Legal Operations Manager (hybrid)

Legal Operations Manager

Sumitomo Electric U.S.A. Holdings, Inc. seeks an experienced, strategic and tech-savvy Legal Operations Manager to support its U.S.-based in-house legal department. This non-lawyer position will report directly to the General Counsel for the Americas and will be responsible for optimizing the delivery of legal services through operational excellence, technology enablement, process improvement, and the general administrative management of the SEUHO Legal Department. Located near Los Angeles, California (Torrance), this position is a hybrid role, which will allow certain flexibility between time in the office and working remotely from home. Strong candidates will be a self-starter, with exceptional communication skills, an ability to work in a collegial, business-centered environment, and an interest in taking initiative.

The SEUHO Legal Department is responsible for developing and maintaining a full-service legal function to comprehensively support the legal and compliance needs of over 48 Sumitomo Electric Group companies that operate in North and South America and design, manufacture, and sell a wide variety of electric components, electrical wires and cables, industrial materials, information and communication devices, and cutting-edge energy storage cells/systems. The group companies in North and South America are subsidiaries of Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., which is a publicly-traded company on the Tokyo stock exchange and is a Fortune Global 500 company.

Job Duties And Responsibilities

• Lead and manage legal department operations, including strategic planning, process improvement, and performance metrics
• Act as thought partner and execution lead to the General Counsel
• Serve as a primary administrator for the legal technology platform, overseeing user access, system configuration, and data integrity
• Manage and maintain SharePoint sites, site collections, and subsites, ensuring optimal organization and usability
• Develop and maintain department policies, procedures, and knowledge management systems
• Coordinate cross-functional initiatives and support change management efforts within the legal department
• Manage administrative aspects of the department, such as staff recruitment and onboarding, procurement, IT projects, and facilities issues
• Supervise and mentor administrative staff

• Develop and manage legal department budget reports, including quarterly and semi-annual forecasting
• Oversee legal spend management, including invoice review, accruals, and outside counsel rates review
• Manage relationships with outside counsel and legal service providers, including onboarding, performance tracking, and compliance with billing guidelines

• Prepare monthly legal status update report for senior leadership in Japan on all active matters
• Support data-driven decision-making through analytics and insights
• Prepare ad hoc reports

• Lead or support legal department projects, including technology implementations, compliance initiatives, and process redesign
• Train legal team on new technology, processes, and procedures
• Identify opportunities for process improvement
• Coordinate with stakeholders (e.g., IS, HR, Accounting departments) to align legal operations with broader company goals
• Execute technical strategies and provide logistical support to events and conferences organized by the legal team

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of experience in legal operations within a corporate legal department or law firm. Project management experience preferred; Experience managing a legal department for a large corporation preferred.
• B.S. degree, or equivalent, in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field, with working knowledge of accounting principles.
• Strong understanding of legal department functions, legal technology tools, and best practices in legal and business operations.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including data analysis, formula creation (VLOOKUP, SUMIF, etc.), Pivot Tables, and Pivot Charts.
• Experience as a SharePoint Administrator, with proficiency in SharePoint Online.
• Familiarity with the broader Microsoft 365 suite, including Microsoft Teams and Power Platform (Power Automate Platform) a plus.
• Ability to develop and implement policies and protocols for effective delivery of legal services to Sumitomo Electric Group companies in the Americas.
• Experience with legal spend management, vendor management, and legal technology platforms
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in a hybrid work environment.
• Experience supervising direct report(s).

The base salary range for this position is $110,000 to $125,000 annually. Compensation may vary depending on a number of factors, including a candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, competencies and location. Base pay is one part of the total compensation and benefits package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives.

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. is a recognized global technology leader with over 280,000 employees working at around 400 group companies in 40 countries. Building on more than 120 years of innovation, today Sumitomo Electric is engaged in diversified business activities that support people's daily lives and industries in five business segments: automotive, infocommunications, electronics, environment & energy, and industrial materials.

SEUHO is an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, genetics, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.