Contracts Operations Coordinator - Legal Team

Smithbucklin, a 650-person, employee-owned professional services company with more than 70 years of success serving the association market, with primary offices in Chicago and Washington, D.C., is looking for a Contracts Operations Coordinator to join our team in our Chicago office.

The Contracts Operations Coordinator will play a key role in supporting and optimizing the day-to-day operations of the company’s legal function. This individual will partner closely with the Chief Legal Officer (“CLO”) and cross-functional stakeholders to manage contracting processes, maintain corporate compliance, and drive operational efficiency across legal workflows.

At Smithbucklin, we embody a culture driven by optimism, ambition, expertise, and thoughtfulness, where every team member is empowered to exceed expectations and deliver exceptional results for our clients. Join us in shaping the future of association management, where our values serve as the cornerstone of our success.

What You Will Do:

Contract & Document Management

• Own and manage the end-to-end contracting process for corporate agreements (e.g., service agreements, statements of work, NDAs, employment agreements), from intake through execution.
• Track contract status, drive timelines, and coordinate with internal stakeholders to ensure timely completion.
• Initiate process for contract renewals.
• Manage contract renewals and proactively monitor key deadlines
• Draft and revise agreements using templates and approved language under CLO supervision.
• Organize, maintain, and ensure accessibility of all corporate agreements and legal documents
• Proofread and edit agreements and other legal materials for accuracy and consistency.

Compliance & Corporate Governance Support

• Partner with outside counsel and CLO to maintain corporate records (board minutes, entity documents, licenses).
• Track and support governance compliance obligations (internal and client related, as applicable).
• Assist with audit processes and ongoing requirements related to the company’s industry accreditation.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Serve as liaison between legal and other units (HR, finance, service units)
• Manage intake and prioritization of legal requests.
• Coordinate across stakeholders to ensure timely execution of legal-related projects.

Vendor & Billing Management

• Process legal invoices and support engagement with outside counsel
• Support relationships with external law firms and legal vendors

Legal Operations / Systems

• Identify and implement improvements to legal processes and workflows.
• Assist in the administration and optimization of legal technology tools.

Miscellaneous

• Assist CLO in providing legal education to other company employees.
• Perform light legal research, as needed.
• Support additional legal, risk management, and operational initiatives led by the CLO.
• Engage in high degrees of interaction with all company executives, employees, and clients on various items.

Basic Qualifications:

• 3–5 years of experience in a law firm or in-house legal department, with exposure to commercial contracts and corporate matters
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High attention to detail and strong proofreading ability.
• Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment
• Experience working with legal technology platforms (e.g., CLM, e-billing tools)
• Interest in leveraging technology, including AI tools, to improve legal workflows
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate across all levels of the organization
• Client-service mindset and commitment to operational excellence
• Desire to grow and take on increasing responsibility

Where Do You Fit?

Whether you are just beginning your career or are a mid- or senior-level professional, working at Smithbucklin will offer you countless opportunities to develop transferable skills, acquire meaningful knowledge and gain rich experiences at an accelerated pace. By working collaboratively with smart, ambitious, multi-talented, genuine and hardworking colleagues, you will build meaningful, deep and enduring relationships that will serve you well throughout your career, regardless of your chosen path. In addition, as a 100 percent employee-owned company, Smithbucklin offers all of our people - regardless of position or compensation - an equal chance to experience the fulfillment and reap the benefits of ownership. As owners, our employees control the destiny of Smithbucklin and are unified in the goal of building a great, enduring company.

Smithbucklin is a hybrid work environment with in-office days established as Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Employees will work a standard 40-hour week, with the possibility of additional hours based on project deadlines

Smithbucklin considers several factors when determining compensation, including a candidate's recent coursework, training, experience, and certifications, among other considerations. The expected pay for this role is $70,000-$75,000.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Smithbucklin, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status or any other protected status designated by federal, state or local law. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a reference and background investigation based on position.

Smithbucklin will not sponsor applicants for work visas and as a precondition of employment. You must be authorized to work in the United States permanently.