Sr. Paralegal - Contracts

About Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.

At Mitsubishi Motors NA, we are driving innovation, quality, and excellence in the automotive industry. Our commitment to delivering cutting-edge vehicles goes hand in hand with our dedication to fostering a dynamic and inclusive work environment. Our team members are the driving force behind our success, and we believe in empowering individuals to contribute their unique skills and perspectives. We are a collaborative and forward-thinking team that values diversity, creativity, and continuous improvement. At MMNA, your career is not just a job but a journey of growth. Benefit from ongoing employee development programs, contribute to our impactful Community Relations initiatives, and enjoy a range of employee benefits that make your experience with us exceptional. Be part of a company proud of its heritage and excited about the future where together, we shape the future of mobility and drive success in every mile.

About The Job

The Sr. Paralegal – Contracts and Corporate Governance will manage MMNA’s legal contract workflow that will exist across all internal departments. Under the direction of counsel, you will help to reduce risk across our business transactions while also driving the vision needed to manage an entire contract workflow from start to finish. You will work on other high level legal projects, such as compliance audits, intellectual property matters, marketing matters, and more. In addition, you will manage the MMNA Executive Committee as its Secretary, and work on governance and compliance projects related to regulatory adherence, policies, and internal controls. If you are a Legal professional with contract and project management skills seeking a role that will give you the opportunity to work on a broad variety of types of matters, and with teams across an organization, you may be the right person!

As a Sr. Paralegal, You Will

Contract Management

• Provide legal support across MMNA by, under the direction of counsel, assisting in the development, preparation, and review of agreements, amendments, and addenda, in furtherance of supporting strategic business plans while maintaining appropriate risk tolerance.
• Serve as the first point of contact for legal review on contract matters, inbound contract-related requests, and non-standard contract term requests.
• Support the management of forms, playbooks, and procedures. Manage and maintain MMNA’s form contract and template repositories.
• Analyze contract requirements to ensure compliance with insurance, corporate governance, regulatory, and legal requirements, as well as the Company’s data privacy and information governance requirements.
• Collaborate and work cross-functionally with all departments, including Sales Operations, Aftersales, Finance, and IT. Educate and advise business partners with respect to contract risks.
• Implement and own MMNA’s contract workflow that will exist across all departments. Strategically reduce risk across our business transactions while maintaining the vision to bring a contract workflow process to completion from start to finish.
• Manage, track, and organize contract flow, amendments, addenda, exhibits, etc.
• Manage the contract administration lifecycle, including responding to and tracking inbound requests, routing requests to other departments for response, and maintaining the confidentiality of all work product.
• Create and maintain procedural documentation for supported processes and initiatives.
• Assist in the RFP process, analyzing potential contracting issues with participating vendors.
• Conduct formal and informal training to business partners on contracting negotiation and management best practices.

Corporate Governance and Compliance Management

• Serve as the Secretary of the Executive Committee, which meets (almost) weekly and on an ad hoc basis as needed. Ensure the timely collection and distribution of proposals, keep the meetings on schedule, and take/retain meeting minutes.
• Assist the Corporate Secretary with Board of Directors meetings from time to time.
• Work cross-functionally with the Legal team, the Human Resources team, the Internal Audit team, and other departments to drive large-scale compliance activities and improvements.
• Provide compliance support for Marketing, Intellectual Property, Finance, and other projects on the corporate/business transactions side of the Legal Department.
• Work closely with the North America Department at our parent company, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, and the executive team, to ensure appropriate approvals under the Company’s Delegation of Authority are obtained.
• Assist in the creation of Executive Committee materials for contract approvals.

Our Company is continuously evolving and therefore, this job description is not a complete list of the responsibilities you may take on. However, the majority of the successful candidate’s time will be spent on the duties above. Additionally, as a member of a cross-functional department, the successful candidate may have the opportunity to work on additional projects with departmental teams on an as-needed basis. The incumbent is expected to work a full-time schedule of 8 hours daily/at least 40 hours per week (significant work beyond 40 hours per week is not expected).

NOTE: If you are an attorney seeking an “alternative” track position, you are encouraged to apply and this position can become a Staff Attorney role. Unfortunately, we cannot change the salary range available for the role in that case, but licensed attorneys who are able to add independent contract review and drafting to the above job duties will be considered at the top of the salary range. If you’d like a position with a fun team in a non-toxic work environment and a high quality of life where you can work from home most of the time, and great benefits, we can offer that to you!

Location of Position:

This position is located at the Company’s Franklin, TN Headquarters and the successful candidate must reside in Middle TN, within a reasonable driving distance of the office. This team has no mandatory in-office days, but face-to-face meetings with clients and team meetings at an average of 1 day per week will be necessary. We do want to see you in the office more for onboarding in the first 60 days. As for travel, it is not expected that the person in this position will be required to travel beyond the Franklin HQ office, local dealerships and Franklin, TN tech center.

