Contract Manager

About the Opportunity

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

Summary

The Contracts Manager will report to the Director of Contract Management to support a team responsible for managing a newly created, centralized contracting “center of expertise” to support faculty and staff purchases of goods and services from third-party suppliers. Today, the university processes approximately 5,000 supplier contracts per year in a highly decentralized environment. In this role, the Contracts Manager will have an opportunity to leverage technology, including artificial intelligence, to design and implement processes aimed at streamlining contract cycle times while mitigating business, reputational, and legal risk to the university.

The primary roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Supporting the overall contract management lifecycle for US-based agreements, including processes for:
• Triaging pre-approved contract requests from university stakeholders;
• Authoring contracts using university approved legal templates and clause libraries;
• Reviewing contracts to ensure legal and business terms adequately mitigate reputational and financial risk to the university;
• Negotiating legal and business terms by collaborating with P2P colleagues and other relevant university stakeholders;
• Facilitating the signature delegation process to ensure contracts are executed by authorized university signatories.
• Using contract lifecycle management and other supporting SaaS-based technologies, including Jaggaer and Docusign, to drive improved outcomes.
• Coordinating additional legal review of contracts with the Office of General Counsel (OGC), when required.
• Maintaining the University’s standard contracting templates and clause libraries (in conjunction with OGC), as well as interfacing with suppliers and campus schools, colleges, and departments.
• Coordinating with P2P team members, including category management, on strategic sourcing initiatives, including category planning, contacting as part of a competitive bid process, or future bid opportunities based on new contract requests and/or contract expirations.

In this role, you will be part of an exciting new team in a fast-paced, global environment which will require a self-starter mindset, flexibility, agility, and willingness to multi-task and pivot as business needs change and emerge. The Contracts Manager may also have authority to sign contracts based on approved risk criteria and dollar thresholds, which may change over time.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of relevant professional contracting experience, including any relevant exposure to the higher education and/or healthcare industries.
• Prior experience with supply-side contracting at a large-scale, global institution.
• Prior experience drafting and negotiating business and legal terms across a diverse number of spend categories support education and research.
• These would include, but are not limited to, technology related hardware and software, enterprise SaaS, research related equipment and consumables, professional services, marketing and advertising, staffing and placement services, design and construction, facilities management, and public safety.
• Self-motivated and agile professional able to prioritize, multi-task, and work horizontally and vertically across a decentralized organization to drive value.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to influence and build “trusted advisor” relationships by delivering compelling business cases, customer empathy, and data driven decision-making.
• Proficiency with Microsoft business programs (e.g., Outlook, Excel, Word, Power Point).

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional contracting certification and/or credentials (e.g. Juris Doctor/JD, CPCM certification).
• Prior experience with contract management technology (e.g. Jaggaer Contracts, Docusign), including the development of in-application clause libraries.
• Proficiency with using artificial intelligence engines to automate contracting tasks, such as drafting agreements, tracking changes and version control, and suggesting alternative clauses.
• Experience in a relevant industry, such as higher education or not-for-profit environments.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

• Contract Lifecycle Management
• Review assigned contract requests routed from university stakeholders for compliance based on university policies and procedures.
• Ensure departmental approvals are complete to establish alignment that goods/services being purchased adhere to university policies related to business and cost justification using university sourcing thresholds and risk criteria.
• Author and/or redline supplier contracts using university approved legal templates and clause libraries.
• Liaison with other P2P team members, including Category Management and Procurement, to triage incoming contract requests to ensure compliance with University sourcing and bid policies.
• Apply business judgement and work with OGC and Risk Services partners to propose alternative terms, when necessary, to mitigate business, reputational, and legal risk to the university.
• Support the review of Request for Proposals (RFPs) for proper legal compliance.
• Facilitate contract signatures from suppliers and authorized, board designated contract signatories.

• Business Process Optimization
• Collaborate with P2P team to consistently improve and streamline processes to reduce contract cycle times and reduce institutional risk.
• Embrace technology and automation to reduce or eliminate repeatable processes related to contracting, including the use of artificial intelligence to uplift skills and prioritize focus on more strategic tasks.
• Maintain key process documentation, including user guides, to ensure business continuity.
• Measure key operational metrics and/or success indicators.

• Professional Development & Training
• In partnership with OGC and P2P, support the training of external stakeholders on the basics of contracting and negotiation to refine and continuously develop such skills necessary to conduct independent reviews.
• Invest in professional development to drive more value and innovation to the contracting function.

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.