Contracts and Legal Operations Manager

Major, Lindsey & Africa’s Interim Legal Talent group is seeking a Contracts and Legal Operations Manager for the next 3 months, and in an interim-to-permanent capacity

Overview: We are seeking a Contracts and Legal Operations Manager to assist with contract administration and operational support.

Company: Leading non-profit and higher education organization

Experience: 5-7 years of contracts experience working with non-profit entities

Location: Hybrid - Chicago

Responsibilities Include:

Contracts Management

• Lead the implementation, configuration, and ongoing administration of the contract lifecycle management (CLM) platform and centralized contract repository.
• Serve as the institution’s primary CLM system owner and contract operations lead, overseeing the full contract lifecycle, including intake, review, routing, approval, execution, obligation tracking, renewals, amendments, and recordkeeping.
• Establish and maintain standardized contract workflows, approval paths, metadata requirements, and user roles within the CLM system.
• Develop and maintain metrics, dashboards, and reports related to contract volume, turnaround times, compliance, and risk exposure.
• Support drafting, negotiation, review, and advancement of contracts, amendments, addenda, and standard templates under the direction of the General Counsel.
• Assist in the development and maintenance of a standardized contract and clause template library.
• Coordinate cross-functional workflows to ensure timely approvals, compliance with institutional policies, and alignment with legal, financial, and risk standards.
• Provide staff training and serve as a primary institutional resource on contract intake, CLM usage, competitive bidding, RFPs, and contracting best practices.

CLM Implementation & Legal Operations Systems

• Partner with Legal, Finance, IT, and business units to select, implement, and deploy a CLM platform, including system configuration, data migration, testing, rollout, and user adoption.
• Develop documentation, training materials, and change-management support to ensure successful CLM adoption across the institution.
• Serve as ongoing liaison with CLM vendors and technology partners; manage enhancements, troubleshooting, and system optimization.

Legal Operations & Administrative Support

• Provide administrative and operational support to the General Counsel, including document review and management, correspondence, scheduling, and file maintenance.
• Assist with research, drafting, and editing of institutional documents, including policies, procedures, Board governance materials, memoranda, and internal guidance.
• Support preparation of materials for Board of Trustees and committee meetings, including resolutions, charters, and minutes.
• Maintain the Office’s records, templates, and institutional policy library.

Audit, Compliance & Risk Support

• Support audit and compliance activities by organizing documentation, tracking deliverables, and coordinating responses to auditors.
• Assist in maintaining compliance calendars and ensuring completion of required institutional filings and certifications.

Training & Process Improvement

• Support development and delivery of staff training on contract management workflows, institutional policies, and compliance practices.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and user experience across legal and administrative processes.
• Document and refine internal procedures to ensure clarity, accountability, and institutional alignment.

Qualifications Include:

• Bachelor's from an accredited University or College
• 5 years of experience working with contracts, contract administration, and contract lifecycle management, preferably in a legal operations capacity
• Experience/familiarity with non-profit entities, higher education, or government grant entities, either working directly with or for clients
• Wide-ranging experience and knowledge as an operations generalist, including CLM, contracts, drafting, board decks/governance, and project management

Pay rate: $40

Information regarding benefits can be found on MLA’s Website on the Consultant Resources Page: https://www.mlaglobal.com/en/consultant-resources

All interested and qualified candidates should apply directly with Major, Lindsey & Africa for review and consideration. Major, Lindsey & Africa does not discriminate against applications on the basis of age, sex, race or any other protected characteristics pursuant to applicable state or federal laws.

Bullhorn Job ID: 246227