Manager, IP Operations & Governance

Our brands are among our most valuable enterprise assets. We are seeking a Manager, IP Operations & Governance to lead the operational backbone of our global intellectual property practice. 
 
This role owns the end-to-end delivery of IP operations and systems globally, ensuring world-class execution across patents, trademarks, design patents and related IP assets.  

Reporting to the VP, Head of Patents & Design, this position manages a team of IP paralegals and administrators based in Atlanta and partners closely with regional IP teams, external counsels, vendors, and our technology and platform partners worldwide. 

This role requires a digitally forward operational leader who actively embraces legal technology, AI-enabled tools, automation, and data analytics to drive efficiency, accuracy, portfolio visibility, and scalability across global IP operations.

KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

1. Operational Excellence, Digital Enablement & Global Capability Building 

• Own budget optimization across global IP operations, including spend forecasting, vendor cost management, and efficiency initiatives. 

• Manage strategic vendors supporting global IP platforms (including Anaqua, Clarivate, MarkMonitor), including performance management, service standards, and continuous improvement. 

• Embed digitally forward practices across competitive monitoring, searches, research, counterfeit support, billing, and portfolio analytics. 

• Partner with Digital Technology Services (DTS), IT, trademark counsels, finance and regional legal teams to modernize workflows and strengthen end-to-end IP delivery. 

• Build scalable operating models that enable agile execution and speed-to-market at local Operating Unit level while maintaining strong global governance. 

• Lead continuous training and development programs for paralegals and IP administrators to uplift digital fluency, operational excellence, and portfolio management capabilities. 

• Define and implement capability frameworks required to build a world-class, gold-standard IP operations backbone supporting trademarks, patents, design patents, domains and portfolio governance. 

• Champion a digitally forward mindset across global IP operations, proactively embracing legal technology, AI-enabled tools, automation, and data analytics to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability. 

2. Global IP Operations & Portfolio Governance 

• Own end-to-end global IP operational delivery across patents, trademarks, design patents and related assets. 

• Ensure accurate docketing, deadline management and lifecycle tracking across global portfolios. 

• Maintain high data integrity standards and serve as escalation point for operational issues. 

3. IP Systems, Technology & Reporting 

• Serve as business owner and administrator for IP life cycle, asset management and docketing systems, search platforms and related tools. 

• Drive workflow automation, reporting dashboards and system integrations in partnership with IT. 

• Develop portfolio health, spend and workload metrics for leadership visibility. 

4. Trademark, Design, Brand & Domain Operations 

• Provide direct operational management and support for designated global brand categories, including trademark searches, docketing, filings and prosecution. 

• Oversee trademark application lifecycle management in partnership with trademark counsels. 

• Work directly with a designated trademark counsel to co-manage the Company’s global domain name portfolio strategy in collaboration with DTS. 

• Establish optimized processes for trademark watch notices, clearance workflows and global renewal programs. 

• Design and operationalize global processes to monitor competitive and third-party trademark filings, manage watch notices, and enable timely escalation and action. 

• Establish evidence-of-use, renewal readiness, and non-use cancellation support frameworks in partnership with trademark counsels and regional teams. 

• Identify and implement automation opportunities to reduce manual processing, minimize errors, and improve cycle times across trademark and design patent filings. 

• Leverage technology to strengthen counterfeit detection, trademark search accuracy, watch notice optimization, and renewal governance processes. 

• Design and implement streamlined U.S. trademark filing and prosecution workflows. 

• Provide operational oversight of the Design Patent portfolio, including responsibility for coordinating and filing U.S. and foreign design patent applications. 

• Serve as escalation point for brand-related docketing, prosecution, domain management and watch services. 

5. Vendors, External Counsel & Standardization 

• Lead onboarding and training of global external counsel and vendors on IP systems and processes. 

• Design and implement global SOPs, templates, playbooks and standardized workflows. 

• Benchmark IP operations against peer companies and drive continuous improvement. 

6. Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Partnership 

• Lead and develop Atlanta-based IP paralegals and administrators; coordinate offshore networks. 

• Embed data-driven performance management across global IP operations. 

• Partner cross-functionally with Patents, Design, Trademarks, Legal Operations, Finance, IT, Innovation and DTS teams. 

• Foster a culture of accountability, operational excellence and continuous improvement. 

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS 

• Bachelor’s degree required; legal, technical or business background preferred. 

• 10+ years of progressive IP operations experience, including people leadership. 

• Strong knowledge of patent, trademark and design patent lifecycles. 

• Hands-on experience with IP management systems (Anaqua, Clarivate, MarkMonitor). 

• Demonstrated experience building SOPs, training programs and scalable operational models. 

• Experience managing external counsel, vendors and global stakeholders. 

• Strong analytical, organizational and project management skills. 

• Collaborative leadership style with strong executive presence. 

WHAT WE OFFER 

• Opportunity to steward and protect some of the world’s most iconic global brands. 

• High-impact role supporting enterprise innovation and brand strategy. 

• Collaborative, purpose-driven culture. 

• Professional development and global exposure. 

• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits. 

• Platform to build future-ready IP operational capabilities at scale. 

SUCCESS PROFILE – FIRST 12 MONTHS 

• Optimize global docketing accuracy with measurable improvements in deadline compliance and data integrity. 

• Successfully onboard priority vendors and external counsel onto standardized IP systems and workflows. 

• Implement global SOPs across patents, trademarks, design patents, renewals and watch services. 

• Deliver operational dashboards providing visibility into portfolio health, and spend. 

• Establish streamlined U.S. trademark filing and prosecution workflows. 

• Operationalize optimized trademark watch and renewal processes globally. 

• Build a high-performing Atlanta-based IP paralegal and administrator team with clear development plans. 

• Embed consistent domain name governance in partnership with trademark counsel and DTS. 

• Drive at least two measurable automation or process efficiency initiatives.