Senior Manager, Legal Operations

Otsuka is looking for a Legal Operations Senior Manager whose primary area of focus will be records retention, litigation support and eDiscovery (70%). The secondary focus of this role is as an imaginative generalist operations leader, can identify areas for improvement and implementing impactful solutions (30%).

Reporting directly to Senior Director, Chief of Staff, you will help build and enhance the Department's operational culture, strategy, and performance. The Senior Manager, Legal Operations leverages industry experience with records retention, litigation support and eDiscovery to provide ongoing strategic planning and technical support. They are responsible for steering, leading and implementing various projects and initiatives aiming at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the Legal Affairs department. You will manage various existing processes and acts as a liaison with cross-functional teams, ensuring that the Legal Affairs department aligns with the broader organizational goals. We are looking for excellent communication, management, and interpersonal skills. The Legal Operations Senior Manager works independently as well as with teams and will lead and support change at all levels, including with vendors, executives, in-house attorneys, support staff and other key stakeholders within the Company.

This role can be based in Otsuka's Rockville, MD. office, Princeton, N.J. office or remote in the eastern US time zone. No matter where the role is located, up to 20% travel within the US is required based upon business needs.

Specific Role Responsibilities:

Litigation Support, eDiscovery & Records Retention

• Serve as subject matter expert in records retention cycle projects with a focus on corporate risk, corporate obligations, legal hold, and data preservation
• Develop and maintain defensible processes and ensure adequate training for litigation support and e-discovery processes, including legal hold, data preservation, collection, review, and production
• Manage existing, and implement new, e-discovery tools and technologies to enhance efficiency.
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure compliance with e-discovery requirements
• Develop and maintain KPIs and metrics to support case and workload reporting

Project & Change Management:

• Lead department efforts for projects, collaborating with IT and Sourcing as well as external vendors and consultants. Ensure legal requirements are clear and timelines are met
• Serve as the legal operations subject matter expert for muti-disciplinary projects- including identify requirements, ROI, document review, testing, implementations, training, and documentation/guides
• With the legal Chief of Staff, define and drive strategic and operational initiatives with on-time and on-budget results
• Champion the adoption and optimization of legal technology and improve existing implementations to streamline operations
• Cultivate strong cross-functional relationships and lead collaborative teams
• Create useful resources and trainings related to Department systems and processes
• Develop and implement efficient legal workflows and processes. Identify areas for improvement within the legal department and provide solutions

Metrics KPIs and Data Analysis

• Develop, implement, and maintain key operational and substantive metrics for practice groups that will better inform decision-making, including matter and work product analyses.
• Enhance data analytics and reporting capabilities to improve decision-making for the legal team.
• Develop and maintain information dashboards for the General Counsel and leadership team

General

• Educate, encourage innovation, and influence change.
• Organize and create standard operating procedures. Coordinate the drafting of internal guides, resources, and form documents
• Provide creative thinking to develop cost efficiencies while maintaining excellent service.
• Participate in industry organizations to identify benchmark approaches and new strategies and models for the delivery of legal services
• Support the Chief of Staff and General Counsel with other duties, as assigned

Required Qualifications:

• 7+ years' experience in legal operations within a corporate legal department or law firm
• Previous involvement in corporate records retention processes and schedules
• Ability to work effectively with business partners supporting litigation matters, including witnesses and document custodians
• Innovative approach to litigation and investigation processes, striving for best in class
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Demonstrate exceptional follow-through and a strong sense of ownership
• Approach challenges proactively, anticipating issues and developing effective solutions
• Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills with internal and cross-functional teams
• Collaborative mindset and a team player
• Strategic and ability to develop and achieve long-term goals
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (e.g., Teams, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word)
• Proficiency with software applications used by legal departments for activities such as Legal hold, data collections, data reviews & productions, matter management, document management, collaboration / communication, etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Industry eDiscovery certification such as CEDS
• Pharma experience
• Experience implementing retention cycles in legacy systems
• Effective leadership abilities, both in leading teams with direct or indirect position authority

At Otsuka our mission is to create new products for better health worldwide. Our purpose is to defy limitation so others can too.

Otsuka is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment at Otsuka are considered without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identification, national origin, age, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or genetic information, among other protected bases.

To that end, the Legal Affairs department at Otsuka is seeking qualification as a Mansfield Rule 3.0 Certified Law Department as part of the Diversity Lab's Mansfield Rule initiative, which measures and seeks to increase diversity within law departments. Providing your data during the application process helps us with achieving that goal and with meeting reporting/record-keeping obligations under federal and state law and other legal requirements. Providing your data is entirely voluntary and will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be treated confidentially.

Competencies
Accountability for Results - Stay focused on key strategic objectives, be accountable for high standards of performance, and take an active role in leading change.
Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving - Make decisions considering the long-term impact to customers, patients, employees, and the business.
Patient & Customer Centricity - Maintain an ongoing focus on the needs of our customers and/or key stakeholders.
Impactful Communication -Communicate with logic, clarity, and respect. Influence at all levels to achieve the best results for Otsuka.
Respectful Collaboration - Seek and value others' perspectives and strive for diverse partnerships to enhance work toward common goals.
Empowered Development - Play an active role in professional development as a business imperative.

Company benefits: comprehensive medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage, company provided Basic Life, AD&D, Short-term and Long-term Disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, a 401(k) match, PTO allotment each calendar year, paid holidays, and paid leave programs as well as other company provided benefits.

Come discover more about Otsuka and our benefit offerings; https://www.otsuka-us.com/careers-join-otsuka.

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At Otsuka we take security and protection of your personal information very seriously. Please be aware individuals may approach you and falsely present themselves as our employees or representatives. They may use this false pretense to try to gain access to your personal information or acquire money from you by offering fictitious employment opportunities purportedly on our behalf.

Please understand, Otsuka will never ask for financial information of any kind or for payment of money during the job application process. We do not require any financial, credit card or bank account information and/or any payment of any kind to be considered for employment. We will also not offer you money to buy equipment, software, or for any other purpose during the job application process. If you are being asked to pay or offered money for equipment fees or some other application processing fee, even if claimed you will be reimbursed, this is not Otsuka. These claims are fraudulent and you are strongly advised to exercise caution when you receive such an offer of employment.

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Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc., Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., and Otsuka Precision Health, Inc. ("Otsuka") does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs/resumes submitted by search firms to any Otsuka employee directly or through Otsuka's application portal without a valid written search agreement in place for the position will be considered Otsuka's sole property. No fee will be paid if a candidate is hired by Otsuka as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.