About NetApp
NetApp is the intelligent data infrastructure company, turning a world of disruption into opportunity for every customer. No matter the data type, workload or environment, we help our customers identify and realize new business possibilities. And it all starts with our people.
If this sounds like something you want to be part of, NetApp is the place for you. You can help bring new ideas to life, approaching each challenge with fresh eyes. Of course, you won't be doing it alone. At NetApp, we're all about asking for help when we need it, collaborating with others, and partnering across the organization - and beyond.
Sr. Manager, Outside Counsel Management
San Jose, California, United States; Morrisville, North Carolina, United States; Vienna, Virginia, United StatesJob Summary
At NetApp, we believe that operational excellence fuels innovation. We’re looking for a strategic leader to drive our global outside counsel management and legal billing operations. This is a high-impact role that directly supports the Legal Leadership Team and influences how we manage legal spend, optimize law firm and alternative legal service provider relationships, and deliver value across the enterprise.
This is a hybrid role located in our San Jose, CA office. We require 2 days in office per week.
Why This Role Matters:As Senior Manager, Outside Counsel Management, you will lead the transformation of how NetApp engages with outside counsel and manages legal billing. You’ll architect and execute programs that ensure cost efficiency, transparency, and high-quality legal support. Your work will shape how NetApp navigates complex legal landscapes, supports business growth, and drives accountability across our legal ecosystem.
What You'll Do
- Design and implement NetApp’s outside counsel engagement strategy in partnership with legal leadership and internal stakeholders.
- Oversee the full law firm lifecycle—from selection and negotiation to performance and billing.
- Optimize our law firm roster to ensure the right expertise and jurisdictional coverage as NetApp evolves.
- Lead global negotiations on law firm agreements, rates, and alternative fee arrangements.
- Create competitive rate intelligence and benchmarking to aid in negotiations and ad hoc rate approvals.
- Launch cost-saving initiatives including preferred firm programs, competitive RFPs, and AFA frameworks.
- Develop and maintain KPIs, dashboards, and reporting tools to track performance and spend.
- Drive annual budgeting and monthly forecasting exercises in collaboration with Finance and legal teams.
- Work with each legal team to accurately track exposure, significant matters, and budget impact for their areas.
- Manage internal compliance program for law firm vendors, partnering with appropriate internal control teams.
- Ensure proper protections are in place in standard law firm agreement language Manage NetApp’s legal billing team and oversee all billing operations.
- Implement best practices for invoice review, savings enforcement, and global billing compliance.
- Partner with tax and AP teams to put proper billing and payment procedures in place in accordance with global laws and regulations Lead the annual outside counsel budgeting process and support department-wide planning.
- Partner with the Sr. Director of Legal Operations on strategic projects and executive initiatives.
What You'll Bring
- 10 years of experience in legal pricing environment.
- Experience working with large, geographically dispersed teams preferred.
- In-depth understanding of law firm pricing and billing practices and knowledge of outside counsel management programs for large, multi-national companies.
- Proven success designing, negotiating and evaluating fee arrangements and managing law firm relationships.
- Strong understanding of legal matter lifecycles and industry best practices.
- Exceptional communication, project management, and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Working knowledge of corporate finance/budgeting practices.
- Experience with legal billing systems and tools such as Mitratech TeamConnect or similar.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, SmartSheets, Tableau, PowerBI.
- Experience building high-performing teams and mentoring/developing talent.
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, or related field preferred.
At NetApp, we embrace a hybrid working environment designed to strengthen connection, collaboration, and culture for all employees. This means that most roles will have some level of in-office and/or in-person expectations, which will be shared during the recruitment process.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
NetApp is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and to compliance with all federal, state and local laws that prohibit employment discrimination based on age, race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information, pregnancy, protected veteran status, and any other protected classification.
Why NetApp?
We are all about helping customers turn challenges into business opportunity. It starts with bringing new thinking to age-old problems, like how to use data most effectively to run better - but also to innovate. We tailor our approach to the customer's unique needs with a combination of fresh thinking and proven approaches.
We enable a healthy work-life balance. Our volunteer time off program is best in class, offering employees 40 hours of paid time per year to volunteer with their favorite organizations. We provide comprehensive medical, dental, wellness, and vision plans for you and your family. We offer educational assistance, legal services, and access to discounts. Finally, we provide financial savings programs to help you plan for your future.
If you want to help us build knowledge and solve big problems, let's talk.
