Legal Strategy, Planning & Implementation Manager

The next part of your journey is right around the corner — with The Standard.

A genuine desire to make a difference in the lives of others is the foundation for everything we do. With a customer-first mindset and an intentional focus on building strong teams, we’ve been able to uphold our legacy of financial stability while investing in new, innovative technologies that support the needs of our customers. Our high-performance culture focused on operational excellence thrives thanks to remarkable people united by compassion and a customer-first commitment. Are you ready to make a difference?

Job Summary:

The Legal Strategy, Planning & Implementation Manager is a senior individual contributor role that supports the strategic and operational effectiveness of the Transactions Legal Group. This position leads planning and implementation efforts, coordinates support for complex legal transactions, and advances operational processes, reporting, and resource planning. The role partners closely with legal and business stakeholders across the enterprise and is well suited for a candidate who brings strong transactional experience, sound judgment, and the ability to drive results through collaboration and influence.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning & Operational Leadership

• Lead strategic initiatives from concept through implementation, including priorities, timelines, governance, risk management, and stakeholder alignment.
• Develop and enhance operating frameworks, reporting, metrics, and presentations that improve visibility, decision-making, and organizational effectiveness.
• Support resource and capacity planning, budgeting, workload analysis, and continuous improvement efforts to strengthen delivery of transactional legal services.

Transaction Coordination & Legal Support

• Partner with legal project leads to support complex transactions, including execution planning, resourcing, timeline management, and issue escalation.
• Coordinate internal and external stakeholders to maintain momentum against key milestones, manage dependencies, and support organized, timely closings.
• Provide advanced paralegal support for select M&A matters, including document review, drafting support, closing coordination, and guidance to less experienced team members when appropriate.

Capability Building, Quality & Stakeholder Engagement

• Contribute to onboarding, learning, and quality frameworks that support consistent service delivery and effective team operations.
• Analyze performance, workload, timeliness, and quality trends to identify opportunities for operational improvement and informed decision-making.
• Prepare clear communications, presentations, and guidance materials that support stakeholder understanding, alignment, and adoption of key initiatives.

Skills and Background You’ll Need:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, law, public administration, or a related field.

Certification: Paralegal certification preferred.

Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in strategy, planning, project management, legal operations, workflow improvement, or related work.
• 4+ years of paralegal experience, or an equivalent combination of paralegal work experience and training.
• Hands-on experience leading cross-functional initiatives, managing complex legal transactions or projects, and using data to support operational improvement.
• Prior experience with budget/resource planning, budgeting/spend tracking, forecasting, metrics, reporting, and process improvement initiatives.

Skills:

• Strong understanding of transactional legal work, legal operations, and complex transaction support, ideally within an M&A or similarly fast-paced legal environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate legal, operational, and business information into practical recommendations.

Key Behaviors of a Successful Candidate:

Winning Together: Excellent verbal and written communication skills which allow you to collaborate effectively with legal colleagues and cross‑functional partners. Ability to prepare executive-level presentations and stakeholder communications that translate complex legal issues into meaningful and relevant terminology for the individual audience.

Driving Success: Proven ability to lead strategic initiatives, organize complex work, and achieve results through collaboration, influence, and sound judgment.

Adaptability: Thrives in a fast‑paced environment and responds effectively to evolving legal and business priorities. Utilizes creative problem-solving techniques to address new circumstances and presents solutions. Demonstrated willingness to learn new skills and accept feedback.

Improvement Mindset: Seeks continuous improvement in processes and providing top-notch legal support. Thinks innovatively, brings ideas to life, and approaches business challenges from a broad corporate perspective. Constantly pursues exceptional results that take us “next level.”

#LI-Remote

We have built an enduring legacy of stability, financial strength and exceptional customer service through the contributions of the service-oriented people who choose to work at The Standard. To ensure we can attract and retain the best talent, when you join The Standard you can expect:

• A rich benefits package including medical, dental, vision and a 401(k) plan with matching company contributions

• An annual incentive bonus plan

• Generous paid time off including 11 holidays, 2 wellness days, and 8 volunteer hours annually — PTO increases with tenure

• A supportive, responsive management approach and opportunities for career growth and advancement 

• Paid parental leave and adoption/surrogacy assistance

• An employee giving program that double matches your donations to eligible nonprofits and schools

In addition to the competitive salary range below, our employee-focused benefits support work-life balance. Learn more about working at The Standard.

• Eligibility to participate in an incentive program is subject to the rules governing the program and plan. Any award depends on a variety of factors including individual and organizational performance.

The actual compensation for this role will be based on a combination of education and experience, knowledge and skills, position budget, internal equity, and market data.

Salary Range:

Standard Insurance Company, The Standard Life Insurance Company of New York, Standard Retirement Services, Inc., StanCorp Mortgage Investors, LLC, StanCorp Investment Advisers, Inc., and American Heritage Life Insurance Company and American Heritage Service Company, marketed as The Standard, are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability or veteran status or any other condition protected by federal, state or local law. Except where precluded by state or federal law, The Standard will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance. The Standard offers a drug- and alcohol-free work environment where possession, manufacture, transfer, offer, use of or being impaired by an illegal substance while on The Standard's property, or in other cases which the company believes might affect operations, safety or reputation of the company is prohibited. The Standard requires a criminal background investigation and employment, education and licensing verification as a condition of employment. After any conditional offer of employment is made, the background check will include an individualized assessment based on the applicant’s specific record and the duties and requirements of the specific job. Applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain and correct background information. All employees of The Standard must be bondable.