Founded in 2015 by Melinda French Gates, Pivotal expands opportunity and equality for all people through high-impact investments, philanthropy, partnerships, and advocacy. We accelerate social progress by removing barriers that hold people back.
We strive to be creative and innovative in our work and flexible in the approach we take to solving problems. To date, we have invested in over 150 organizations, including nonprofits, private sector companies, venture funds, and advocacy groups that are on the frontlines of the issues we work on. Some areas we currently focus on: women in technology and innovation; women in public office; women and girls of color; adolescent mental health; paid family and medical leave; and caregiving.
Inspired by our founder, we reach across communities and sectors to bring together changemakers who can scale up proven ideas and catalyze new ones. We learn from their experiences, amplify their resources, then step back so they can lead.
Our impatience with the status quo is fueled by an optimism that progress is always possible.
ROLE DESCRIPTION:
The Senior Specialist, Contracts is a member of the Contracts Team, part of the Legal Office and is responsible for contract development and management of various agreements for Pivotal Ventures, providing support throughout the contract lifecycle. This individual is comfortable interacting with members at every level of the organization as well as vendors, business and legal partners. Additionally, this individual is comfortable with change and uncertainty and sees them as opportunities for growth and connection within the Legal Office and Pivotal. Given the sensitive nature of the information encountered, and the variety as well as volume of internal clients, having a positive, solutions-orientation, and the ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality, accuracy, and timeliness is critical.
This is a Limited Term Employee (LTE) position and is expected to have a duration of two years. This means that, absent some change, the position will end within that timeframe as defined in the offer letter. The limited duration of the position does not alter the at-will nature of the position or work at Pivotal Ventures.
ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES:
Contract Administration, Drafting and Management
- Partner collaboratively with the Contracts and Finance Teams to manage the end-to-end contracting process, including drafting and implementing new contracts, Vendor Services Agreements (VSAs), and renewals. Ensure legal terms are understood by all stakeholders and use sound judgement and strategic thinking to develop comprehensive solutions on substantive legal issues.
- In partnership with the Interim Director, Contracts and/or General Counsel, negotiate non-standard terms with relevant stakeholders, securing necessary approvals and driving efficient close on business and legal terms.
- Maintain, update, and revise legal forms/templates.
- Provide strategic input into the contracts workflow, driving operational efficiencies to support ongoing improvements.
- Propel work forward by developing and delivering internal training and communications on contracting policies, processes and best practices.
- Manage document retention of all contractual agreements in Salesforce and Workday.
Operational and Partnership Responsibilities
- Be an active member of the Pivotal Ventures’ Legal Office; attend meetings, collaborate with team members on legal issues and questions, and stay current on Legal Office priorities.
- Partner deeply with key stakeholders to execute cross-organizational initiatives and shared services, including affiliated entities and external partners.
- Participate in the development and implementation of a new contract management system for the Legal Office.
- Help others thrive by facilitating knowledge sharing, lessons learned, and training sessions to ensure all staff understand contracting processes and policies.
- Embrace personal growth by continuously seeking feedback, reflecting on learnings, and adapting to new challenges.
- Support onboarding of all new staff when it comes to understanding contracting in the organization including giving Contracts Onboarding Trainings on a regular basis.
- Perform other job-related functions as assigned.
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or behavior required to be successful in this role.
- Ability to embrace values that align with Pivotal Ventures’ Principles
- Ability to offer creative solutions when faced with challenges in negotiating contract terms, think through alternatives, implement the best course of action, and work toward effective solutions with internal and external stakeholders —demonstrating the ability to solve problems and propel work forward.
- Ability to perform well under pressure and maintain a positive, calm, cooperative, and professional attitude under a variety of circumstances and time sensitive situations, modeling personal accountability and acting with stewardship.
- Ability to actively listen and work with others openly and transparently to create an environment where diverse viewpoints are valued, and information is shared for the purposes of solving problems and achieving collective goals —exemplifying inclusive leadership and collaborative partnership.
- Impeccable integrity and discretion with confidential matters and sensitive information; demonstrating honesty, professionalism, sound judgment, and integrity.
- Strong negotiation skills.
- Exceptional organization and time management skills.
- Analytical and critical thinking skills including the ability to synthesize diverse information and make clear recommendations.
- High integrity and sound judgment in decision-making.
- Ability and desire to build and maintain trusted relationships with colleagues at all levels of the organization.
- Comfortable with change and uncertainty and sees them as opportunities for growth and connection.
- Strong communication and presentation skills.
- Strong interest in supporting Pivotal Ventures’ mission.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Minimum 7+ years of combined professional experience in contract administration and/or project management.
- 3-5 years of experience reviewing and drafting contract terms.
- Experience and interest in implementing new software systems.
- Knowledge of legal and administrative requirements of contractual agreements.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite Software.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Familiarity with tax-exempt organizations, foundations, and family offices.
- Experience with Salesforce, Workday, and DocuSign.
- Demonstrated commitment to living Pivotal’s values in the workplace.
- Strong leadership tendencies and ability to drive impact within a team environment.
Base annual compensation range for this role is from $142,000 – $148,600.
This is a Limited Term Employee (LTE) position and is expected to have a duration of two years. This means that, absent some change, the position will end within that timeframe as defined in the offer letter. The limited duration of the position does not alter the at-will nature of the position or work at Pivotal Ventures.
Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, long-term disability and long-term care insurance, fertility benefit, backup caregiving solution, 144 hours of vacation, 96 hours of sick leave, 401k, HSA, FSA, discretionary annual target performance bonus and more.
APPLICATION
To apply, send submit your application via the Pivotal Ventures Careers page.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Pivotal values diversity and is strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all employees and all applicants seeking employment. All employment decisions at Pivotal are based on the candidate’s or employee’s capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, age, national origin, citizenship, veteran, military, or marital status, sensory, physical, or mental disability, genetic information or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable law. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please contact [email protected].
Top Skills
What We Do
Founded by Melinda French Gates, Pivotal Ventures accelerates social progress in the United States by removing barriers that hold people back.
Pivotal Ventures expands opportunity and accelerates equality in the United States through high-impact investments, partnerships, and advocacy. We focus on areas where social progress has stalled—and where we can have the biggest impact.
Like Melinda, we’re clear-eyed about the stubborn problems our country faces. But we also see those problems as potential turning points in our nation’s story. Our impatience with the status quo is fueled by an optimism that progress is always possible—especially when we seize the moment together.
We do not review or return unsolicited requests for funding or other types of support.
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