Legal Operations and Contracts Specialist

Erikson Institute; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Erikson Institute is seeking a highly organized Legal Operations and Contracts Specialist to support the General Counsel and the Office of the President. You will manage contract lifecycle, governance, and compliance activities across departments to promote efficiency and accountability.

The role requires strong project management, discretion, and collaboration in a nonprofit higher-ed environment, with direct involvement in contract systems and workflows that influence institutional operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and paralegal certificate or related training preferred.
• At least five years of relevant experience in law firms, in-house legal, higher education, nonprofit, or contracts.
• Experience with contract administration, lifecycle systems, and governance support preferred.
• Strong organizational, project-management, proofreading, recordkeeping, and document-management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and a collaborative service-oriented style.
• Ability to work independently, manage concurrent assignments, and meet deadlines.
• Discretion handling confidential, privileged, and sensitive information.
• Experience with sponsored research, grants, procurement a plus.
• High integrity, ethics, professionalism, and accountability; experience with contract workflows.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day paralegal, administrative, and project support to the General Counsel/Corporate Secretary.
• Coordinate contract lifecycle from intake and review through approval, signature, filing, renewal, amendment, or termination.
• Support launch, administration, and ongoing management of Erikson's contract lifecycle management platform including workflow configuration and data quality.
• Organize and submit agreements for review by the General Counsel.
• Support review and administration of vendor agreements, MOUs, grants, and other contracts.
• Track key dates, deliverables, notice requirements, approvals, insurance documentation, and compliance obligations.
• Coordinate electronic signature and maintain contract records, templates, forms, reports, and dashboards.
• Coordinate cross-functional projects and assist with policy development and governance.

Skills

Legal operations

Contract management

Project management

Stakeholder collaboration

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in relevant field

Paralegal certificate or related training

Tools

Contract lifecycle management platform

Microsoft 365

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY:

Erikson Institute ("Erikson") is seeking a highly organized and resourceful Legal Operations and Contracts Specialist to provide direct support to the General Counsel/Corporate Secretary under the Office of the President. To support Erikson’s legal, compliance, and operational priorities. Reporting to the General Counsel, this position is responsible for implementing and managing the institution’s contract management system and processes; coordinating contract administration from start to finish; and providing administrative, research, and operational support for legal, policy, governance, and compliance matters. The position works collaboratively across departments to promote operational efficiency, institutional accountability, and adherence to policies and best practices.

The successful candidate will have demonstrated sound judgment, discretion, strong project-management skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a collaborative higher education and nonprofit environment.

I. PRINCIPAL DUTIES:

Legal and General Counsel Support:

• Provide day-to-day paralegal, administrative, and project support to the General Counsel/Corporate Secretary.
• Conduct research and assist with correspondence, summaries, presentations, forms, and other legal or governance materials.
• Coordinate legal requests, maintain matter files and trackers, monitor deadlines, and follow up on action items.
• Assist with governance, compliance, risk-management, and other matters under the direction of the General Counsel.

Contracts Administration:

• Coordinate the contract lifecycle from intake and review through approval, signature, filing, renewal, amendment, or termination.
• Receive and triage contract requests, confirm required information is complete, and coordinate legal, finance, operational, and stakeholder review.
• Support the launch, administration, and ongoing management of Erikson's dedicated contract lifecycle management platform, including workflow configuration, user support, data quality, reporting, and continuous improvement.
• Organize and submit agreements, renewals, and other documents for review by the General Counsel.
• Support the review and administration of vendor and service agreements, MOUs, grants, sponsored-research agreements, data-sharing and licensing agreements, and other institutional contracts.
• Track key dates, deliverables, notice requirements, approvals, insurance documentation, and compliance obligations, and provide timely reminders and follow-up.
• Coordinate electronic signature and maintain complete contract records, templates, forms, reports, and dashboards.

Project Management, Processes and Policies:

• Coordinate legal and cross-functional projects through work plans, timelines, trackers, meeting materials, and follow-up communications.
• Help design, document, and implement efficient legal and contracting workflows, intake procedures, approval processes, and recordkeeping practices.
• Facilitate policy reviews and updates by maintaining an inventory and review calendar, coordinating stakeholder input, tracking revisions and approvals, and organizing final records.
• Assist with drafting, formatting, publishing, and implementing policies, procedures, forms, guidance, training materials, and compliance documentation.
• Support internal information requests, audits, due-diligence reviews, insurance and claims matters, and other compliance activities as assigned.

Stakeholder Communication and Other Support:

• Collaborate with internal departments and as directed, outside counsel, vendors, governmental agencies, partners, and other third parties.
• Guide internal stakeholders through established contract and legal processes while referring legal judgments and advice to the General Counsel.
• Support meetings, special projects, and institutional initiatives involving the Office of the General Counsel.
• Support vendor set up, invoice payment, communication and related tasks.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

II. SOFTWARE COMPETENCIES:

Strong proficiency with Microsoft 365, including Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint, and the ability to learn and master contract-management, document-management, electronic-signature, project-management, and financial systems. Experience with contract management platforms is a plus.

III. PREFERRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field from an accredited program;paralegal certificate or related legal or business administration training or experience strongly preferred.
• At least five+ years of relevant experience in a law firm, in-house legal department, higher education institution, nonprofit organization, contracts function, or comparable professional environment.
• Experience with contract administration, contract lifecycle management systems, legal operations, project coordination, policy administration, governance, or compliance support strongly preferred.
• Working familiarity with contracts and legal documents and the ability to organize information, identify issues, and identify issues, and identify issues ...?
• Excellent organizational, project-management, proofreading, recordkeeping, and document-management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and a collaborative, service-oriented work style.
• Ability to work independently within established authority, manage concurrent assignments, and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated discretion and sound judgment in handling confidential, privileged, and sensitive information.
• Experience in sponsored research or grants, procurement or related fields a plus.
• High standards of integrity, ethics, professionalism, and accountability. Demonstrated experience implementing and managing a contract management or similar workflow system.
• Strong writing, editing, and research skills with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, exercise discretion with confidential information, and work collaboratively across departments.

IV. SUPERVISION AND SCOPE OF ROLE:

This position works under the direction and supervision of the General Counsel/Corporate Secretary. The position supports legal work and established processes but does not independently provide legal advice, make legal determinations, or bind Erikson to contractual or other commitments.

About Erikson Institute

We are the premier early childhood development organization committed to ensuring that all children have equitable opportunities to realize their potential.

Erikson Institute’s graduate school uniquely prepares child development, education, and social work leaders to improve the lives of young children and their families. Our impact and influence are further amplified through our innovative academic programs, applied research, direct services in the community, advocacy, policy and leadership.

Erikson Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, veteran status, family responsibilities, or any other classes protected by federal, state, or local laws. In addition, Erikson Institute provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans With Disabilities Act and applicable state and local laws (including during the application or hiring process).

To learn more, please visit our web site atwww.erikson.edu