Intellectual Property Administrator Assistant

USG is an industry-leading manufacturer of building products and innovative solutions. For over 120 years, Chicago-based USG has developed award-winning wall, ceiling, flooring, sheathing, and roofing products that enable customers to build outstanding spaces where people live, work, and play.

With over 8,700 employees across North America and operations around the world, we are steadfastly committed to our core values : safety, innovation, quality, integrity, service, diversity, and efficiency.

We’re big enough that our professionals have the resources to make a difference, yet small enough that you’re not just a number.

You’ll work on key initiatives and build strong relationships across the company that will position USG for growth into the future.

USG offers work-life balance, specialist and general / managerial career paths, promotion from within, exceptional benefits, and incredible long-term career opportunities for the right professional.

Each year, we have hundreds of employees who celebrate milestone anniversaries with us.

OVERVIEW

Provides support to the Intellectual Property Department in obtaining and protecting the Company’s intellectual property rights worldwide, including managing the Department’s electronic systems and procedures.

This position requires a college degree and preferably at least three years of experience with legal electronic billing systems and preferably at least three years of experience in the intellectual property field or equivalent work experience.

The position is located at the Company’s Corporate Headquarters in Chicago, Illinois with flexibility for up to three days remote work per week.

Travel is infrequent and normally will be limited to meetings and workdays at the Corporate Innovation Center in Libertyville, Illinois an estimated 6 days per year.

The person filling this position will work closely with the Company’s intellectual property law attorneys and paralegals, other members of the Company’s Legal Department, inventors, outside counsel and outside vendors.

They will also be required to work with patent attorneys, patent coordinators and staff of the Company’s affiliates located in other countries.

About 50% of the time for this position concerns managing the Intellectual Property Department’s use of the legal electronic billing system CounselLink, coordinating the intercompany billing procedures between the Company and its affiliated companies, and working with the Company’s accounts payable staff and Treasury Department on the accounting for, and payment of, invoices for outside intellectual property legal expenses on a worldwide basis.

About 50% of the time for this position, in addition, supports the Company’s intellectual property program. This includes, for example, preparing and sending electronic correspondence and memos regarding administrative patent matters, submitting payment information for patent awards, assisting in maintaining the Company’s patent docketing database (CPI) and assisting with file management for the Company’s global patent and trademark portfolio.

The position also is responsible for providing administrative support, handling routine correspondence, assisting with meeting schedules, file maintenance, travel arrangements, and expense reports.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage the Intellectual Property Department’s use of the CounselLink electronic billing system, including opening new matters, developing and running reports, addressing issues raised by submissions by outside law firms and vendors and compliance with the Department’s invoicing procedures and Outside Counsel Guidelines.
• Coordinate intercompany billing procedures between the Company and its affiliates using CounselLink and the services provided by the outside vendor Questel.
• Work with the Company’s Oracle system, accounts payable system, accounts payable staff and Treasury to ensure that outside counsel and vendor invoices are paid on a timely basis.
• Provide monthly legal invoice accruals based on information from outside counsel and vendors.
• Independently problem solve invoicing and accounts payables issues.
• Routine correspondence and reports on IP administrative matters.
• Managing the payment of inventor monetary awards.
• Assist with electronic and paper file management for the Company’s global patent and trademark portfolio, including maintenance of docketing records using the CPI docketing system.
• Assist the IP attorneys with meeting schedules, travel arrangements and expense reports.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• College degree
• Experience with legal electronic billing systems, with at least three years preferred
• Experience in the intellectual property field, with at least three years preferred

Required :

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint
• Proficient in the use of legal electronic billing systems.
• Basic understanding of patents, trademarks and other intellectual property
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Attention to detail and organization skills needed to prepare legal documents and complete work assignments, use time management techniques to organize and prioritize work and coordinate a variety of projects and tasks simultaneously.

Preferred :

• Experience with the CPI or other patent docketing systems
• Experience with Oracle or similar accounting software or systems
• Experience with the CounselLink electronic billing system

Rate of pay may be adjusted based on the qualifications and experience of the candidate.

USG employees enjoy a number of benefit options for themselves and their families. These include two medical insurance options, as well as vision and dental coverage.

The cost of these optional programs varies based on coverage level - employees generally pay 25% of the monthly premium cost, USG pays the rest.

These coverage options are offered on the first day of employment with no waiting period.

Additionally, USG employees enjoy both a 401(k) Investment Plan with company match and a pension plan. Beyond these main features, employees may also choose from a number of additional programs like life insurance, accident insurance, legal insurance, even pet insurance, just to name a few.

USG also offers Quarterly (hourly) / Annual (salary) bonus potential for all employees based on performance metrics tied to safety, quality, and productivity.

USG also provides employees with paid time off and paid holidays.

Since 1902, Chicago-based USG has been a leader in producing innovative, award-winning products and systems to build everything from major commercial developments and residential housing to home improvements.

USG's employees are committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and quality in everything we do. Our steadfast commitment to the company's core business values innovation, quality, integrity, service, diversity, efficiency and safety have helped us become the company we are today.

EOE including disability / veteran