.

• Candidates must demonstrate expertise in Windows OS customization, registry management, Group Policy, and Microsoft Intune policy configuration, along with strong experience using enterprise troubleshooting and performance monitoring tools such as Windows Performance Analyzer, ControlUp, Perfmon, and Wireshark.

• Hands-on experience with Windows Server, Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, and Intune policy management is expected.

• In-depth knowledge of legal applications is essential, including iManage Work 10, the Litera Desktop suite, BigHand digital dictation and workflow solutions, IntApp Time, and Adobe Acrobat DC.

• Candidates should possess strong knowledge of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 cloud-based capabilities, including Edge, OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint Online, with demonstrated experience in Office add-ins, toolbar customization, and application integration.

• Proficiency in configuring and optimizing collaboration platforms, including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco WebEx, and Jabber, across physical and virtual desktop environments is required. Familiarity with virtualization and cloud platforms, including Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware ESXi, Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), and Citrix (CVAD/DaaS), is highly valued.

• Advanced PowerShell and SQL skills for automation, Windows customization, and performance optimization are expected. Hands-on experience with profile management and personalization tools such as FSLogix and Ivanti AppSense is preferred.

• The successful candidate will be an exceptional communicator who can translate complex technical matters for non-technical stakeholders, a proactive problem-solver who anticipates issues before they impact end users, and a leader who holds themselves and their team to the highest standards of service excellence.

• Strong documentation skills and a commitment to creating and maintaining clear, thorough technical records are essential.

ADA Requirements

• Ability to sit at a desk most of the day and walk short distances.
• Manual dexterity, speed, and accuracy in handling office equipment.
• Ability to work efficiently amidst frequent interruptions.
• Ability to work in close proximity to others.
• Ability to carry light to moderate objects short distances; lift up to 25 lbs.

Employment Status

• Exempt

Pay Range

USD $200,000.00 - USD $250,000.00 /Yr.

Pay Range Statement

The salary range for this role represents the Firm’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be dependent upon a number of factors, including but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant experience, qualifications and location. Willkie offers a comprehensive suite of benefit programs to all eligible employees. A summary of available benefits can be found here in the Career section of the Firm’s website.

EEO Statement

Willkie Farr & Gallagher is an Equal Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon actual or perceived: race (including hair texture, protective hairstyles and other traits associated with race), color, age, religious creed, citizenship, citizenship status and alienage, nationality, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity or creed, disability, genetic information or medical condition, reproductive health decision making, pregnancy or maternity, paternity, marital or civil partnership status, caregiver status, gender (including gender identity, expression, nonconformity, gender reassignment or status as a transgender individual), sex, sexual orientation or preference, veteran or military status, height, weight, any other characteristic protected by law or any combination thereof. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let the hiring manager know.

California Applicants

Pursuant to the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO) and the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicant with arrest and conviction records.