Paralegal

Contract Agent – SCS Enterprise ServicesSupply Chain Management Transaction Team This position will be located in Atlanta, GA. Presence at office a minimum of 4 days per week is required.Job SummaryThis position will provide daily contracting and sourcing support (request for proposal, negotiations, contract development, risk mitigation, tracking, analysis) to meet the acquisition needs for services and materials. This position will also work closely with our category management strategies in support of contracting requirements.Job ResponsibilitiesDuties will include the daily support of all sourcing & contracting activities "from cradle to grave", including advising customers on Request for Information (RFI) and Request for Proposal (RFP) preparation, lead pre-bid meetings, review of offers upon receipt from bidders, cost & price analysis, negotiations, risk assessment, preparing contract documents and agreements; assists in contract administration, incorporation of changes, expediting & follow-up, disposition of claims, and contract closeout.Duties will require leading sourcing projects, assisting in developing and implementing strategic programs for the procurement of Equipment and Services.Expectations include outstanding oral and written communications with ability to excel in high-level communications with Management at multiple levels.Develop the sourcing strategy for low to high risk services. A typical agent will support ~(20 - 25) active projects concurrently with defined turnaround parameters (Target Days) for all contract related documents (RFPs, Master Agreements, Non-Disclosure, Amendments, Statements of Work, etc.) throughout the year.Manage relationships with the company's vendors and ensure efficient and transparent contracting and negotiation process to reduce costs, improve commercial terms and reduce duplication of efforts.Work cross functionally to improve and streamline processes.Ensure that overall risk is properly controlled and mitigated.Develop a detailed knowledge of the Southern Company and Operating Company procurement policies/procedures and have the capability to become a Subject Matter Expert (SME).Expected to build and maintain a detailed knowledge and understanding of essential legal provisions, contract common law, contract formation issues, data security issues, remedies, liquidated damages, litigation avoidance, and dispute resolution.Ensure all required terms and conditions are included in procurement documents and work with legal, risk management and financial services (accounting) to resolve contractor exceptions and issues in a timely manner.Draft contract language, including special conditions for complex, non-standard purchases.Identify and evaluate new sources of supply, domestic and globally, when necessary to meet customer needs, including performing market research and analysis.Build and maintain a fundamental to proficient knowledge of our contracting systems utilized in daily support.Conflict Resolution, the ability to engage and fix identified issues.Maintain the primary interface with contractors in an ethical and respectful manner while protecting the company's interests.Job QualificationsEducation & ExperienceBachelor's degree requiredBS in Business, Management, Finance, or Law is preferredFormal education in contract language and law is highly preferredKnowledge, Skills & AbilitiesContract law and drafting of terms and conditions (required)Legal and commercial negotiation skills (required)Self-motivated and ability to work with minimal supervisionCustomer focused with ability to build and maintain relationships with internal customers, suppliers, contractors and other key stakeholdersEffectively handle tight deadlines, large workloads, and multiple projects with positive enthusiasmSuperior written and oral communication, to successfully negotiate contract terms and write such contracts in a clear, logical and concise mannerCandidate must have the ability and determination to support multiple projects under tight deadlinesCandidate must have effective influencing and consensus-building skillsStrategic focus on problem-solvingExcellent organizational skills are required to plan and manage assigned workload and customer expectations effectively to meet internal business unit requirementsAbility to think strategically and apply broad seasoned judgment to decisionsHighly Effective Communications skillsStrong Customer Service skillsAnalytical and interpersonal skillsAbility to effectively work and participate in cross-functional and cross-company teams at all levels in the organization to ensure buy-in by multiple companies when working on system projectsBehavioral AttributesMust demonstrate behaviors consistent with the Southern Company valuesSelf-motivatedCustomer focusedStrong work ethicExhibits a strong sense of urgencyPromotes teamworkPractices ethical behaviorDisplays creativity, initiative, and flexibilityLearns from and utilizes experienceAdditional DetailsAvailable to travel (occasionally) as needed which may require an overnight stayCandidate must have a valid driver's licenseBenefitsCompetitive PayExcellent benefits packages which includes:Medical and dental coverageDefined Pension/Cash Balance Benefit PlanPerformance-sharing plan401(k) plan with a generous company matchBonus opportunitiesTuition ReimbursementPlease submit an updated resume with your application.