Legal - Contracts Specialist

Golden 1 Credit Union•Sacramento, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

This role involves independently reviewing and analyzing third-party and vendor contracts of varying complexity to ensure alignment with applicable laws, regulatory requirements, and internal contracting standards. The Contracts Specialist acts as a knowledgeable resource for contracts and risk, applying sound judgment to identify contractual risks and collaborating with Legal, Enterprise Risk Management, Information Security, and other stakeholders to support appropriate review, mitigation, and resolution of contract issues. This position partners across the organization to support effective contract management practices by applying standard contract requirements, educating stakeholders on contract processes, and contributing to the ongoing effectiveness of Golden 1’s vendor management and third-party risk programs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in business, Finance, Accounting, Legal Studies, or a related field required
5+ years of progressively responsible experience in contract management, legal operations, procurement, or as a corporate paralegal, with demonstrated experience handling complex, higher risk vendor contracts required

Nice To Haves

Experience in financial services or other highly regulated industries is strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Independently review, analyze, and draft contractual documents of varying complexity, including but not limited to Master Services Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), Order Forms, and Non Disclosure Agreements (NDAs).
Interpret and assess terms and conditions of routine and non-routine agreements, identifying risk exposure, control gaps, and required escalations.
Serve as the primary contract resource for vendor engagements, partnering closely with Credit Union attorneys, Compliance specialists, Enterprise Risk Management, and subject matter experts to ensure contract terms align with legal, regulatory, policy, and risk tolerance requirements.
Influence contract structuring and language strategy by assisting in the development, refinement, and standardization of contract clauses and templates—particularly those related to risk, privacy, security, business continuity, and regulatory compliance.
Administer the end-to-end contract review process for higher risk and complex matters, acting as the central point of coordination among internal and external parties and ensuring timely, compliant review by all required stakeholders (e.g., Legal, Compliance, Information Security, Enterprise Risk Management).
Support contract data integrity and governance within contract management systems, ensuring accurate risk classification, audit readiness, and traceability—particularly for contracts subject to enhanced scrutiny or regulatory review.
Develop and maintain strong, trusted advisory relationships with key stakeholders across business units and corporate functions.
Maintain working knowledge of applicable state and federal laws and regulations impacting credit unions, vendor contracting, privacy, information security, and compliance, as appropriate to higher risk contract matters.
Monitor and apply emerging trends and best practices in third-party risk, vendor contracting, and contract management, translating insights into practical improvements for Golden 1—particularly for complex vendor relationships.
Champion enterprise awareness of the contract review and vendor management programs, with particular emphasis on educating stakeholders about risk-based contract requirements, escalation thresholds, and expectations for higher risk engagements.
Perform other duties as required to support the Legal Department and the Credit Union.