Legal Risk Manager job description

Job brief

We are seeking a proactive Legal Risk Manager to join our legal operations team and help us scale our compliance infrastructure during a period of significant growth. In this role, you will lead our contract management strategy, refine our internal risk mitigation processes, and act as a subject matter expert on regulatory alignment for our business stakeholders. You will have the opportunity to implement modern legal-tech solutions, streamline document workflows, and directly influence our firm’s risk posture. If you are a rigorous analytical thinker who excels at turning complex legal theory into practical business processes, we would love to meet you.

What is a Legal Risk Manager?

A Legal Risk Manager is a strategic professional tasked with identifying, assessing, and mitigating legal and regulatory liabilities across the enterprise. By establishing robust internal governance frameworks and analyzing complex statutes, a Legal Risk Manager protects the organization from litigation, financial penalties, and reputational harm. They serve as a critical bridge between operational business units and the legal department, ensuring that internal policies align with evolving industry regulations and corporate compliance standards.

What does a Legal Risk Manager do?

A Legal Risk Manager typically oversees the end-to-end contract lifecycle, from drafting and negotiation to auditing terms for risk exposure against internal playbooks. They monitor legislative changes across multiple jurisdictions, translate complex legal requirements into actionable compliance checklists, and maintain meticulous documentation for potential audits. During a typical week, they collaborate with executive leadership, IT security teams, and external counsel to conduct enterprise-wide risk assessments and lead cross-departmental initiatives to resolve potential compliance gaps.

Key responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate complex commercial agreements, service level agreements, and NDAs to minimize company liability and protect intellectual property rights.
• Conduct enterprise-wide legal risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities in operational processes, vendor relationships, and data privacy compliance workflows.
• Monitor global regulatory shifts, including GDPR, CCPA, and industry-specific statutes, advising leadership on necessary policy adjustments and compliance milestones.
• Manage the legal department’s contract lifecycle management (CLM) software, ensuring accuracy in data entry, renewal tracking, and version control of legal documentation.
• Coordinate with external counsel during litigation, arbitration, or regulatory inquiries, serving as the primary point of contact for case information and evidence gathering.
• Develop and deliver internal training programs focused on ethics, corporate governance, and regulatory compliance to ensure cross-departmental awareness and adoption.
• Prepare high-level reports for C-suite executives detailing legal risk metrics, pending dispute resolutions, and the status of ongoing compliance initiatives.
• Audit existing internal corporate governance documents, including bylaws and board policies, to ensure they remain aligned with current legal best practices.

Requirements and skills

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school or a Bachelor’s degree in Business Law with a relevant certification in risk management.
• 5+ years of experience in corporate law, legal risk management, or compliance, preferably within a highly regulated industry sector.
• Advanced proficiency with contract management platforms like Ironclad, Conga, or Icertis to track and analyze contractual risks and obligations.
• Deep technical understanding of regulatory frameworks such as SOX, HIPAA, or ISO 27001 depending on industry-specific compliance requirements.
• Proven ability to translate intricate legal statutes into clear, actionable business guidance for non-legal stakeholders and senior executives.
• Experience managing external counsel relationships, including budget oversight, invoice auditing, and coordinating legal strategy for dispute resolution.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify patterns in legal data to predict potential future risks or litigation trends.
• Certification in Risk Management (e.g., CRM) or Compliance and Ethics (e.g., CCEP) is highly preferred for candidates in this position.

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