Ready to Join The Team? You Should Have:

• 7+ years of relevant legal experience.
• Exceptional organization, attention to detail, and ability to work collaboratively and cross functionally, conduct research, and communicate and write in a manner appropriate for executive and director-level communications.
• Seasoned operational and professional judgment; strong decision-making skills, analytical and interpersonal skills.
• Strong knowledge of a variety of contractual and insurance related obligations, standards and practices.
• Experience managing contract workflow through a contracts management software system (MMNA currently uses Evisort).
• Ability to improvise and respond to contractual language questions, provide creative solutions to operational issues, and balancing working on multiple projects at one time while successfully meeting tight deadlines.
• Working knowledge of general corporate operations, i.e. governance matters, boards, committees, and internal controls, and ability to manage committees and associated documentation in a highly organized and professional manner.
• Comfortable communicating with all levels of employees; must have the ability to obtain information from others and effectively communicate and deliver information to others.
• Willingness to learn new things, work in new areas, and thrive in an environment of ambiguity is ideal for this position; must be comfortable assessing Company needs and making recommendations for their own projects and goals.
• A sense of humor is required.

Extra Horsepower (Profile Differentiators)

• 2+ years of college, with BA/BS completion preferred but not required. Licensed attorney with the ability to independently conduct basic contract reviews (highly preferred and considered a strong differentiator). Alternatively, paralegal certification combined with 10+ years of relevant experience.

Pay Transparency

The base salary for this position ranges between $95,000 to $110,000. The base salary will be based on a number of factors including the role offered, the individual's job-related knowledge, skills, and qualifications. In addition to base salary, we are proud to offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package for all eligible employees which also includes 401k with company match, Mitsubishi Lease Program, and a full range of medical, financial, and other perks and benefits.

Perks And Benefits

• Family First: Enjoy comprehensive healthcare coverage, including medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Be a Proud Mitsubishi Ambassador: Take advantage of our Discounted Employee Lease Car program, covering insurance, maintenance, and registration fees, with no down payment or credit check required.
• Drive with Perks: This position comes with a monthly car allowance, contingent upon a satisfactory driving record.
• Secure Your Future: Benefit from our 401(k) with Company match and annual contributions based on years of service.
• Fuel Your Growth: Access professional development opportunities, including training, tuition reimbursement, and employee resource groups.
• Take Time for Yourself: Enjoy up to 30 days of paid time off, including holidays, vacation, and other leave options.
• Hybrid Working Environment: Experience the perfect balance of remote and in-office work (~2 days remote, 3 days in-office) at our modern office, located in the vibrant Franklin, TN area.
• Thrive in an Open Environment: Experience our collaborative workspace where ideas flow freely.

The MMC Way

Our values form the foundation of everything we do. At Mitsubishi Motors, we are committed to a set of core principles that guide our actions, decisions, and interactions. Our values reflect who we are as a company, how we collaborate, and the impact we aspire to make. These values are what we call the MMC Way:

• Think of Our Customers, Strengthen Trust
• Enrich Society
• Welcome All Facts, Share Difficult News First
• Conduct and Challenge Yourself Professionally
• Respect All, Work as a Broader Team

Diversity And How To Apply

At MMNA, we embrace the strength that diverse perspectives and experiences bring to our team. Our application process is designed to champion inclusion and equity. We're on the lookout for the ideal fit for each role, valuing skills and experiences over traditional education or specific company backgrounds. Feel encouraged to apply, even if your profile doesn't precisely match the job description. We invite you to delve into a few thought-provoking questions in our application, offering you the opportunity to showcase your unique talents and insights right from the start.

Once you've submitted your application, expect to hear from us within 7 business days. We're committed to keeping you informed about the status of your application, ensuring transparency and open communication throughout the process. We understand that perfection is a journey, and if you ever have questions about your application or the process itself, don't hesitate to reach out to your recruiter.

Mitsubishi Motors is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer, excited about collaborating with talented individuals of all identities. We do not discriminate based on identity, aligning with our commitment to fostering a diverse workplace. Our code of conduct serves as a guiding light for the company we aspire to be, celebrating our differences as the driving force behind a product that serves a global user base.

We welcome applications from individuals with disabilities and is prepared to provide reasonable accommodations. If you require such accommodations for the job application or interview process, please email mmna-talent_acquisition@na.mitsubishi-motors.com.

We hope you will join us on this journey where your dedication aligns with our values, creating an environment that fosters growth, collaboration, and meaningful contributions.

Click here to learn more about what it's like at MMNA!

Key skills/competency

• Contract Management
• Corporate Governance
• Legal Support
• Compliance Audits
• Intellectual Property
• Risk Management
• Project Management
• Evisort Software
• Executive Committee Support
• Regulatory Adherence