POSITION OVERVIEW
Ascend is hiring an experienced contract manager to assist in the complete sales contract life cycle-from creation to maintenance. The role will involve working closely with Ascend's commercial, procurement, finance, senior management and legal teams.
TARGETED OUTCOMES

• Lead and facilitate the complete sales contract life cycle
• Partner with internal clients, management, staff, and attorneys to ensure timely execution and maintenance of contracts

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Handle sales agreement process from start to finish
  • collecting necessary information
  • preparing first drafts of agreements
  • negotiating terms as needed with client and/or counterparties
  • working with in-house or outside counsel
  • preparing final execution documents
  • obtaining approvals and signatures
• Ensure accuracy of contracts and alignment with company policies
• Communicate contract terms and analyze implications with clients, management, staff and attorneys
• Prepare and negotiate confidentiality agreements ensuring adequate protections for Ascend
• Train, manage and assist team of Non-Disclosure Agreement negotiators and drafters
• Maintain agreement records and documentation such as receipt and control of all agreement correspondence, contractual revisions, and other related documents
• Work with internal business partners in understanding business requirements and expectations
• Ensure that all contract records are accurate and up to date
• Write contract letters and other communications and notices
• Administration of generating final execution copies, obtaining required approvals, and routing contracts for signatures
• Assist in the creation and maintenance of standardized contract terms and templates
• Create, oversee, update, and review process flows and procedures
• Implement and maintain technology tools and solutions (Ariba, GEP Smart, DocuSign, etc.) to improve Legal, Sales, and Procurement operations
  • Update software system process templates, requiring thorough knowledge of system and coordination with management
  • Implement software/process improvements and security (including SSO)
  • Manage contract processes and task flows, user permissions, notification settings, and more
  • Route and track approval status and notify approvers to avoid unnecessary delays
  • Manage reminder notifications for expirations/terminations/retention
  • Perform one-on-one and group training for approvers, administrators, and new system users
  • Provide data and reports
  • Supervise the storage and maintenance of all contracts and corporate documents and ensure they are properly tracked, executed, and filed in appropriate system by team members
  • Ensure that contract repository contains complete and fully executed copies of all approved contracts

TEAM

• Reports to: Assistant General Counsel located in the Company's Corporate Headquarters in Houston, Texas, USA

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Experience reviewing, drafting and negotiating the legal terms of a broad range of standard commercial contracts and non-disclosure agreements
• Bachelor's Degree in Business or related field, or J.D., and 3 years of relevant professional business and/or contract management or equivalent experience required; or equivalent combination of education and experience. This is not an attorney position.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Attentive with a highly detailed approach to reviewing and redlining contracts and the ability to courteously and succinctly explain company positions and policies
• Ability to work independently while being able to contribute successfully to cross-functional teams
• Ability to be proactive, resourceful, responsive, and efficient.
• Strong collaboration skills to interact across all levels of the organization.
• Exceptionally organized and detail oriented; strong skill in proofreading and a high-level of accuracy in work.
• Ability to demonstrate sound and independent judgment, strategic thinking, and problem-solving.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written. Ability to interpret legal language and requirements to communicate in an understandable fashion with non-lawyers.
• Proficient using MS Office suite, SharePoint, Ariba, GEP Smart, DocuSign or similar software.
• General understanding and interest in business relationships and transactions.
• Highly sensitive to confidential information
• Self-motivated, extremely organized, able to multi-task, and have the ability to interact and work well with others

Skills Summary:
About Us:
Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world scale integrated manufacturing facilities we are able to develop new products from our core technologies, and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of customers. Ascend has global sales and distribution facilities across the globe and six manufacturing facilities globally. As a privately-held company, our people do big things and make big decisions, often much earlier in their careers than at larger companies. Ascend Performance Materials offers team members the opportunity to contribute in big, meaningful ways-all within a stable and growing business.
Why work at Ascend?
Our vision is to be the recognized leader in the nylon 6,6 value chain, creating new possibilities with PA66 for everyone, everywhere, every day. We achieve that through living our Ascend values.
We care . We operate safely with high integrity for our employees, our customers and our communities. Our people are our greatest assets, and our Total Rewards Program extends beyond traditional benefits to include access to on-site medical clinics at our U.S. facilities, a global wellness rewards program and Performance Matters, an employee-driven recognition plan. Our Commitment to Zero demonstrates our belief that is it possible to operate with zero personal injuries, zero process safety incidents and zero environmental releases. And the Ascend Cares Foundation, led by Ascend employees, supports Ascend families in times of need, provides inspiring opportunities for community engagement and facilitates community leadership.
Customer-focused . We exist for our customers; they drive our actions. Their success is our success. Our plastics and chemicals are building blocks that help make everyday essentials safer and more sustainable, and we constantly strive to develop new and innovative products to meet the future needs of our customers. And that customer focus doesn't only apply to the marketplace - it also applies to how we treat our colleagues and our fellow community members.
Better every day . We invest in our people and our processes to improve every day. A2E, our continuous improvement program, guides the way we do business. And this way of problem solving applies not only to our manufacturing practices but also to our commitment to developing our people. You'll see it during your career at Ascend in our leadership development, skills training and mentoring programs
Agile . We think broadly and lead proactively in a constantly evolving organization and industry. Agility doesn't mean simply working quickly - it means critical thinking, creative problem solving and novel approaches to everyday challenges.
One Ascend . All together, with a common set of goals and an eye toward the future. We don't accept silos. We look for ways to share across departments, sites and geography. This means you won't be boxed into a single role at Ascend - you could get the chance to work with teams across the globe to improve the way we serve our people, our customers and our communities.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, citizenship, genetic information or other protected status under federal, state or local laws.