In-House Counsel

At SMS Assist, we're not just in the business of fixing properties-we're fixing an entire industry. Typically, facilities maintenance is tough work-both in the nature of the job (plumbing, HVAC, snow removal) and the lack of clarity throughout the experience. We decided a better way wasn't only possible, but essential. Through our award-winning technology platform, built and powered by SMSers, we connect local contractors to our customers and help manage an experience that surpasses expectations.
Recognized on Forbes' Cloud 100 list, Deloitte's Technology Fast 500, Chicago Crain's Top Tech Employers, and more, SMS Assist manages more than 186,000 properties where people live and work. Our customers' livelihoods are in our hands-think a restaurant manager whose only fryer goes down on a busy Friday night or a family in Florida without power after a hurricane. We work across the industries that make up your community, including retail, food service, banking, residential, and more, and we help them find the right provider in our network (we call them Affiliates) in more than 45 trades.
We're innovators, disruptors, and out-of-the-box thinkers. We set each other up for success in the office and for the perfect spike on the volleyball court during an intramural game. We're community volunteers, karaoke partners, and lifelong friends. We're passionate about the people we serve, and we give our all because we care. We want to make every property better, and we want your help to make it happen.
Job Summary
Under the direction of senior attorneys, the In-House Counsel - Commercial Transactions role supports the business by reviewing, managing, and negotiating commercial agreements and ensuring that proper policies and procedures are in place to meet the commercial needs of the business and the goals of the department. This includes negotiating agreements directly with customers and vendors, working with senior attorneys on more complex agreements, providing guidance to junior attorneys on routine agreements, ensuring efficient management of the contracting process, accurately documenting each contract, and carrying out special projects for the legal department. The role will require diligence, teamwork, initiative, and strong project and time management skills to advance multiple projects to completion and work seamlessly across all business units to ensure quick turnaround of agreements.
Responsibilities

• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage substantive commercial agreements, including, but not limited to: customer agreements, vendor agreements, purchase agreements, non-disclosure agreements, service agreements, license agreements, and consulting agreements
• Draft, manage and keep scopes of work, insurance requirements, service level agreements, and other vendor documents current and in compliance with SMS Assist's risk management policies
• Serve as the point of contact for internal business owners on contractual matters, ensuring timely contract review and approval, efficient contract management, and consistent follow-up on key compliance issues
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including those in the legal, sales, and operations departments, as well as our customers, to ensure that the documents tie out with applicable needs, requirements, and expectations, including contracting strategies, business objectives, and other contract conditions
• Communicate and coordinate with stakeholders, including responding to inquiries, requests for clarification, etc. regarding contracts and terms/conditions or other items
• Record key contract data and conduct various analyses and modeling of contract data, as required, to meet Legal department goals and effectively respond to business requests
• Actively contribute to the Legal department's efforts to maintain a database of all contracts, contract statuses, and proactively ensure contract compliance
• Ensure execution of approved and finalized customer contracts, including timely and accurate hand-off to internal partners/stakeholders
• Monitor existing contracts using approved performance methodologies, tools, etc.; including identifying and recommending opportunities for improvement
• Organize and prioritize workload so as to most efficiently enable and facilitate team efforts to accomplish company goals, and anticipate and identify current and future needs
• Keep Corporate Counsel - Director of Commercial Transactions and General Counsel, as applicable and appropriate, apprised of current and potential issues and communicate effectively on a regular basis
• Identify potential risk and liability related to business practices, policies, and deals
• Share information and offer ideas and solutions in a team environment
• Provide guidance to junior attorneys and foster a positive team environment
• Ensure confidentiality of internal and external data
• Perform ad-hoc projects and other duties as assigned

Professional Skills
These are the professional skills we would expect from an individual fully established in this role.

• Customer Service - Advanced
• Verbal Communication - Expert
• Written Communication - Expert
• Teamwork - Advanced
• Relationships - Advanced
• Negotiation - Advanced
• Organizational Awareness - Advanced
• Learning Agility - Advanced
• Analysis - Expert
• Problem Solving - Expert
• Process Orientation - Advanced
• Prioritization - Advanced

Role Specific Skills

• Excellent organization with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment under deadline pressure
• Demonstrated attention to detail, with advanced skills in identifying legal and compliance issues
• Ability to proactively take ownership of projects and take initiative to achieve ideal outcomes
• Strong analytical and drafting skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong persuasive and negotiation skills and high level of professionalism
• Fluent in the Microsoft Office suite, specifically Word, Excel and Outlook

Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications

• Undergraduate Degree required
• Juris Doctor Degree required
• Admission to a State Bar (preferably Illinois)
• 5+ years of legal experience

Other Relevant Qualifications

• Previous law firm or in-house experience is a plus
• Project management experience
• Knowledge of aspects of contract law, tax law, accounting, securities law, bankruptcy, intellectual property rights, licensing, zoning laws, and the laws specific to the business

Please note, this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities, and schedule may change at any time with or without notice.
SMS Assist is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) that welcomes and encourages all applicants to apply regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify and/or expression, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital or parental status, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy or other reasons prohibited by law.
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