Legal Operations & Special Projects Manager

Company DescriptionMaple is a digital asset lending and capital markets platform serving institutional borrowers and lenders. It operates across decentralised and structured finance, with a growing product suite, an expanding counterparty network, and operations spanning multiple jurisdictions. Maple is at an inflection point: scaling its commercial operations, building out its regulatory and compliance posture, and investing in the legal infrastructure needed to support that growth.Role DescriptionThis is a foundational hire for the legal department. Reporting directly to the General Counsel, this role combines legal operations management with compliance and corporate governance support. The right person will help build and run the systems, processes, and workflows that allow a small legal team to operate well above its weight class. This role may suit candidates from several backgrounds: experienced paralegals with operations instincts, legal operations professionals with some regulatory exposure, or regulatory program managers looking to broaden into legal operations at a growing company. We care more about how you think and work than which box your career fits into.The position is weighted toward legal operations: contract management, document systems, process design, and workflow automation. But it also requires someone comfortable supporting compliance workstreams, regulatory filings, and corporate governance procedures. A strong legal operations professional that’s familiar with fintech industry compliance obligations, or candidates that have experience in regulatory program management, building compliance programs, or engaging with regulators may find their skills translate directly to this role. The legal operations and process design elements can be learned; regulatory discipline and attention to detail are harder to teach.A distinctive aspect of this role is the opportunity to help build an AI-native legal department. We are actively developing Claude-enabled workflows for drafting, review, research, and regulatory monitoring. The successful candidate will not simply use off-the-shelf tools; they will help design, test, and refine custom AI-assisted processes alongside the General Counsel. If you are excited about working at the frontier of how legal teams operate, this role is for you.ResponsibilitiesIn this role, working closely with and in coordination with the General Counsel and legal team, you will:Legal Operations and Contract ManagementBuild and operationalise a contract management system, including key terms tracking, renewal calendars, and version control across counterparties.Assist in developing template documents, negotiation playbooks, and standardised workflows for recurring agreement types. Conduct first-pass reviews of loan documents and commercial agreements, and can coordinate execution through to signature.Implement and maintain document management systems, privilege controls, and data retention policies.Craft a structured legal intake process and service delivery model to support internal teams efficiently.Track legal billing, manage outside counsel invoices against billing guidelines, and support budget workflows.Liaise with external counsel, service providers and external partners as needed to support legal and compliance matters.Compliance and Regulatory SupportSupport compliance workflows and processes, including AML/KYC-related procedures, sanctions screening, and counterparty due diligence, in coordination with the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer.Assist with any necessary regulatory filings or licensing applications, and track and monitor applicable filing deliverables and deadlines. Help develop and maintain policies and procedures across entities, ensuring consistency and alignment with legal requirements.Conduct regulatory and legal research as needed to support the General Counsel on evolving obligations in a fast-paced area of law.Corporate Governance and AdministrationSupport corporate governance procedures, including board and committee materials, entity filings, corporate records, and signing authority documentation.Maintain organisational charts, entity registers, and governance calendars across multiple jurisdictions.Coordinate with internal teams on corporate secretarial and entity management matters.Qualifications5+ years of experience as a paralegal, legal operations professional, or in a comparable legal support role, with meaningful exposure to contract lifecycle management and legal process design.Demonstrated ability to build or significantly improve legal operations systems: document management, contract workflows, intake processes, or similar.Comfortable supporting compliance workstreams (AML/KYC processes, tracking regulatory obligations, developing training) even if compliance is not your primary background.Highly organised, efficient, and attentive to detail. You are the person who notices what is missing before it becomes a problem.Curious and resourceful problem solver who takes ownership of processes and drives them to completion with minimal supervision.Enthusiastic about AI tools and willing to actively participate in building AI-enabled legal workflows. You do not need to be technical, but you need to be hands-on and adaptable rather than waiting for a vendor to solve problems for you.Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Able to translate legal and regulatory requirements into clear, practical guidance for non-legal teams.Bachelor’s degree, paralegal certificate, or equivalent professional experience. Law degrees will also be considered.Nice to HaveBackground or interest in crypto, digital assets, DeFi, or fintech.Familiarity with loan or finance documentation (e.g., facility agreements, master loan agreements, security agreements, account control agreements) or other exposure to institutional lending, structured finance, or capital markets legal workflows.Experience supporting some form of licensing or registration applications or maintenance in financial services (e.g. VASP, MSB, broker-dealer, etc).Experience working in a multi-entity corporate structure.Ability to work in the Americas timezone(s).