Legal Operations Officer

By joining Citi, you will become part of a global organization whose mission is to serve as a trusted partner to our clients by responsibly providing financial services that enable growth and economic progress.

Team/Role Overview

The Legal Operations Officer sits in the Outside Counsel Management Operations Team within Citi’s Global Legal Solutions (GLS) organization and will be based in Belfast. Primarily, this role will focus on Legal Operations including accounts payable and managing multi-party (e.g., outside counsel, alternative legal service providers) compliance with external legal policies and procedures, including Citi’s Outside Terms of Engagement and electronic billing guidelines. This role will give you the opportunity to grow within the Legal Operations department of Citi, focused on law firm and external vendor management and accounts payable of a global financial institution. You will help drive innovative solutions on how Citi engages law firms, manages compliance, identifies cost-saving opportunities, and mitigates risk.

What you’ll do

Primarily, you will support various initiatives being driven by the Outside Counsel Management Operations Team, such as (i) Law Firm governance, on-boarding and inclusion process within the Citi Legal Panel Structure, (ii) Law Firm spend management, including oversight of value benefits (e.g., secondees, volume, and prompt pay discounts), (iii) Law Firm performance review and maintenance, (iv) Law Firm compliance with Citi’s Outside Counsel Terms, Outside Counsel Billing Guidelines, and Third Party Management requirements, (v) Maintenance and adherence to operational service level agreements and key operational metrics, (vi) delivering strategic operational support and service delivery to senior members of Citi’s legal organization, GLS, and members of the external legal community in all regions.

You will work in close daily collaboration with other GLS teammates at all levels across functions including Finance, Technology and Project Management while adhering to GLS program goals and priorities, evaluating complex legal and operational issues and impact to Citi businesses and Citi’s broader legal organization.

• You will be accountable for the end-to-end supplier onboarding and payment cycle for law firms providing guidance and direction to outside counsel and non-legal vendors.
• Partner with legal operations analysts in Belfast/Tampa, responsible for ensuring production work is completed accurately and service level agreements are being met.
• Organize and conduct external legal accounts payable and matter management reviews with Internal Counsel and produce Key Performance Indicator (KPI) metrics to monitor effectiveness and efficiency.
• Conduct audits of legal operational processes and report findings. Based on the audit and quality control exercise results, instruct on process fixes (if any) and communicate throughout the organization as needed.
• Triage resolution of global legal operational escalations (e.g., reviewing law firm billable hourly rates, resolving outstanding accounts payable related queries and facilitating payments to Citi legal suppliers and vendors) by partnering with internal GLS functional leads and respective partners outside GLS.
• Represent Citi’s Legal Operations in the design, testing and implementation of applicable changes to the operational delivery processes, structure and policies, including proposing and implementing efficiencies to the global legal operational framework as needed.
• Develop measures to monitor and maintain global compliance with existing and newly issued corporate wide policies, standards, and guidelines.
• Manage issues/exceptions derived from the implementation of such policies in the region by partnering with Legal's Third Party Officer (TPO) and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) across Enterprise and Operational Risk Management and  Compliance and Controls Initiatives to develop, implement and manage applicable process improvement plans.

What we’ll need from you

• Accounting, Finance or Law background preferred. Bachelor’s Degree is required.
• Practical knowledge of common legal matter management,  electronic billing systems and accounts payable / receivable practices (e.g., familiarity with electronic legal invoicing, timekeeping practices, task and expense codes).  Wolters Kluwer Passport experience preferred.
• Must be able to work in a fast paced, deadline driven environment with minimal supervision.
• An ability to lead and influence people across cultures at a senior level using sound judgment, successful execution of strategies, and an understanding of how to operate effectively across diverse businesses.
• Exceptional data analysis skills, including advanced proficiency with MS Office: Excel (V lookup, pivot tables, charts, and formulas), Word, Outlook, powerpoint, and Access preferred.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, customer service orientation.
• Corporate Legal experience and accounting/finance background, Shared Services and Relationship Management experience a plus.
• Demonstrated diligence, attention-to-detail and follow-through skills.

What we can offer you

This is a role that will offer you the opportunity to build an in-depth knowledge of legal operations and grow within a world class global organization.

We work hard to have a positive financial and social impact on the communities we serve. In turn, we put our employees first and provide the best-in-class benefits they need to be well, live well and save well.

By joining Citi Belfast, you will not only be part of a business casual workplace with a hybrid working model (up to 2 days working at home per week), but also receive a competitive base salary (which is annually reviewed), and enjoy a whole host of additional benefits such as: 

• Generous holiday allowance starting at 27 days plus bank holidays; increasing with tenure.
• A discretional annual performance related bonus 
• Private medical insurance packages to suit your personal circumstances.
• Employee Assistance Program  
• Pension Plan 
• Paid Parental Leave 
• Special discounts for employees, family, and friends 
• Access to an array of learning and development resources 

Alongside these benefits Citi is committed to ensuring our workplace is where everyone feels comfortable coming to work as their whole self every day.  We want the best talent around the world to be energized to join us, motivated to stay, and empowered to thrive.

Sounds like Citi has everything you need? Then apply to discover the true extent of your capabilities.

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