Manager - Contracts

Ascent, now part of Wesco, is a leading provider of mission-critical facility solutions across North America. With deep expertise in data center development, engineering, and operations, Ascent supports thousands of sites for top-tier clients, delivering reliable performance and innovative technology. As part of the Wesco family, Ascent continues to set the standard for safety, service, and operational excellence in the critical infrastructure sector.

We are currently seeking a Manager - Contracts to lead our vendor contracts department. This individual will manage and coordinate all activities involved in the administration of the contractual process from proposal development, bid negotiation to the administering of contracts for the purchase of primarily vendor services.

Responsibilities

• Perform contract/subcontract review, negotiations and interface with customer/vendor contracting personnel
• Manage vendor relationships, contractual agreements, purchase orders and pricing
• Manage the entire RFP process from development of maintenance procedures and bid requests to distribution and collection of quotes, through evaluation and final execution
• Draft maintenance agreements and address all business, financial and legal terms with vendors
• Coordinate with various departments to ensure efficient, on-time deliverables
• Interact with contractors to implement client requirements related to scopes of work, service frequency and cost
• Prepare RFP packages for prospective subcontractors, as well as evaluate responses
• Develop, issue and negotiate subcontract agreements
• Process and update contract extensions and addendums
• Produce reports via internal maintenance management system for budget forecasting, open work orders and equipment/maintenance history
• Manage the contracts and procurement department to ensure efficiency, coordination and performance from the team

Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, engineering, or related field required
• 7 years related experience in contract management/negotiation
• Knowledge of data center or other mission critical industry preferred
• Strong interpersonal skills, strong writing skills and solid analytic capability
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
• CMMS software experience and familiarity with a contract management system is preferred
• This individual will also oversee a staff of 5-10 onsite employees in St. Louis, MO
• Other skills include demonstrated negotiation skills, attention to detail, excellent organization and multi-tasking skills and ability to develop collaborative working relationships. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are also essential