Legal Operations Specialist

Toyota Material Handling • Columbus, IN

4h • Hybrid

About The Position

A key member of Toyota Material Handling’s legal team, this self-starter will be a critical role in supporting the efficiency, financial management and strategic direction of the legal department. This role is responsible for managing relationships with outside counsel, including performance tracking and ensuring alignment with company expectations and legal strategies. This role will oversee legal budgeting and provide financial analysis to the legal department. The successful candidate will manage outside counsel billing processes, including compliance with billing guidelines, accrual tracking and coordination through the legal department’s e-billing platform. This person will contribute to the legal department’s strategic plan by identifying process improvements, tracking key performance metrics and driving initiatives that enhance operational effectiveness and value to the company. This is a hands on, detailed-oriented role focused on accuracy, consistency, and accountability in day-to-day operations. The role requires strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills, with the ability to independently resolve routine issues and identify solutions without reliance on step-by-step direction. This is not purely an administrative role; it requires an ownership mindset and the ability to move work forward without continuous guidance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 2+ years of project management/process improvement experience, or experience in a private law firm or corporate legal department.

Nice To Haves

• Strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and sound judgment skills.
• Self-motivated team player who thrives in fast-paced, high-volume environments.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and collaboration skills.
• Able to work independently with minimal oversight, manage multiple priorities effectively, and maintain a process-oriented approach.

Responsibilities

• Work cross-functionally to build, implement, and execute effective strategies for the delivery of high-quality legal services.
• Identify and implement process improvements, proactively addressing inefficiencies and resolving issues without requiring detailed direction.
• Own and administer the Legal Department budget, including development, tracking, forecasting, and variance analysis across attorneys, practice areas, matters, and outside counsel engagements.
• Manage budget allocation and spend accountability at the attorney and matter level, ensuring each attorney has visibility to budgets, accruals, forecasts, and spend trends for their respective matters and legal work streams.
• Serve as primary administrator and strategic owner of e-billing platform for all legal billing, reporting, and outside counsel invoice operations.
• Independently identify, investigate, and resolve routine billing, system and data issues, escalating only when issues are complex or high-risk.
• Oversee the full outside counsel invoicing lifecycle through e-billing platform, including invoice intake, review workflows, guideline compliance, approvals, dispute resolution, accruals, and timely payment processing.
• Develop and maintain reporting dashboards and analytics that translate spend data into actionable insights, enabling leadership to make informed decisions regarding resourcing, panel counsel usage, matter strategy, and cost control.
• Use data, benchmarking, and performance metrics to drive continuous improvement in legal operations, outside counsel management, and department financial performance.
• Implement and enforce – with internal stakeholders and outside counsel - legal billing best practices, including rate management, staffing optimization, budgeting accuracy, invoice review protocols, alternative fee arrangements, task code discipline, and adherence to outside counsel guidelines.
• Partner with attorneys and business leaders to identify opportunities for spend savings, improved service delivery, and higher-quality work product from outside counsel.
• Lead vendor and outside counsel performance reviews using data-driven scorecards focused on responsiveness, expertise, budget adherence, outcomes, efficiency, and value delivered.
• Prepare executive-level budget summaries, forecasts, and recommendations for Legal leadership, supporting annual planning cycles and ongoing financial governance.
• Continuously evaluate processes and controls to enhance transparency, efficiency, and cost discipline across the Legal Department.
• Other special projects support as needed.

Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• Performance Bonus
• Generous Paid Time Off and 13 Paid Holidays
• Affordable Medical plans and no-cost Dental & Vision options
• 100% 401(k) match up to 6%
• Company-Paid Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with access to mental health care, legal support, and financial guidance
• Recognition and Kaizen (continuous improvement) Reward Programs
• Meaningful opportunities for personal and professional development
• Onsite Fitness Center & Occupational Health Clinic
• Best in class work culture!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level