Contracts and Governance Paralegal

American Farm Bureau Federation; Washington; Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

American Farm Bureau Federation seeks a seasoned paralegal to lead contract review and approval, manage the contract lifecycle, and support corporate governance within the Office of General Counsel. The role includes board materials, annual filings, and board portal maintenance.

Qualifications include 3+ years in a legal department or law firm, strong organizational and communication skills, and proficiency with Microsoft Office. Telework is eligible under policy, with location in Washington, DC.

Qualifications

• Minimum three (3) years of paralegal experience in a law firm or corporate legal department.
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to prioritize and manage a high-volume workload.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and process-improvement skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and a collaborative approach.
• Demonstrated integrity, sound judgment, and discretion with confidential matters.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of an efficient contract intake, review, and approval process.
• Manage processing of contracts from intake through execution.
• Review, edit, and approve routine contracts in accordance with guidelines approved by the General Counsel.
• Route complex contracts to the appropriate OGC attorney.
• Maintain the contract repository and tracking records and notify staff of status.
• Prepare materials for board meetings and maintain board portals and rosters.
• Support the Annual Meeting of Voting Delegates and delegate materials.
• Coordinate board meeting registrations and hotel accommodations; manage payments and reimbursements.
• Maintain permanent corporate records and prepare annual filings and registrations.
• Administer the department’s document management and board management software.
• Support communications, publications, and meetings, including legal advocacy reporting.
• Conduct legal research and maintain the legal case room.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Contract review & processing

Organizational skills

Analytical problem-solving

Written and verbal communication

Professional integrity & discretion

Ability to work under pressure

Education

Paralegal Studies degree or certification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

POSITION OBJECTIVE:

Lead the organization’s contract review and approval process and support the corporate governance and legal administration functions of the Office of General Counsel for AFBF and its affiliated companies.

REPORTS TO:

Governance Administrator

LOCATION:

Washington, DC; eligible for telework under AFBF Policy

PAY RANGE:

an hourly equivalent of $75,000 - $90,000 annually

DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES:

Contract Management

• Lead the design and implementation of an efficient contract intake, review, and approval process, including intake procedures, review tiers, templates, playbooks, and contract management technology.
• Manage processing of contracts from intake through execution.
• Review, edit, and approve routine contracts in accordance with guidelines approved by the General Counsel, including through the use of approved AI tools; route complex or higher-risk contracts to the appropriate OGC attorney.
• Maintain the contract repository and tracking records, including key dates and renewals, and keep OGC attorneys and program staff informed of contract status.

Corporate Governance

• Prepare materials for meetings of the board of directors of and board committees of AFBF and affiliate companies, including meeting notices, agendas, and first drafts of minutes; maintain board portal documents, distribution lists, and committee rosters.
• Support the AFBF Annual Meeting of Voting Delegates, including delegate registration, credentials desk, and delegate meeting materials.
• Coordinate board meeting registration and hotel accommodations with Office Operations and board and delegate payments and expense reimbursements with Accounting.
• Maintain permanent corporate records of the voting delegates, board of directors, and board committees.
• Prepare annual corporate filings and state charitable solicitation registrations, coordinating with outside counsel and Accounting.

Department Operations

• Administer the department’s document management system and board management software.
• Support legal department communications, publications, presentations, meetings, and conferences, including reports on the legal advocacy program and related expenses.
• Conduct legal and other research as needed and maintain the legal case room.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

RELATIONSHIPS:

Build collaborative relationships with OGC and other AFBF staff, officers and directors, farmer volunteer leaders, and state Farm Bureau staff.

EDUCATION OR TRAINING:

• Paralegal Studies degree or certification preferred

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Minimum three (3) years of paralegal experience in a law firm or corporate legal department, including contract review and processing
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to prioritize and manage a high-volume workload
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and process-improvement skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and a collaborative approach
• Demonstrated integrity, sound judgment, and discretion with confidential matters
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and meet deadlines
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

• Responsibility for contract management processes
• Experience using AI tools for legal document review or drafting
• Familiarity with corporate governance and nonprofit organizations
• Proficiency with legal research tools, PACER, and document and board management software

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Travel as needed.

600 Maryland Avenue SW
Suite 1000 Washington DC 20024