Manager, Global Legal Financial Operations

About the position The Manager, Global Financial Legal Operations will play a critical role in supporting the Legal and Compliance Department at Mondelēz International. Reporting to the Sr. Director, Global Legal Operations lead, this role will collaborate closely with legal staff, outside counsel, vendors, and cross-functional teams to optimize legal operations. The primary focus will be on managing the legal and financial operational processes related to outside counsel management globally, with a strong emphasis on data analysis, reporting, and system management. This role is hybrid out of our Chicago, IL office (50% of the time).

Responsibilities

• Financial Analysis and Reporting: Process and analyze key billing and matter data sets to perform comparative analytics and identify trends across functional activities. Recommend and implement process improvements to ensure efficiencies in legal spending. Develop a deep understanding of MDLZ's database reporting capabilities, focusing on metrics related to legal spending. Implement and create outside counsel reports, dashboards, KPIs, and analytics for financial legal reporting using tools like Excel and Power BI. Support regularly scheduled monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting requirements. Assist with internal forecasts, financial planning and potential budget risks to ensure the department meets their strategic financial targets.
• Outside Counsel and Vendor Management: Act as the primary contact for all matter management issues with internal stakeholders, law firms and vendors. Partner with MDLZ’s legal team to select and evaluate appropriate outside counsel, pricing, and legal vendors to ensure quality of service and maximize value. Oversee timekeeper management, including new timekeeper requests and approvals. Drive the strategy for using analytics and business intelligence to assess outside counsel work and spend. Identify opportunities for improving efficiencies and driving value in outside counsel engagements. Manage the RFP process and oversee the annual outside counsel rate increase request process. Manage law firm and vendor onboarding process to MDLZ’s electronic billing and matter management system. Manage MDLZ's Matter Management system (TeamConnect). Ensure integration, development, and continuous improvement of the Global Enterprise Matter Management and electronic billing systems. Ensure compliance with global financial and budgeting requirements.
• Invoice Processing: Process outside counsel legal invoices, ensuring accuracy and compliance with billing guidelines. Understand direct and indirect tax implications for outside counsel legal invoices in various countries/regions. Respond to law firm and vendor queries regarding invoices and payments, acting as the primary contact for invoicing issues. Monitor and reconcile invoices between e-billing and SAP systems. Monitor and audit invoices to ensure timely processing and adherence to Outside Counsel Billing Guidelines. Analyze rejections and/or deductions, resolve issues, and coordinate revisions or adjustments. Manage the accrual process, reconciliation, and communication with law firms.
• Strategic Initiatives: Combine strategic perspective, problem-solving skills, and disciplined implementation to optimize the Legal Operations function. Gather and act on input from stakeholders to identify opportunities to enhance Legal’s operational and administrative processes. Coordinate and maintain the department’s Global Outside Counsel Management strategy, processes, and tools.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Advanced Excel skills (i.e., Formulas, Pivot Charts, Pivot Tables, Formatting, etc.).
• Deep understanding of accounting principles and legal billing guidelines.
• Experience with financial dashboards (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, etc.).
• 5+ years of finance or legal operations experience required.
• Strong project management skills.
• Must be a team player who can easily handle shifting priorities, multi-tasking in a deadline-oriented and collaborative environment.
• Demonstrated leadership and project management experience in cross-functional projects.
• Experience with electronic billing and matter management systems.
• Excellent analytical skills and comfort working with multiple data sets, with the ability to draw conclusions and make informed recommendations.
• Ability to present complex information in an accurate and persuasive manner to all levels of management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Intellectually curious with the ability to process a great deal of information in a fast-paced environment, willing to take initiative.
• Demonstrates integrity to manage sensitive and confidential information.
• Strong client service orientation and a high level of customer focus and initiative.
• Experience working with vendors and budgets and effectively managing projects from initiation to delivery.

Benefits

• health insurance
• wellness and family support

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