Legal - Contracts Specialist
About The Position
The Contracts Specialist independently reviews, analyzes, and drafts third-party and vendor contracts of varying complexity, ensuring alignment with applicable laws, regulatory requirements, internal contracting standards, and risk tolerance. The role identifies contractual risks, control gaps, and issues requiring escalation, and serves as a key contract resource for vendor engagements in partnership with Legal, Compliance, Enterprise Risk Management, Information Security, and other stakeholders. The specialist supports contract structuring and standardization, including the development and refinement of clauses and templates addressing risk, privacy, security, business continuity, and regulatory compliance. The position coordinates end-to-end review of higher-risk and complex matters, supports contract data integrity and governance, and promotes effective contract management and vendor risk practices through stakeholder education and advisory relationships. The role maintains working knowledge of relevant laws, regulations, and industry practices and performs other duties as required to support the Legal Department and Credit Union.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, legal studies, or a related field.
- At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in contract management, legal operations, procurement, or as a corporate paralegal.
- Demonstrated experience handling complex, higher-risk vendor contracts.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in financial services or another highly regulated industry is strongly preferred.
Responsibilities
- Independently review, analyze, and draft contractual documents, including Master Services Agreements, Statements of Work, Order Forms, and Non-Disclosure Agreements.
- Interpret routine and non-routine agreement terms and conditions, identify risk exposure and control gaps, and escalate matters as required.
- Serve as the primary contract resource for vendor engagements, partnering with attorneys, Compliance specialists, Enterprise Risk Management, and subject matter experts.
- Assist in developing, refining, and standardizing contract clauses and templates, particularly for risk, privacy, security, business continuity, and regulatory compliance.
- Coordinate end-to-end review of higher-risk and complex matters among internal and external parties and required stakeholders.
- Support contract data integrity and governance in contract management systems, including accurate risk classification, audit readiness, and traceability.
- Develop and maintain trusted advisory relationships with stakeholders across business units and corporate functions.
- Maintain working knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations relevant to credit unions, vendor contracting, privacy, information security, and compliance.
- Monitor trends and best practices in third-party risk, vendor contracting, and contract management and translate them into practical improvements.
- Educate stakeholders about contract review and vendor management programs, risk-based requirements, escalation thresholds, and expectations for higher-risk engagements.
- Perform other duties as required to support the Legal Department and Credit Union.
Benefits
- Market-competitive and internally equitable total rewards compensation package
- Well-being and work-life balance programs
- Career development and growth
- Rewards and recognition
- Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
