Senior Counsel, Contracts

About the position

The Senior Counsel, Contracts role is designed for an experienced attorney who will leverage their legal expertise in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts. This position is integral to providing legal advice that supports Empower's retirement plan services business, ensuring compliance and risk mitigation while advancing business initiatives. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in contracts, strong analytical skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with various stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Review, draft, and negotiate client contracts and related documents for retirement plan recordkeeping, trust, advisory, and other services.
• Provide counsel in support of Empower's retirement plan services business, including corporate, government, non-profit, union, multi-employer, and institutional plans.
• Advise on the creation of RFPs and other related documents in collaboration with contract specialists and the Legal Department.
• Review, draft, and negotiate contracts with vendors including services agreements, sourcing agreements, statements of work, non-disclosure agreements, software licensing agreements, and SaaS agreements.
• Lead complex commercial transactions and provide strategic legal advice, proactively working with business leadership to anticipate issues.
• Exhibit in-depth knowledge of agreement terms and conditions, applying legal analysis to identify and understand business issues and contractual risks.
• Interact effectively with management, alliance partners, internal associates, clients, vendors, and external counsel, clearly communicating legal and commercial issues.
• Provide guidance on contract terms, business positions, and the contracting process.
• Build relationships with business stakeholders and serve as a key point of contact for contract inquiries and issues.
• Analyze complex issues and develop legal strategies to achieve business goals while ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Provide legal insights and support to internal teams on contract matters, including structuring, interpretation, compliance, and risk assessment.
• Execute additional projects and duties as assigned to support business initiatives.

Requirements

• J.D. from an accredited law school
• Licensed and admitted to practice in good standing with state bar
• 7+ years of relevant legal experience reviewing, drafting, and negotiating complex agreements
• In-depth knowledge of contract law fundamentals
• Exceptional ability to interface with a variety of individuals including procurement professionals and external clients
• Dedication to customer service and teamwork
• Willingness to take on new tasks as needed

Nice-to-haves

• Financial services and retirement services industry knowledge
• Commitment to delivering optimal solutions in a timely manner
• Initiative to generate and advocate ideas that help reduce risk
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Discretion and integrity in handling confidential information
• Proficient in MS Word, Outlook, and Excel
• General understanding of privacy laws and data protection
• Familiarity with mutual fund participation agreements and associated regulatory frameworks

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 401(k) plan with generous company matching contributions
• Tuition reimbursement up to $5,250/year
• Business-casual environment
• Generous paid time off including ten paid company holidays and three floating holidays
• Paid volunteer time — 16 hours per calendar year
• Leave of absence programs including paid parental leave and FMLA
• Business Resource Groups (BRGs) for internal networking and support