Legal Counsel - Procurement

Teachers Retirement System of Illinois; États-Unis; Sur place; USD 114 000 - 187 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Retirement benefits

Medical/Dental/Vision coverage

Résumé du poste

The Teachers’ Retirement System of Illinois (TRS) seeks an experienced attorney to provide legal review and negotiation of master agreements, vendor contracts, and related documents for TRS procurement. You will advise multiple TRS departments, draft and negotiate complex agreements, and ensure compliance with Illinois law and TRS policies.

The role requires a JD from an accredited law school, Illinois license, and 3–5 years of relevant experience, with limited travel and opportunity to impact a

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school and Illinois license required.
• Minimum 3–5 years handling complex legal matters in law firm, corporate legal dept, or government agency.
• Experience in government contracting, IT software and service agreements, NDAs and procurement contracts preferred.

Responsabilités

• Provide legal review and negotiation of master agreements and vendor contracts to protect TRS interests.
• Review procurement documents and align with Illinois law and TRS policies.
• Negotiate TRS master agreements and vendor form contracts; coordinate with Procurement Department.
• Assist in contract administration and develop best-practice terms for various services.
• Attend Oversight Committee meetings and provide support as needed.

Connaissances

Legal review

Contract drafting

Negotiation

Procurement knowledge

Time management

Formation

Juris Doctor (JD)

Licensed attorney in Illinois

Description du poste

It is inspiring to work in an organization where individuals are deeply committed to the mission and values that drive our success. We are dedicated to delivering expert pension service to Illinois public educators as they earn their promised retirement security. Under supervision of the General Counsel, provide legal review and negotiation of TRS-generated master agreements, vendor form contracts, and related documents to protect the interests of TRS in the procurement of goods and services for TRS operations. Work closely with the TRS Procurement Department and internal TRS business leads to maintain awareness and provide legal oversight and guidance on procurement matters. Review contract forms and templates, solicitation documents (Requests for Quotes, Requests for Proposal, Invitations to Bid), and TRS procurement policies and procedures to align with applicable law, TRS policies and procedures, and best practices for an Illinois public retirement system. Provide legal review of a broad range of contracts, including nondisclosure agreements, software licensing, SaaS and data subscription agreements, consulting and professional services agreements, State of Illinois joint purchase master contracts, cooperative purchasing agreements (e.g., OMNIA Partners and Sourcewell), and other agreements related to the procurement of goods and services. The incumbent responds to matters brought to the attention of the Legal Department but must also proactively identify legal vulnerabilities and offer preventative counseling concerning all matters related to TRS procurement in support of management’s planning, strategy and decision-making.

The position requires executive presence, skill and judgment to provide legal counseling to multiple TRS departments on competing, time sensitive matters and the exercise of careful discretion in handling of confidential information. Limited travel may be required (e.g., travel for training or CLE). The incumbent must be a graduate of an accredited law school and hold a valid license to practice law in the State of Illinois. TRS offers payment of bar dues, MCLE requirements and professional memberships that align with job duties.

Essential Functions:

• Review procurement and contract documentation and provide legal advice and risk-based recommendations to protect TRS interests to business leads, the Procurement Department, and other TRS stakeholders regarding the acquisition of goods and services for TRS operations.
• Review and draft contracts, procurement bid solicitations (including Requests for Proposals, Requests for Quotes, Invitations to Bid, Statements of Work, NDAs, and other contract documentation).
• Negotiate TRS master agreements and vendor-proposed revisions to preserve uniformity and integrity of standard contract terms that protect the TRS.
• Negotiate vendor form contracts and modifications to minimize TRS risk.
• Coordinate with the TRS Procurement Department and business leads in connection with the same.
• Assist the TRS Procurement Department with contract administration.
• Develop standardized, best practice contract terms for a variety of TRS professional services and operational needs, including terms related to use of artificial intelligence, offshore resources, data security, limitation of liability, indemnification, etc.
• Maintain familiarity with applicable law and TRS procurement policies and procedures and administrative rules, and recommend revisions as legally advised to align with best practices and to protect TRS interests.
• Coordinate with the TRS Procurement and other departments as appropriate to complete assigned duties; proactively counsel departments on anticipated procurement needs.
• Attend Procurement and Contracting Oversight Committee meetings and provide related support.
• Provide backup coverage to internal counsel on other TRS legal matters.
• Assist in departmental administrative matters.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required including special projects.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Models commitment to TRS Mission and Values
• Demonstrates prudent judgment and decision-making skills
• Demonstrates ability to manage competing departments’ legal requests within tight timeframes and meet deadlines, providing ongoing communication on the status of matters
• Proactively approaches responsibilities
• Communicates, in writing and verbally, in an effective, professional manner

Minimum Requirements:

• Must be a graduate of and hold a JD from an accredited law school and be a licensed attorney in good standing in the State of Illinois.
• Minimum of 3 years (preferably 5) of progressively responsible service handling complex legal matters in a law firm, corporate legal department, or governmental agency with substantial experience in contract drafting and negotiations.
• Previous experience in one or more of the following areas is strongly preferred:
• Public/governmental retirement plans
• Tax-qualified retirement plans
• Agency contracting and procurement
• IT software and service agreements
• Nondisclosure agreements
• Must be able to successfully prioritize and manage numerous projects concurrently

The salary range listed for this position is based on the Lisle, IL market. The salary range for Springfield is $114,223 - $178,188. For Illinois job seekers: Pay Range $119,934.00 - $187,098.00 Compensation will be determined based on the qualifications and experience of each candidate.

Benefits TRS is an agency of the State of Illinois. As such, full and part-time employees are eligible for the State of Illinois comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental and vision coverage. All employees participate in the TRS retirement pension plan and have the option to contribute to additional State of Illinois deferred compensation plans. The TRS pension plan is a reciprocal system to other state and local pension plans (SERS, SURS, IMRF, etc.). The Teachers’ Retirement System of the State of Illinois (TRS) is one of the largest pension systems in the United States. We provide retirement, disability and survivor benefits to teachers, administrators and other public-school personnel employed outside the city of Chicago. The System serves over 462,000 members and had assets of $83.7 billion as of February 28, 2026. TRS is governed by a 15-member Board of Trustees.