Job Description
The Junior/Assistant Project Manager supports the IT Project Manager in delivering technology, process improvement, and firmwide initiatives within a legal professional services environment. The role focuses on project coordination, documentation, and communication across IT, business users, and vendors to keep work organized, visible, and on track.
Core responsibilities
1. Project coordination and tracking
• Maintain project schedules, RAID logs, and project documentation under the direction of the Project Manager.
• Track progress against milestones and follow up with team members on assigned actions.
• Prepare draft status reports and summaries for the Project Manager to finalize for the CIO and other stakeholders.
• Assist with project intake, prioritization, and basic resource planning.
2. Requirements and documentation support
• Support requirements gathering with attorneys, legal staff, and administrative teams.
• Capture meeting notes, decisions, workflows, and action items to ensure accurate next steps.
• Help translate business needs into user stories, functional requirements, or process maps.
3. Communication and stakeholder engagement
• Coordinate meetings, prepare agendas, and document outcomes with the Project Manager.
• Serve as a communication link between IT, business users, and vendors, escalating issues to the Project Manager as needed.
• Draft project communications, updates, and summaries for review and refinement by the Project Manager.
4. Process and quality support
• Assist in maintaining and improving PMO templates, processes, and best practices.
• Coordinate UAT activities, including test scripts and defect tracking, and provide clear visibility into testing progress.
• Help ensure deliverables meet quality expectations and align with firm standards.
5. Vendor and technology coordination
• Coordinate with vendors on scheduling, deliverables, and issue resolution, keeping the Project Manager informed of risks or delays.
• Support technology rollouts, upgrades, and firmwide communications as directed.
Required skills and competencies
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• High attention to detail and strong organizational habits.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a fast paced environment.
• Foundational understanding of project management approaches (Agile, Waterfall, hybrid).
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Teams, Excel, SharePoint, Planner, OneNote).
• Comfort working with technical teams and learning new systems quickly.
• Professional, calm, service oriented demeanor suitable for a law firm environment.
• Openness to coaching and direction from the Project Manager.
Preferred qualifications
• 0–3 years of experience in project coordination, business analysis, or IT support. Fresh graduates with strong foundational skills and a willingness to learn are encouraged to apply.
• Prior law firm or professional services experience is welcome but not required for this junior role.
• Exposure to legal applications (e.g., iManage, Elite, NetDocuments, Litera).
• Foundational project management certifications (e.g., CAPM, Scrum, Google PM).
Success profile
A successful Junior/Assistant PM at Winstead:
• Works seamlessly with the Project Manager, anticipating needs and supporting delivery.
• Keeps projects organized and progressing without requiring constant oversight.
• Communicates clearly and professionally with attorneys, staff, and vendors.
• Demonstrates curiosity, initiative, and interest in the legal technology landscape.
• Builds trust with the Project Manager, CIO, and IT leadership through reliability, preparation, and attention to detail.
