Manager, Legal Operations

Panera Bread; Newton (MA); Hybrid; USD 119,634 - 167,488; Full time

Job summary

A leading restaurant chain is looking for a Manager of Legal Operations in Newton, MA. This role involves supporting legal systems and processes within the Legal Department, managing contract workflows, and coordinating with various teams. The ideal candidate should have a Bachelor's degree, several years of experience in legal operations, and proficiency in legal management systems. The position is hybrid, requiring in-office presence three days a week, and offers a competitive salary range based on experience.

Qualifications

• 4–7 years of experience in legal operations, project management, or business operations.
• Hands-on experience with legal e-billing/matter management systems.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Support Legal's contract management process and maintain visibility into contract renewals.
• Assist with day-to-day administration of Legal Tracker.
• Support budgeting and forecasting processes for the legal department.

Skills

Legal operations

Project management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Process Improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree

Certification in Legal Operations, Project Management, or Process Improvement

Tools

Legal Tracker

Advanced Excel

Power BI

Job description

This range is provided by Panera Bread. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

119634.00/yr - 167488.00/yr

Manager, Legal Operations

Job Purpose

The Manager, Legal Operations supports the day-to-day operations of Panera’s Legal Department. This role helps maintain legal systems, manage contract and matter workflows, coordinate with outside counsel, and assist with department reporting and budgeting. This role works cross-functionally with attorneys, paralegals, Finance, Procurement, and IT to enhance efficiency, data quality, and accountability.

Duties & Responsibilities

Contract Management and Workflow Support

• Support Legal’s contract management process, including intake, triage, tracking, and approvals.
• Help maintain visibility into contract renewals, expirations, and key milestones.
• Update and maintain standardized contract templates, playbooks, and approval workflows to promote consistency and compliance.
• Assist in identifying opportunities to automate manual tasks and improve turnaround times using workflow tools.

Technology and Systems Support

• Assist with day-to-day administration of Legal Tracker, including matter setup, vendor entry, invoice review, accrual collection, and basic reporting.
• Coordinate with IT and vendors on system updates, troubleshooting, and user access requests for Legal technology tools (e.g., e-signature, entity management, CLM).
• Generate standard reports and dashboards from system data to support department visibility and planning.

Vendor and Budget Coordination

• Assist with onboarding of outside counsel and vendors and ensure adherence to Panera’s Outside Counsel Guidelines.
• Support Legal’s budgeting and forecasting processes by tracking invoices, accruals, and spend trends.
• Prepare routine spend and matter reports for Legal leadership and Finance.
• Maintain organized vendor records and help monitor compliance with approved rates and engagement terms.

Legal Intake and Request Tracking

• Monitor the Legal intake inbox and routing system to ensure requests are logged and assigned promptly.
• Track request status and turnaround times to maintain transparency and accountability.
• Compile data on request volumes and trends to support process improvement.

Governance and Compliance Assistance

• Coordinate with Compliance and Governance teams to align Legal processes with company policies, data retention standards, and internal controls.
• Assist in tracking and documenting Legal-related compliance requirements, such as certificates of insurance or policy acknowledgements.
• Maintain organized electronic files and records for regulatory and contractual compliance.

Knowledge Management and Communication

• Maintain Legal’s shared resources, templates, and FAQs.
• Assist in drafting internal communications and user guides for Legal systems and processes.
• Support collaboration and information sharing across Legal, Risk, and Compliance teams.

Metrics, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement

• Compile and update Legal operations metrics and dashboards (spend, matters, contracts, cycle times).
• Analyze basic data sets to identify patterns or areas needing attention.
• Assist with annual goal‑tracking, project planning, and process documentation.
• Support projects and initiatives aimed at improving Legal’s efficiency and service delivery.

Qualifications (Education & Experience)

• Bachelor’s degree required; certification in Legal Operations, Project Management, or Process Improvement (e.g., CLOC, ACC, PMP) preferred.
• 4–7 years of experience in legal operations, project management, or business operations.
• Hands‑on experience administering Legal Tracker or similar legal e‑billing/matter management systems.
• Experience with contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems and workflow design.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and project management skills.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and translate legal needs into business‑friendly solutions.
• Advanced Excel or Power BI proficiency for reporting and analytics preferred.
• Familiarity with budgeting, vendor management, and process governance.
• Demonstrated initiative, sound judgment, and commitment to continuous improvement.
• Ability to leverage technology and automation to improve efficiency and performance.

Working Conditions

• This position is hybrid (3 days in office) and is based in our Newton, MA office.
• Required travel – as needed.

Physical Requirements

• While performing this job, the incumbent is regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear & use hands and fingers to operate keyboards.

Direct Reports

• This position will have approximately 0 direct reports.

The actual pay offered will be determined by multiple factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s relevant experience, job‑related knowledge, skills, and geographical location. Individual compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.

Newton Support Center

Seniority level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Legal, Information Technology, and Finance

Industries

Legal Services and Restaurants

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