Submitting an application
To ensure a streamlined and fair hiring process for all candidates, our team only reviews applications submitted through our company website. This practice allows us to track, assess, and respond to applicants efficiently. Emailing our employees, recruiters, or Human Resources personnel directly will not influence your application.
Related content
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
We are a collection of diverse people from around the world with our own individual stories. We share the drive to create innovative, world-class products. We're One NetApp, and we find strength in celebrating our individuality.
NetApp Entry Level Careers Program
The NetApp Entry Level Careers Program is designed to help you grow your career, sharpen your skills, and foster meaningful relationships. When you join the Program, you join a diverse, global community where innovative ideas flourish.
Find your ideal job
In a world consistently defined by new expectations, can you quickly adapt for the success of our customers? We reward innovation and problem-solving.
Jobs for you
- Software Engineer San Jose, California, United States; Morrisville, North Carolina, United States
- Customer Success Engineer - Azure , United States
- Sr. Manager, Outside Counsel Management San Jose, California, United States; Morrisville, North Carolina, United States; Vienna, Virginia, United States
Your recently viewed jobs will appear here.
You have no saved jobs. Start browsing jobs here
Recruitment scam warning
When conducting a job search, you’re bombarded with outreach. Here are tips to keep you safe from recruitment fraud.
Stay in touch
Equal Opportunity Employer*
NetApp is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and to compliance with all federal, state and local laws that prohibit employment discrimination based on age, race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information, pregnancy, protected veteran status and any other protected classification. We pledge to take every reasonable step to ensure that our applicants and employees are respected, treated fairly and with dignity. See the EEO poster, Know your rights poster, and NetApp EEO policy. NetApp makes reasonable accommodations, consistent with applicable laws, for religious purposes and for the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified applicant or employee with a disability, who can perform the essential job functions unless undue hardship would result.
State-specific postings/notices to applicants regarding contract compliance can be found here in English and here in Spanish, and fair employment practice information can be found here.
Reasonable Accommodations
At NetApp, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible workplace where individuals with disabilities can thrive. In alignment with our values, NetApp provides reasonable accommodations and adjustments where possible to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities, in accordance with employment rights and regulations relevant to their country of employment, to ensure equal access to employment opportunities and job performance.
Applicants who would like to request an accommodation or adjustment are encouraged to Contact Us. Each request will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, in accordance with applicable laws and our commitment to equity and belonging within our culture, values and business practices. Requests will be handled confidentially and respectfully, and we will work collaboratively to identify effective solutions.
- For reasonable accommodations in Germany, click here.
- For reasonable accommodations in France, click here.
- For reasonable accommodations in The Netherlands, click here.
Please note that we do not accept unsolicited resumes to the above email address.
Data privacy
We care about your privacy and, therefore, ask that you read our Candidate Privacy Notice before you submit any personal information to us.
NetApp does not carry out any solely automated decision making (i.e. the process of making a decision by automated means without any human involvement) in determining your suitability or eligibility for specific roles.
However, the processing of your personal information is carried out with the aid of manual and automated tools. In particular, NetApp may use an automated employment evaluation tool or similar tool as one of several tools, actions, and/or steps to assist with NetApp’s review of candidate applications for various hiring needs. Currently, when addressing certain hiring needs, NetApp uses the Eightfold tool which can provide an initial ranking of a candidate’s skills and experience, based on information provided by the applicant in the application and/or supporting documentation, in comparison to the NetApp designated key requirements of a specific role. Additionally, the tool may be used to help review and/or rank internal employees seeking promotion or other internal mobility. However, our talent acquisition team or our recruiters will ultimately select the candidates for further consideration, following human review of any automated evaluation results and associated underlying documentation (or lack thereof) submitted with the candidates’ application.
An independent audit of the Eightfold Matching Model tool can be found at https://eightfold.ai/nyc-eightfoldmatching-model.
Candidates may request an alternative selection process which will not be subject to the Eightfold matching tool or to any electronic automated employment evaluation by contacting NetApp at careers@netapp.com. To bypass the Eightfold matching tool or any electronic automated employment evaluation, you must include a resume and job ID with your email to careers@netapp.com and you must include in the subject line of your email: Data Privacy Request. Candidates who have questions or want to request additional information on the source of data, type of data, and/or collection of data related to the candidate review process should contact NetApp at careers@netapp.com
Submitting an application
To ensure a streamlined and fair hiring process for all candidates, our team reviews applications submitted through our company website only. This practice allows us to track, assess, and respond to applicants efficiently. Emailing our employees, recruiters, or Human Resources personnel directly will not influence your application.